numbertwo88 wrote:I used Themis both times I took the bar exam. The first time I failed and completed about 76% of the course and of that 76% I only completed ~55% of the MBE questions. I scored a 124 on the MBE my first time. The second time I took it I'm not sure what my score was because MA doesn't release them if you pass but on practice sets I was getting 65% - 74% correct. Also, first time around I only had a top score on 1 essay too. My other essay scores weren't bad though - it's the MBE that fucked me over.
Second time around this is what I did differently (still using Themis though since it was offered for free after I failed)
1. Skipped *every* single lecture - they're useless. As long as you can read you don't need to watch them or fill out those dumbass handouts.
2. I spent about 1.5 months solely on MBE subjects. I gave myself 3 to 4 days for each MBE subject and I read critical pass flashcards on day 1 making notes as I went along and then I would Silverman's MBE Essentials on the same subject making notes as well, day 2 I read the outlines again including the notes I made and SIlverman's MBE Essentials again, day 3 I made my own MBE outline, and then on that same day or the next, I would do a single subject MBE set. I did 4 of the 5 single subject MBE sets, one every day, on top of the new MBE subjects I was learning. At the end of learning all of the MBE subjects, I completed the last remaining single subject MBE problem sets. Reading the outlines I wrote was essential because it explained everything succinctly and in my own words.
I also would read sections of the long outlines in areas where my MBE score was particularly week and tweak my outline (usually handwritten after I printed them) to clarify anything.
3. About 1.5 months on essays - I made a calendar and every day I did at least 3 practice essays. I'd outline them as opposed to writing them out for the sake of time because I still did MBE review every single day (reviewing either 1 or 2 outlines and doing mixed problem sets by this point). I also outlined all of the essay topics based on the most frequently tested areas of law under each individual subject [I took the information for these outlines from the "Essay" workshop handout provided by Themis for MA] - like for Family Law my outline emphasized divorce, annulment, pre-nups, child support, child custody, support/property division,and best interests of the child. I'd review the essay outlines based on which were most often tested and did the essay outlines without looking at my outline after I did a couple from each subject.
4. You have to make a schedule and stick with it (I literally printed out a blank calendar and filled it all in). Write the exact problem set you're going to do of the MBE subject you're working on that day, or the MBE multiple choice and essays you're doing that day ... however you plan it out. Planning is so important!
5. I wrote down rule statements for every single MBE question I got incorrect, broken down by subject, and reviewed it on occasion. You'll notice patterns in what you're getting wrong and eventually those areas will start to click with you.
7. Ignore the amount of hours other people are studying and what they're doing. I did maybe 6 to 8 hours Sunday - Friday and Saturdays I had a light day of about 4 hours or so. I also ignored advice of people who passed the first time they took the bar exam because they don't comprehend the struggle.
8. I definitely recommend starting early! Not everyone has the luxury of doing that or studying full-time but after I failed it the first time, I was pulling all the stops.
9. Didn't over invest in MBE questions. I bought Strategies & tactics because basically everyone recommends it and it was useful in that the strategies/tactics sections for each subject were useful but the practice MBE questions overlapped with Themis questions so much that I quit doing them. I completed all of the Themis MBE questions which was in the area of 2,500, give or take.
Hope anything I did differently helps
I probably wrote too much as well so my apologies about that!
& I probably completed about ~55% of the course the second time (solely MBE questions, essays, graded essays, exams) - the lectures make up literally nearly 50% of the course.