UBE Strategy for MBE dropping scores and MEE nuanced questions Forum

[examsRdumb]

I've checked out these blogs but never actually posted. I failed the old NY bar exam before they switched to the UBE and I've been afraid to do the UBE. Does anyone have any insight on how to effectively pass the UBE these days? I've read a lot on the high MBE score= Auto pass (See http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewtopic.php, t=210339,http://lawschooldiscussion.org/index.ph ... =4010818.0, http://all4jds.com/FORUMS/aft/16834), but if the average MBE is 131 that does not seem to be a possibility for many test takers. I'm still convinced that the 25 experimental questions had a negative outcome on passage rates despite what some are pushing. That was 25 more opportunities for points and 5 questions could be the difference between passing and failing!!!

The MEE also seems to be getting into topics of less focus from the bar prep programs or even from law school curriculum. From what I've read 1-2 MEE questions appear to be from information that would be in a foot note or read in passing considering there are 1000s of pages of total material. This means knowing the elements of a covenant or defamation may no longer get you a passing score when smaller subjects are tested.

The MPTs seem to be the one constant to earn points. I've heard many people say don't waste time on it and others who did like 20 examples. Does the MPT actually impact the overall essay score to help pass?

I've compiled a list of UBE results from Feb 2018 and its not clear if there are more people failing (money game by the bar companies/bar examiners or less prepared students?), if the exams are actually getting harder, if the fact that less test takers are appearing, or if there are just too many repeat test takers in the mix (I will defend repeaters bc some are actually studying really hard and we can't be blamed for everything). Its time WE THE STUDENTS TAKE OUR POWER BACK BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE HAVE THE LAST SAY ON WHAT/HOW WE ARE TESTED!!!!

States with 260 passing (IF YOU HAVE MORE STATS UPDATE FOR OTHERS!!!)
Alabama (No statistics yet "NSY"), Minnesota (NSY), Missouri (NSY), New Mexico (Feb 2018: Overall pass 65%; Feb 2017: Overall pass: 67%), North Dakota (Feb 2018: 45%; Feb 2017: 39%)

266
Connecticut (NSY), District of Columbia (NSY), Iowa (Feb 2018: 57%; Feb 2017: 69%), Kansas (NSY), Montana (Feb 2018: 76%; Feb 2017: 51%), New Jersey (NSY), New York (NSY), South Carolina (NSY), Virgin Islands (NSY)

270
Massachusetts (NSY), Nebraska (NSY), New Hampshire (NSY), North Carolina (NSY), Utah (NSY), Vermont Feb 2018: 65%; Feb 2017: 21 passed), Washington (Feb 2018: 49%; Feb 2017: 57%), West Virginia (NSY), Wyoming (NSY)

272
Idaho (Feb 2018: 69%; Feb 2017: 69%)

273
Arizona (NSY)

274
Oregon (NSY)

276
Colorado, Maine

280
Alaska (NSY)

ANY OVERALL STRATEGIES TO PASS ARE GOOD!!

[pfunkera]

I completely concentrated on the MBE after reading that 140 autopass thread on here. I didn't even bother with the essays until the week before other than a few practice essays I turned into Barbri. Because I did well enough on Barbri's midterm MBE, I felt comfortable sticking with my plan. However, I was really nervous the last day or two because I barely spent any time on essay prep. I did my first practice property question the Sunday before the exam. Of course, there was a property essay question on the exam. This strategy worked for me, but I test well and for what its worth I was near the top of my class (small, low ranked school). Seems logical that if you can do really well on the MBE you should be able to BS your way through the essays. In fact, I scored just as well on my essays as my MBE score but I took it in a small state thus probably had lower competition than a state like NY.

[examsRdumb]

http://www.ncbex.org/news/repeat-test-t ... e-decline/
The NCBEX basically says the low MBE score is due to repeat takers- seems like a blame game to me- why can't they just take responsibility? If I decided on FL and not NY pfunkera, do you think that your approach will work? FL has a horrible pass rate.

[pfunkera]

http://www.ncbex.org/news/repeat-test-t ... e-decline/
The NCBEX basically says the low MBE score is due to repeat takers- seems like a blame game to me- why can't they just take responsibility? If I decided on FL and not NY pfunkera, do you think that your approach will work? FL has a horrible pass rate.

I was in a UBE state (50% MBE/30%MEE/20%MPT). I knew I would do really well on the MPT so I figured if I could do well on the MBE that was 70% of my score. Not sure how FL weighs things but I think you have state specific questions - right?

[SilvermanBarPrep]

Regarding MBE Strategy, you've got to spend a lot of time working through practice questions. Would a person ever expect to become a competent tennis player by reading a book about tennis? Or chess, or anything? You've got to learn the law of course, but a little too much focus is placed on that aspect; to become good at the MBE requires learning how to apply the law to fact patterns. That is the skill they are testing and that truly is just important as the law.

Sean (Silverman Bar Exam Tutoring)

[hockeyman969]

Regarding MBE Strategy, you've got to spend a lot of time working through practice questions. Would a person ever expect to become a competent tennis player by reading a book about tennis? Or chess, or anything? You've got to learn the law of course, but a little too much focus is placed on that aspect; to become good at the MBE requires learning how to apply the law to fact patterns. That is the skill they are testing and that truly is just important as the law.

Sean (Silverman Bar Exam Tutoring)

Sean, don't forget that bar review courses can only teach you so much law. I found in both bar exams I was successful on, I learned 40-50 percent of the law from just doing practice MBE questions.

[SilvermanBarPrep]

Regarding MBE Strategy, you've got to spend a lot of time working through practice questions. Would a person ever expect to become a competent tennis player by reading a book about tennis? Or chess, or anything? You've got to learn the law of course, but a little too much focus is placed on that aspect; to become good at the MBE requires learning how to apply the law to fact patterns. That is the skill they are testing and that truly is just important as the law.

Sean (Silverman Bar Exam Tutoring)

Sean, don't forget that bar review courses can only teach you so much law. I found in both bar exams I was successful on, I learned 40-50 percent of the law from just doing practice MBE questions.

I agree 100% with that.