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BUT DON’T FRET YET
A. Every State Bar Exam Is Different
B. Don’t Take Courses Just Because They’re On the Bar
1. MBE States
2. Rule of Thumb
3. Law School Time is PreciousC. What Bar Review Is
1. Process
2. Coverage
3. ResultD. Don’t Be Pressured to Enroll Now
1. Where Will You Be In Three Years?
2. You Need Time to Choose a Suitable Course
3. Other Factors to Consider
a. Course Requires a Non-refundable Deposit?
b. What Benefit From Signing Up Early?
c. What Are the Pass Rates of the Course?
d. Other Course Pass Rates
e. Locally Owned v. National Course
f. Is There Really a Disadvantage If I Wait?THE BAR EXAM IS OUT THERE, BUT DON’T FRET YET The bar exam is the final trial by fire of your law school career.
A. Every State Bar Exam Is Different
You can check out your state’s bar association website for the details of your state’s exam. www.MultistateBarReview.com has information on live Primer Series courses in your area.
B. Don’t Take Courses Just Because They’re On the Bar
Many students are tempted to take courses during law school solely because they are tested on the bar exam.
1. MBE States: If you are in a state that uses the Multi-state Bar Exam, all the topics on that exam will likely be required during your first or second year. Other topics are usually tested by essay.
2. Rule of Thumb: However there is one good rule of thumb: don’t take a law school course solely because it is on the bar exam. If you have other reasons as well, great. But if you take a good bar review course, you will learn what you need to know for the exam.
3. Law School Time Is Precious: Time in law school is valuable; you should use it to learn those topics that really interest you. Don’t feel that you have to take it to pass the bar. That’s what bar review is for. Your bar review course will prepare you for the exam content, whether you had the course in law school or not.
C. What Bar Review Is
Bar review is a comprehensive course you take after law school, usually the first summer after graduation.
1. Process: It is an intensive process that teaches you everything you need to know to pass the bar exam.
2. Coverage: The state bar association dictates the subjects covered, length and structure of the exam.
3. Result: Your effort and the effectiveness of your review course choice dictate your chances of success.
D. Don’t Be Pressured to Enroll Now
Very early, 1Ls may be pressured to sign up and pay for a bar review course early (to “lock in” a price or to take advantage of “free” law school study materials and video “classes.”) However, keep a couple of things in mind.
1. You Don’t Know Where Will You Be In Three Years: You don’t know if, when, and where you will ever take the bar exam. Many plans can change during the course of law school.
2. Choose a Suitable Course for Your Needs: You need time to learn your own law school study methods and figure out which bar review course is best for your study style. There are significant differences between the courses and most students need at least one full year of law school experience to appreciate the distinctions. This is a very important decision.
3. Other Factors to Consider:
a. Does the Course Require a Non-refundable Deposit?: Different courses may or may not require a deposit for various reasons. If a deposit is non-refundable (or termed an “option” or “membership”), remember, if you change courses or decide not to take the bar, it is money down the drain. There may be a reason they are trying to lock you in now before you develop the law school experience to knowledgeably consider the alternatives.
b. What Benefit Do I Really Get From Signing Up Early?: Review the books and materials the course provides to see if they’re really beneficial. Also remember, many of these materials are available free at the library or inexpensively at the bookstore. Study videos purported to be “only for enrolled members” often end up screened to everyone. They are only rarely focused on your individual professor’s exams. A non-refundable “payment” for these materials is not usually worth it.
c. What Are the Pass Rates of the Course?: You need to ask this single most important question. If you take this course and follow their recommended program, what are the chances you’ll pass the bar on the first attempt? Make sure you get the details of how the pass rates are calculated. If a course doesn’t publish their pass rates, consider what their reason might be. Don’t be afraid to ask. This is a very important decision.
d. Other Courses: Most courses do not hard-sell 1Ls at the beginning of the first year. Law school administrators dislike the academic intrusion. Thus you may not know what the competitive options are, their structure, price, and pass rates.
e. Locally Owned v. National Course: National courses have huge marketing dollars and may try to overwhelm the 1L scene. Local courses cannot meet these marketing blitzes and thus tend to concentrate their resources on substance and matching the local state exam particulars rather than “one size fits all.” Also, just because most students enroll in a national course does not mean that course is the best. National courses often have a larger classroom capacity and can take more students. Sometimes your best decision is the “home team” course right in your own area.
f. Is There Really a Disadvantage If I Wait?: Take a step back. Is the course trying to sign you up because it’s really in your best interest, or is it simply a high-pressure sales pitch? Pressure courses are usually more concerned about their profit bottom line than about helping you to make a meaningful informed decision. Don’t submit to these kinds of external pressures. Choosing a bar review course is a very important choice, and you have time to make it.
