Has ANYONE taken Kaplan for CA bar? Forum

[stv]

I am thinking about buying the Kaplan bar review course because it is offering me the cheapest price.I also skimmed through its MPRE outline and like it better than Barbri which is too complicated for me.

However, It seems like Kaplan is least mentioned in posts, which makes me concerned. I am a out-of-state applicant and literally reviewed almost all of the reviews about a bar review course here. Is Kaplan least popular in CA?

I don't plan on doing other services/materials in addition to a bar review course.

[barprepblues]

A friend of mine did. It did not end well.

[pml87]

Hard to say. I took Kaplan and pass this July. But it definitely is not the most popular bar prep company at my school. I can say though that it will give you the materials needed to pass the bar. How you use it is up to you.

[BigZuck]

Do Themis

Is Kaplan way cheaper than them or something?

[stv]

Hard to say. I took Kaplan and pass this July. But it definitely is not the most popular bar prep company at my school. I can say though that it will give you the materials needed to pass the bar. How you use it is up to you.

So Kaplan was the least popular among three (Barbri, Kaplan, Themis) at your school? Do you have reasons why you chose Kaplan regardless?

[hdivschool]

I had a friend do Kaplan. She did not like it, and as I recall, some of the answers in Kaplan's answer key were wrong and she did not find the model essays to be helpful. She would often borrow my Barbri materials. She still passed the bar, though.

[Yukos]

I used Kaplan and passed. Didn't seem there was more wrong with it than any of the other companies from talking to my friends, though I definitely came across some answers that I was extremely skeptical of. My bigger issue with Kaplan is they're sketchy with the rebates/deposits as I wrote here: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=271298

[pml87]

Hard to say. I took Kaplan and pass this July. But it definitely is not the most popular bar prep company at my school. I can say though that it will give you the materials needed to pass the bar. How you use it is up to you.

So Kaplan was the least popular among three (Barbri, Kaplan, Themis) at your school? Do you have reasons why you chose Kaplan regardless?

Partly because I got a free bar course from Kaplan, and partly because I like to live life on the edge (not using what my peers consider the safest bar prep on the verge of a very important exam oddly gives me a sense of thrill). Ultimately, I thought bar prep does not make or break your performance, your actual preparation does. Work smart and hard, with a little more emphasis on the former.

[EdSaid]

I did and so did another friend. We both passed but we also both agreed that Kaplan can leave you not feeling very confident. Some of the instructors are very hit or miss. The evidence guy was great but most of the CA specific lectures were crap. I think the biggest problem with Kaplan is that they don't have you do as many essays as you should be doing until relatively late in the prep. It wasn't really until about a month into the program that you get to the California specific sections and you start getting assigned at least one essay a day. This meant that you would do torts in early June, do an essay or two, and then not do a torts essay again until early July. For the California specific sections, you may only do two or three essays. Those were the hardest for me because I hadn't done any coursework in trusts/wills or community property. If it were me, I would be doing at least 3 essays a day under timed conditions. Also, get the California Essay Writing book by Basick. I'm convinced it's one of the main reasons I passed.

To be fair, though, I have yet to meet anyone who actually liked their bar prep company. They're all aimed at a general audience and don't really adjust well to what you individually need. Their MBE questions tend to be overly complex and way too focused on obscure points that aren't tested as often. If Kaplan is your cheapest option, definitely go with it but also plan to study more than its schedule tells you to and study the CA specific sections way before it says to on the syllabus.