NY Bar February 2020 Forum

[TiredRepeaterMom]

I am a repeat taker but unlike many other on the forum, I took the exam several years back. I took the exam and failed with a score very close to the passing score. I basically got very demotivated and discouraged and also decided to focus on other things in life including some health related issues. I now have a kid and a full time job at a prestigious company as a foreign attorney. Passing the NY bar is almost like an unfulfilled dream for me and ideally I would need it to progress in my job as well. I spent a lot of energy and money on it previously and like I said I missed it by a few each time.

Since I took the bar in 2010/11, UBE has been introduced and I believe the format has considerably changed. I am trying to do some online research but don't know anyone personally who has taken the bar recently and can share what has changed since 2010 and how do I attack this beast in 2020.

Also all my previous barbri books and notes are very dated. how and where should I get new books and updated stuff to kick start the process now instead of waiting till barbri or similar programs start in November.

Kindly share the following if possible:
1. What has changed since 2010 in terms of format and prep required.
2. Which prep course to go for (given that so many new courses have come to market since 2010)
3. How do I get books and materials earlier than November. I would like to start now.
4. Any other advice to someone who has a full time job, is a mother of a child and who failed several years back but is motivated to pass this exam despite all odds.

Thank you.

[TheJuryMustDie]

I am a repeat taker but unlike many other on the forum, I took the exam several years back. I took the exam and failed with a score very close to the passing score. I basically got very demotivated and discouraged and also decided to focus on other things in life including some health related issues. I now have a kid and a full time job at a prestigious company as a foreign attorney. Passing the NY bar is almost like an unfulfilled dream for me and ideally I would need it to progress in my job as well. I spent a lot of energy and money on it previously and like I said I missed it by a few each time.

Since I took the bar in 2010/11, UBE has been introduced and I believe the format has considerably changed. I am trying to do some online research but don't know anyone personally who has taken the bar recently and can share what has changed since 2010 and how do I attack this beast in 2020.

Also all my previous barbri books and notes are very dated. how and where should I get new books and updated stuff to kick start the process now instead of waiting till barbri or similar programs start in November.

Kindly share the following if possible:
1. What has changed since 2010 in terms of format and prep required.
2. Which prep course to go for (given that so many new courses have come to market since 2010)
3. How do I get books and materials earlier than November. I would like to start now.
4. Any other advice to someone who has a full time job, is a mother of a child and who failed several years back but is motivated to pass this exam despite all odds.

Thank you.

As you are already aware, New York now administers the UBE rather than the format you took in 2010. The main changes to the format you had are:
A) the MBE now accounts for 50% of the exam as opposed to 40% under the old format;
B) the 50 question New York State Multiple Choice Exam has been eliminated;
C) the essays are now the Multistate Essay Examination otherwise known as the MME. The MEE tests generally acceptable principles of law without NY distinctions, unlike the old format. It contains six questions rather than five, still, unlike under the old format where you had approximately 45 minutes per question, on the MEE, you will have 30 minutes to answer each question;
D) while the MPT accounted for 10% of your total score under the old format, it now accounts for 20% of your total score under the UBE. You will answer two MPTs instead of one;
E) going back to the MBE, there are now seven subjects tested on the MBE as opposed to six when you last took the exam (Civil Procedure has since been added);
F) still on the MBE, the NCBE has increased the pretest questions from 10 to 25;
G) and finally, there is the small matter of the New York Law Course (an online video course) and the New York Law Exam (an online open book exam) you have to deal with either prior to or after the main bar exam

As for the rest of your questions, I'm afraid I'm too lazy to advise anyone on how best to study for the bar, sorry. Good luck!

[TiredRepeaterMom]

Thank you for your time. Any advice on a recommended bar review course? (I just found out that barbri would charge 3k for even repeat takers :O ).

[QContinuum]

Thank you for your time. Any advice on a recommended bar review course? (I just found out that barbri would charge 3k for even repeat takers :O ).

Themis has a pretty good UBE course. Themis was fairly new back in 2010 but their reputation has really come up in recent years and now they are viewed as in between Barbri and Kaplan quality-wise (they also charge in between Barbri and Kaplan, FWIW).

If money is a major concern, I have had friends do fine with Kaplan.

[TiredRepeaterMom]

Thank you. It sounds like Barbri is still the best out there as far as quality is concerned and Themis comparable and Kaplan third in terms of price and quality but people pass with it...

[QContinuum]

Thank you. It sounds like Barbri is still the best out there as far as quality is concerned and Themis comparable and Kaplan third in terms of price and quality but people pass with it...

I don't know too much about Kaplan TBH. At my law school very few people used it (mostly because most had employers paying, so might as well sign up for a pricey course, was the thought), but the people who did did fine and I didn't hear any complaints.

Barbri vs. Themis is, IMO, more about which format you prefer. Barbri has a more "traditional" bar prep format with long lectures (now delivered online, of course) and, especially early on, super-difficult questions intended to "scare you straight." Many like it because it's kind of like law school in format, and once you've mastered Barbri's scary difficult prep questions then you will sail through the actual bar. Themis breaks things up a bit more into more "bite-size" lectures and more mini-quizzes and assessments along the way. Many like it because it's hard to stay focused during hours-long lectures and you get more of a sense of momentum and (in theory) retain material better when you're completing half-hour chunks instead. The prep questions are also either old bar questions or questions of similar difficulty.

[soontobeNYAttorney]

Retaker here!
I sat for NY bar exam in 2018 and failed a few points short... I moved on with my life and got myself into business and all other stuff. Now that I'm working full-time and got this part of life settled, I feel like its time to finish the undone work and do the bar exam again! Super frustrating as I forgot how much I hated this.. but there's no other option.
Last time I did Barmax plus critical pass and couple other supplements... obviously didn't work the best! This time I decided to do Themis because I heard a lot of good things about them. However, I had friends who have passed using Kaplan or Barbri. But the fact is that Themis is kind of a self-paced bar review which makes it more practical as I'm working FT 9hrs a day.
My only challenge now is to balance work-life and Bar-life situation...

[The Avatar]

Would you pay 2k for barmax, 3k for Themis, or 4k+ for Barbri (Canadian so higher exchange rate)?

Is 2-3 months also enough time to prep for the exam?

Any successful self-study guides?

[soontobeNYAttorney]

Would you pay 2k for barmax, 3k for Themis, or 4k+ for Barbri (Canadian so higher exchange rate)?

Is 2-3 months also enough time to prep for the exam?

Any successful self-study guides?

Honestly I wouldn't do Barmax. The only reason that I'm still using it is because I've already paid for it and it might be helpful as a supplement for me (because they have real MBE questions). About Themis tho, they have this public interest scholarship that makes the price way more affordable (about $1400). Look up their website for more information. Also, if you could negotiate with them, they tend to help you with some discounts.

[The Avatar]

Would you pay 2k for barmax, 3k for Themis, or 4k+ for Barbri (Canadian so higher exchange rate)?

Is 2-3 months also enough time to prep for the exam?

Any successful self-study guides?

Honestly I wouldn't do Barmax. The only reason that I'm still using it is because I've already paid for it and it might be helpful as a supplement for me (because they have real MBE questions). About Themis tho, they have this public interest scholarship that makes the price way more affordable (about $1400). Look up their website for more information. Also, if you could negotiate with them, they tend to help you with some discounts.

Thanks. I negotiated with Themis and got it to $1695+shipping. Going to run with it.

[pandapandapanda]

Random question, but we do not need to bring a separate passport photo to the exam next week, correct? I.e., just a photo ID is enough?

[JoeSeperac]

Here's the rule. I've never heard of anyone having problems with their ID, but better to bring both to be safe.

PHOTO IDENTIFICATION

All applicants must bring a government issued photo ID to the examination, which will be checked at all four sessions. Acceptable forms of ID include a U.S. driver's license, a passport, or other government issued photo ID. A non-U.S. citizen who does not possess a driver's license issued by a U.S. state or territory must present a valid passport for identification. The name on your photo ID must match the name on your Seating Ticket.

https://www.nybarexam.org/Security/Security.htm#photo

[QContinuum]

Here's the rule. I've never heard of anyone having problems with their ID, but better to bring both to be safe.

PHOTO IDENTIFICATION

All applicants must bring a government issued photo ID to the examination, which will be checked at all four sessions. Acceptable forms of ID include a U.S. driver's license, a passport, or other government issued photo ID. A non-U.S. citizen who does not possess a driver's license issued by a U.S. state or territory must present a valid passport for identification. The name on your photo ID must match the name on your Seating Ticket.

https://www.nybarexam.org/Security/Security.htm#photo

Yep. To the previous poster's question, I'm not aware of a need to bring a separate photo to the exam. They only check to make sure the name on your seating ticket matches the name on your government-issued photo ID.

The rule isn't entirely clear on how BOLE interprets "other government issued photo ID," so to be 200% safe, I'd recommend using the enumerated examples of acceptable IDs, i.e., a U.S. driver's license, U.S. passport/passport card, or (for non-U.S. citizens) foreign passport. Make 200% sure the ID isn't expired and that the ID has a photo (i.e., a provisional, non-photo driver's license wouldn't work).

Other forms of government-issued photo ID (e.g., a bar card from another jurisdiction, or an employee ID issued by a city/state/federal agency) may be accepted, but I personally wouldn't risk it.

[nyboundesq]

Bar exam results are out!!

[Anonymous User]

If you have to login to look at results without an attachment in the email, does that mean you passed? I didn’t get an attachment just a prompt to login.

[nyboundesq]

Everyone has to log in this year.