Retakers that passed the UBE, how many points did you improve and what tools did you use Forum

[gladiator0flaw11]

I've used Themis, AdaptiBar, Critical Pass cards and improved over time with my scores, but not for my jurisdiction. What is the largest point difference someone has started and jumped to over taking the UBE multiple times? This will determine if I sit for the FL bar exam with my new position lined up down there or take the UBE for home jurisdiction incase that position no longer works out. Thank you

[L_William_W]

I have a very unique story. I went to CUNY law school in NYC. It took me 7 semesters to graduate. I took the NY bar exam in February 2014 but didn't complete the exam due to a medical emergency. I took NY again in July 2014 and got a pathetic 118.6 MBE. Needless to say that I didn't pass. I then took NJ in February 2015 and received a 123.2 MBE. I think you can deduce that I didn't pass. I took NJ in July 2015 and scored 130.2 on the MBE. I passed by the skin of my teeth. I took NY in July 2017 and received a 149.3 on the MBE.

After getting shitty MBE scores, I changed my approach. I realized that simply doing a lot of questions won't raise my score. Instead, I had to have a plan of attack. Although the questions are hard, they have predictable patterns. There are specific techniques that you can use to answer each question correct in 6 out of the 7 MBE subjects (I didn't do that great in the civ pro MBE).

Emanuel's MBE bootcamp gives you tips on how to attack each MBE questions

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Con ... dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Evi ... e+bootcamp

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Tor ... dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Con ... e+bootcamp

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Cri ... e+bootcamp

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Pro ... e+bootcamp

After I mastered the techniques, I practiced using Strategies and Tactics for the MBE, Strategies and Tactics Finz, and Kaplan MBE. The Finz questions are as hard as the questions you'll see on the actual exam

https://www.amazon.com/Strategies-Tacti ... or+the+mbe

https://www.amazon.com/Strategies-Tacti ... dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-Practice- ... dpSrc=srch


I graduated at the bottom of my class and nearly got academically dismissed. If I can pass two bar exams, any human being can pass a bar exam.

[musername]

I took the NY Bar exam in July 2015 and failed with a 116 MBE. I had relatively decent scores on essays.

I then took the UBE in July 2016 and failed with a 123 UBE. I failed NY by only a few points though (261).

I just passed UBE (July 2017) with a 128 UBE. 277 overall. I worked full time and had about a week and half off before the exam. I didn't care so much if I passed and wasn't really nervous.

Third time around I realized that life doesn't end when you fail an exam. I also had about 2 years of full time work experience and realized I can do other things if law doesn't work out. Finally, I realized overall that I am not good at multiple choice but I can write a decent essays. I kept that perspective in mind. I still did a lot of multiple choice and kept sheets of my wrong answers. It didn't help much. However, I realized that in the end, it doesn't matter what your score is exactly. Focus on what you're good at and remember you don't need to be perfect to pass-- and you will pass.

[BostonCeltics]

First attempt: 247, 122 MBE.

Second attempt: 259, 138 MBE.

Third attempt: 296, 153 MBE.

I used Themis the first two times. The second time I used Themis+Emmanuel’s. The third time I used exclusively AdaptiBar (approx 3000 q’s total during the study period) and a used Barbri essay book from 2009.

[gladiator0flaw11]

I have a very unique story. I went to CUNY law school in NYC. It took me 7 semesters to graduate. I took the NY bar exam in February 2014 but didn't complete the exam due to a medical emergency. I took NY again in July 2014 and got a pathetic 118.6 MBE. Needless to say that I didn't pass. I then took NJ in February 2015 and received a 123.2 MBE. I think you can deduce that I didn't pass. I took NJ in July 2015 and scored 130.2 on the MBE. I passed by the skin of my teeth. I took NY in July 2017 and received a 149.3 on the MBE.

After getting shitty MBE scores, I changed my approach. I realized that simply doing a lot of questions won't raise my score. Instead, I had to have a plan of attack. Although the questions are hard, they have predictable patterns. There are specific techniques that you can use to answer each question correct in 6 out of the 7 MBE subjects (I didn't do that great in the civ pro MBE).

Emanuel's MBE bootcamp gives you tips on how to attack each MBE questions

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Con ... dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Evi ... e+bootcamp

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Tor ... dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Con ... e+bootcamp

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Cri ... e+bootcamp

https://www.amazon.com/MBE-Bootcamp-Pro ... e+bootcamp

After I mastered the techniques, I practiced using Strategies and Tactics for the MBE, Strategies and Tactics Finz, and Kaplan MBE. The Finz questions are as hard as the questions you'll see on the actual exam

https://www.amazon.com/Strategies-Tacti ... or+the+mbe

https://www.amazon.com/Strategies-Tacti ... dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-Practice- ... dpSrc=srch


I graduated at the bottom of my class and nearly got academically dismissed. If I can pass two bar exams, any human being can pass a bar exam.

Thank you for your post. So there is hope for a 110 MBE at least minimal, I'm in a similar situation as you and had to work hard on my resume to make up for poor grades. Which one helped the most if you had to choose between those books as far as plan of attack when you saw a significant jump? Did all 3 of the last books help or one particularly struck for you? thank you

[L_William_W]

Use every book that I listed. Out of the 3, Finz is the hardest and Strategies and Tactics is the easiest. Use Strategies and Tactics as a warm up- those questions are a little too easy. However, you should use it to work on the techniques from the Emanuel books. Once you're done with Strategies and Tactics, move on to the hardest questions in Finz and Kaplan.

[Blackberie]

Hey all,

I submitted my scores from Feb 2017 and July 2017 to Seperac. He sent me back a great write up on my weaknesses etc. He did mention something about to improve MBE score that I should make a RULES OUTLINE. From my understanding, this is basically an outline you make as you do the MBE questions. You write down which areas of law you're weak on so you don't make the same mistake twice. This is something I'm going to try this time around. 3rd times the charm like JFK?

I also think it would be beneficial to focus on a single subject, essays and MBE PQ's over the course of a few days. I feel like I probably jumped around a lot the last time so I never really honed in on a single area.

Thoughts?

[SilvermanBarPrep]

I think that the post about the bootcamp books and the S&T practice questions (Finz is excellent) is on point. I do wish the bootcamp books would be updated though since it looks like the volumes are from 2010.

But there is some really great advice in this thread.

Sean (Silverman Bar Exam Tutoring)