Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2017 Forum

[Love With The Coco]

Also, I wish there was a way to know if Themis really does make their questions harder than the actual exam questions will be

I bought the Emmanuel book with ~600 real MBE questions. They are definitely easier. My scores have been better than my Themis average in every subject. The nuances are tested but not nearly as frequently as the Themis PQ sets.

Thanks for the insight. Helpful

[Puffman1234]

I only took the MBE Exam #2 (crim/civ/evidence/con law) a few days ago, and got an 84%. I haven't I'm sitting on about 77% average on MBE PQs with 850 questions done, but I don't prepare before doing the PQs and I also tend to remember what I miss, so I think that my "real" current average across a large number of questions is probably a little better than that. I do intend to do at least 400-500 more MBE questions before the bar, which may or may not include the 200 question full MBE (mine is scheduled for tomorrow, but I'll probably wait til next week).

I almost feel like Themis is targeting the MBE at the expense of the other components of the bar exam. I still don't know most of the state specific subjects well enough to write shit about them.

I was intending to do like 40-60 mixed MBE questions every day from here on out (maybe like 20-30 in the morning, 20-30 at night), while using all my other time on the state subjects. But if I actually legitimately read all the MBE answers and take the time to fully understand and think about them, it takes me like 2 hours/34 question set. You'd think that could be rectified by me only reading the answers for those I get wrong, but the thing is like 20-30% of the answers I get right are from guessing, which compels me to read every explanation.

[SplitMyPants]

for the record, not all the mixed question sets are identical. my question set 3 was different from my gf's mixed question set 3 and there are questions she's had that i have not, and vice versa (we're both on question set 6 now). it seems that once you leave the topic-specific question sets, it just reaches into a bank of questions.

[ernie]

Man I have no idea how I'm going to learn the BLL for MEE.

[michelle3908]

Man I have no idea how I'm going to learn the BLL for MEE.

You're not alone, seems like an uphill battle lately. I don't feel like there is any room left in my brain.

[Bobzilla]

tfw you finish watching YouTube videos to figure out when character evidence is admissible and realize it was made for Canadian law students...

[Bass]

What did everyone think of the simulated MEE exams? I really need a perfect score for MPT to make up for my MEE at this rate...

[IronCobra]

What did everyone think of the simulated MEE exams? I really need a perfect score for MPT to make up for my MEE at this rate...

I had no issue with the essay subjects that overlapped with the MBE (civ pro, con law, torts, property), but for the pure MEE subjects (family law and corporations) I was typing straight from the outlines into the box. It's going to be a struggle to learn those topics.

[robin600]

I only took the MBE Exam #2 (crim/civ/evidence/con law) a few days ago, and got an 84%. I haven't I'm sitting on about 77% average on MBE PQs with 850 questions done, but I don't prepare before doing the PQs and I also tend to remember what I miss, so I think that my "real" current average across a large number of questions is probably a little better than that. I do intend to do at least 400-500 more MBE questions before the bar, which may or may not include the 200 question full MBE (mine is scheduled for tomorrow, but I'll probably wait til next week).

I almost feel like Themis is targeting the MBE at the expense of the other components of the bar exam. I still don't know most of the state specific subjects well enough to write shit about them.

I was intending to do like 40-60 mixed MBE questions every day from here on out (maybe like 20-30 in the morning, 20-30 at night), while using all my other time on the state subjects. But if I actually legitimately read all the MBE answers and take the time to fully understand and think about them, it takes me like 2 hours/34 question set. You'd think that could be rectified by me only reading the answers for those I get wrong, but the thing is like 20-30% of the answers I get right are from guessing, which compels me to read every explanation.

Dude I hate you...

[Puffman1234]

I only took the MBE Exam #2 (crim/civ/evidence/con law) a few days ago, and got an 84%. I haven't I'm sitting on about 77% average on MBE PQs with 850 questions done, but I don't prepare before doing the PQs and I also tend to remember what I miss, so I think that my "real" current average across a large number of questions is probably a little better than that. I do intend to do at least 400-500 more MBE questions before the bar, which may or may not include the 200 question full MBE (mine is scheduled for tomorrow, but I'll probably wait til next week).

I almost feel like Themis is targeting the MBE at the expense of the other components of the bar exam. I still don't know most of the state specific subjects well enough to write shit about them.

I was intending to do like 40-60 mixed MBE questions every day from here on out (maybe like 20-30 in the morning, 20-30 at night), while using all my other time on the state subjects. But if I actually legitimately read all the MBE answers and take the time to fully understand and think about them, it takes me like 2 hours/34 question set. You'd think that could be rectified by me only reading the answers for those I get wrong, but the thing is like 20-30% of the answers I get right are from guessing, which compels me to read every explanation.

Dude I hate you...

I know it sounds awesome but the MBE is only worth 40% here. I still haven't even looked at an MPT or done any state specific practice, little of which overlaps with the MBE subjects. I still have to read 1/2 the state outlines. There's also a state specific evidence/civ pro/crim pro set of short questions that I know nothing about yet.

[robin600]

Scored the average on the morning set of problems, which was 63%. Did anyone else find that the MBE morning session questions were crazy hard?!

[IronCobra]

Scored the average on the morning set of problems, which was 63%. Did anyone else find that the MBE morning session questions were crazy hard?!

Yeah. I've been consistently scoring in the mid-70s on all of my practice sets up until now, but I got a 65% on the morning set of problems. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[DurhamNC2017]

Hi all, I thought I would post some words of encouragement for you as I know it gets tough around this time.

I took the NC July 2016 exam, used Kaplan, was busy during the lead up (finding a job, wife pregnant, working a little, moving). Failed by 1 pt.

I took the NC Feb. 2017 exam. Had a baby in late 2016, was able to take off work starting Jan. 1, had a death in the family in early January, had to go back to the hospital with the baby for a few days after he was born too (nothing very serious and he is fine now), and started studying hard Jan. 14. Used Themis. Studied a lot during the time. 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a few lighter days. Did about 70% of the course. Felt nervous. After taking the exam, felt nervous. NC had about a 34% passage rate, and less for out of state law school, second time takers.

I passed. (NC does not give passing scores so I don't know how I did).

I think Themis really works, liked it much better than Kaplan.

I'm practicing now, enjoying life and the summer. You'll get through this. If I had to take it twice, failing by 1 pt., had a baby in the middle of studying for it, have a death in the family and only studied for 6 weeks, AND know people who had harder circumstances and took it, you can pass. Just keep going.

Here are some quick tips that I found helpful:

- I did every day an MBE problem set at the very end of each day and then the first thing I'd do in the morning would be to review the answers, 1 by 1, for an hour or so- I think this really helped solidify things in my head
- Spend a lot of time reviewing right and wrong answers
- Focus on putting your essays in a good, lawyerly format (e.g. IRAC)
- If you get an essay topic on the exam you don't know, skip it till the end, and then try to, to the extent you can, tick through as many rules or portions of rules as you can.
- If you enjoyed a particular topic in law school, for me Con. Law and Crim Pro., max out on studying those, especially if they are MBE and state topics that are the same or nearly the same. This way, studying will not seem so bad and hopefully you can really max out your points on those topics.
- Save stuff that you like for when you think you'll be tired.
- Know that you are going to get frustrated and feel like you'll fail. Just move forward from it. Just keep going on.
- Save some time at the end to do straight memorization.
- I tried to work out for like 30 minutes every evening after I finished or as a break. I thought it really helped me.

Good luck!

[Pilking76]

Plaintiff is a citizen of State A. Defendant is a citizen of State B. Plaintiffs sues Defendant in federal District Court of State B based on diversity jurisdiction, asserting a two claims from the same transaction and occurrence, one for $50,000 and one for $30,000.

Does the court have subject matter jurisdiction?

A. Yes, because there is complete diversity
B. Yes, because the amount-in-controversey exceeds $75,000
C. No, because no claim individually exceeds $75,000
D. No, because the court has discretion

Example of Themis' bullshit answer choices today

[Samarcan]

Plaintiff is a citizen of State A. Defendant is a citizen of State B. Plaintiffs sues Defendant in federal District Court of State B based on diversity jurisdiction, asserting a two claims from the same transaction and occurrence, one for $50,000 and one for $30,000.

Does the court have subject matter jurisdiction?

A. Yes, because there is complete diversity
B. Yes, because the amount-in-controversey exceeds $75,000
C. No, because no claim individually exceeds $75,000
D. No, because the court has discretion

Example of Themis' bullshit answer choices today

Is the answer (B)?

[Love With The Coco]

Was the 5th Civ Pro MBE problem set way too nuanced, or is it just me?

Just pumped out a 50% on this set.

Clown set

[bmmccb223]

Plaintiff is a citizen of State A. Defendant is a citizen of State B. Plaintiffs sues Defendant in federal District Court of State B based on diversity jurisdiction, asserting a two claims from the same transaction and occurrence, one for $50,000 and one for $30,000.

Does the court have subject matter jurisdiction?

A. Yes, because there is complete diversity
B. Yes, because the amount-in-controversey exceeds $75,000
C. No, because no claim individually exceeds $75,000
D. No, because the court has discretion

Example of Themis' bullshit answer choices today

Is the answer (B)?

Yes, a single plaintiff in a diversity action can aggregate all the claims he/she has (whether related or not) against the defendant to meet the amount in controversy. That means the amount in controversy in this case is $80,000, which exceeds $75,000.

[TheWalrus]

Plaintiff is a citizen of State A. Defendant is a citizen of State B. Plaintiffs sues Defendant in federal District Court of State B based on diversity jurisdiction, asserting a two claims from the same transaction and occurrence, one for $50,000 and one for $30,000.

Does the court have subject matter jurisdiction?

A. Yes, because there is complete diversity
B. Yes, because the amount-in-controversey exceeds $75,000
C. No, because no claim individually exceeds $75,000
D. No, because the court has discretion

Example of Themis' bullshit answer choices today

Is the answer (B)?

Yes, a single plaintiff in a diversity action can aggregate all the claims he/she has (whether related or not) against the defendant to meet the amount in controversy. That means the amount in controversy in this case is $80,000, which exceeds $75,000.

Why was a considered wrong? Lol

[droit]

Scored the average on the morning set of problems, which was 63%. Did anyone else find that the MBE morning session questions were crazy hard?!

Yeah, I felt the same about it. I did much better on the afternoon portion.

[bmmccb223]

Scored the average on the morning set of problems, which was 63%. Did anyone else find that the MBE morning session questions were crazy hard?!

Yeah, I felt the same about it. I did much better on the afternoon portion.

Same here. 69% on AM and 77% on PM.

[bmmccb223]

Plaintiff is a citizen of State A. Defendant is a citizen of State B. Plaintiffs sues Defendant in federal District Court of State B based on diversity jurisdiction, asserting a two claims from the same transaction and occurrence, one for $50,000 and one for $30,000.

Does the court have subject matter jurisdiction?

A. Yes, because there is complete diversity
B. Yes, because the amount-in-controversey exceeds $75,000
C. No, because no claim individually exceeds $75,000
D. No, because the court has discretion

Example of Themis' bullshit answer choices today

Is the answer (B)?

Yes, a single plaintiff in a diversity action can aggregate all the claims he/she has (whether related or not) against the defendant to meet the amount in controversy. That means the amount in controversy in this case is $80,000, which exceeds $75,000.

Why was a considered wrong? Lol

Poorly worded question, but they were trying to test you on aggregation so B I guess would be the better answer.

[Pilking76]

Plaintiff is a citizen of State A. Defendant is a citizen of State B. Plaintiffs sues Defendant in federal District Court of State B based on diversity jurisdiction, asserting a two claims from the same transaction and occurrence, one for $50,000 and one for $30,000.

Does the court have subject matter jurisdiction?

A. Yes, because there is complete diversity
B. Yes, because the amount-in-controversey exceeds $75,000
C. No, because no claim individually exceeds $75,000
D. No, because the court has discretion

Example of Themis' bullshit answer choices today

Is the answer (B)?

Yes, a single plaintiff in a diversity action can aggregate all the claims he/she has (whether related or not) against the defendant to meet the amount in controversy. That means the amount in controversy in this case is $80,000, which exceeds $75,000.

Why was a considered wrong? Lol

Poorly worded question, but they were trying to test you on aggregation so B I guess would be the better answer.

Sorry for the confusion, but that's not a real question. I made it up to because I felt like thats what some of Themis' questions are like where they give you two answer choices that are both correct and you need to infer as to what they "were trying to test you on." Seeing by your guys' answers I guess its not to far off haha.

[Mullens]

Scored the average on the morning set of problems, which was 63%. Did anyone else find that the MBE morning session questions were crazy hard?!

Yeah, I felt the same about it. I did much better on the afternoon portion.

Same here. 69% on AM and 77% on PM.

I got 71% in the AM and 70% in the PM. I thought the AM was easier while taking it too. I really faded in the afternoon though and was mentally exhausted by the end.

[cho8583]

So basically I should get at least +60% on that MBE practice exams both AM PM?

[Love With The Coco]

So basically I should get at least +60% on that MBE practice exams both AM PM?

I wouldn't worry too much. If you look at last year's thread people who got 140's generally ended up with ~160+ MBE raw scores.

This is TLS so the posters in this thread are often the types who score a 320. You don't need a 320.