2017 July California Bar Forum

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caLOL

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2017 July California Bar

Post by caLOL » Wed Mar 01, 2017 4:38 am

Since I am $830 poorer, I figured that I would start us off. :roll:

Where did people sign up to take it and when do we find out our location?

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rcharter1978

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by rcharter1978 » Wed Mar 01, 2017 5:33 am

Are they still charging the same for a 2 day exam as a 3 day exam? Thats some bullshit right there. There is at least one less PT to grade, they should lower the price.

Good luck! Are you excited to be part of the first group doing the 2 day exam?

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by krispymenudo » Wed Mar 01, 2017 3:06 pm

Checking in! Hoping for Anaheim

ETA: I searched the forums and it looks like July 2014 got their locations on March 5 and July 2015 got theirs on March 4

AspiringCALawyer

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by AspiringCALawyer » Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:35 pm

caLOL wrote:Since I am $830 poorer, I figured that I would start us off. :roll:

Where did people sign up to take it and when do we find out our location?
Forgot (almost) that today is first day July application is available. I see fee for attorney applicant is still $983.

While living out of state, took it twice at Ontario. The hotels are cheaper and walking distance to convention center. Since failed twice, contemplating when to retake. Skipped Feb., since I'm in process of relocating to the Bay area (San Mateo) later this month. Anyone have any experience/opinions about Oakland versus Santa Clara? Probably would still do a hotel, given each drive is probably stressful.

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a male human

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by a male human » Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:48 pm

Thanks for starting the thread! If you don't mind, I'll drop in some helpful info.

Previous threads that may be helpful, in reverse chronological order
2017 February: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=271217
2016 July: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=260090
2016 February: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=260833
2015 July: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=244425
2015 February: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=240022
2014 July: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=225140
2014 February: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=220409
2013 July: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=213457


Brief overview of changes to the CA bar
- It is two days now: 1 day of written (5 essays and 1 PT) on Tuesday + 1 day of MBE on Wednesday.
- There will be one 90-minute PT. See a released sample here: http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/docu ... 020217.pdf
- The MBE is worth 50% of your total score now, up from 35%.
- The written portion is also worth 50%, down from 65%. The PT is worth more than before (but not in terms of its weight relative to other portions), and so is each essay (about 7.1% up from 6.5%).
- Essays are still 1 hour long.
- No more legacy bragging rights for enduring three days of this shit.
- More discussion and how to prepare here.

Image


Changes to the Performance Test
- You get one shot at it now. This is good or bad depending on whether you like PTs.
- It's 90 minutes. That is, it's half as long as before and 1.5x as long as an essay but worth twice as much as an essay. It's now worth more points per minute!
- The sole PT is worth about 14.3% of your total grade (200 out of 700 raw points for the written portion, the written portion being 50% of your total score). This is actually a bit more than before, when each one was worth 13%, but the PT portion is worth much less overall, down from 26%. See http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Exa ... a-Bar-Exam
(Relative to the other portions, the PT is weighted less than before)

So it turns out that all of the portions of the California bar are now worth more, making each question heavier than before (partly because it's no longer spread over three days)!

Wondering where to start?


Resources
This collection of resources seemed helpful to people. Feel free to suggest your own!

Investing in resources is an indicator of success, but you also shouldn't just buy everything willy nilly. The more choices you have, the more confused you're likely to be (and waste time on things that ultimately don't help).

So what are you supposed to buy? I've been hanging around the seasonal TLS bar threads since 2013 and seen the most effective tools that helped people pass the bar. On my second attempt at the CA bar, I've tried some that helped me pass, and I've tried some that didn't add any value.

Below is a list of resources I picked out that should give you the most bang for your buck. No need to overcomplicate things or go broke. Do your due diligence, pick a few resources that will work for you, and extract as much as you can.

You may not have the patience or mental energy to think about this when you're still shell shocked, gripped by anxiety, or overwhelmed with the reality of defeat. Maybe you're lost, desperate to magically pass, or simply deferring the hard decision of seeking the right help. You'll definitely go through a rollercoaster of feels. That's OK. Take solace in knowing that all the information is out there; all you need to do is implement them, when you're ready to do so.

Shortnotes on the most popular and effective supplements for...

- MBE on a budget? Strategies & Tactics for the MBE Volume I (see description and an inside look below)
- MBE if you have $365 to shell out? AdaptiBar (see description below and my ultimate review)
You can improve your MBE with either of these excellent tools. Get AdaptiBar if you have the budget, but you do not need both.
- Essays? BarEssays.com (see info and samples below, as well my ultimate review)
- PTs? I don't know of a sure-kill supplement, but I have put together a guide (ver. 1.5b); unlike the MBE or essays, PTs are better learned through exposure to a variety of them over trying to deeply understand the answer

Search the [ID] to jump to the description of a featured resource, tagged by sections of interest:

[*1] Strategies & Tactics for the MBE Vols. I & II (Emanuel) + Civ Pro resources [MBE]
[*2] Law in a Flash [MBE] [Essays]
[*3] BarEssays.com ($25 off) [Essays]
[*4] Past CA essays and performance tests (and a guide to own the PTs) [Essays] [PTs]
[*5] BarIssues.com ($20 off) [Essays]
[*6] BarMax MBE app [MBE]
[*7] Adaptibar ($30 off) [MBE]



[*1] Strategies & Tactics for the MBE Volume I (Emanuel 6th edition): This is the MBE bible.

It's great (and may be the only MBE supplement you need) because it comes with hundreds of representative MBE questions that are all genuine and were previously administered, and I urge you to study with the real deal (see why). More specifically, there are 525+ NCBE-sourced questions and 70 author-generated Civ Pro questions (which I hear are excellent).

Read it all, do all the questions, and review all the answers. Each subject is prefaced with a discussion of the tricky areas and how to deal with them. Some subjects have an overview of the major topics. There will be tips that revolve around multiple choice in general. The 200-question practice test at the back can be done to gauge your progress sometime in the final month leading to the bar.

So what does it look like inside? Pics incoming:
Subject overview
Questions
Explanations

Link: 6th edition (2016) -- includes excellent author-generated Civ Pro questions

I no longer recommend the 5th edition (2012) given the picky, nuanced Civ Pro MBE questions that have appeared lately.


[*1] Strategies & Tactics for the MBE Volume II (Emanuel): This is the expansion pack to the above book, containing new questions. It's in a different format, where the answer appears right beneath the question. If you're doing a question for practice, you'll have to carefully cover the answer as you do each question.

The valuable feature in Vol. 2 is how the questions are categorized into labeled topics. For example, Q45 on page 166 is filed under Chapter 5 Formal Proceedings -- I. Grand Jury Proceedings -- A. Self-incrimination and immunity. For better or worse, some headings contain answer spoilers for the concepts, e.g., Q46 on page 167 is filed under B. No right to have attorney present in grand jury room, which gives away the answer. Nonetheless, great for supplementary real MBE questions, especially if you know or want to improve on specific issues.

What it looks like inside

Link: 2012 (latest) edition


[*1] What about Civ Pro MBE?
Civ Pro MBE questions nowadays are picky, testing specific nuances such as number of days before a certain deadline. Strategies & Tactics (6th ed., 2016) Volume 1 is likely your best bet to prepare for Civ Pro questions, given that the questions are similar to real MBE questions even if they are written by the author.

AdaptiBar (recommended) or BarMax MBE below [*6][*7] provide a good number of Civ Pro questions but are a more expensive option.

To look at free Civ Pro MBE questions...

- BarPrepHero has a practice exam with 30 Civ Pro questions here.
- The NCBE has sample questions here.

Additionally, I've heard (hearsay) that Glannon Guide to Civil Procedure (2013) was more than sufficient. It’s cheaper than BarMax or AdaptiBar, but check out based on your own curiosity)


[*2] Law in a Flash cards: I bought 6 boxes of these to patch up my weak subjects. They were especially handy when I had to be out, like when I was trying to learn some tricky Evidence concepts and I could whip out a few cards from my wallet, or when I was trying to learn the various federal jurisdictions inside a noisy Verizon store.

Link: List of LIAF products


[*3] BarEssays.com: One of the most popular resources you'll see mentioned around the forums.

What does it look like inside?
- Check out this essay that scored an 85! Imagine if you studied this and produced the same results on the bar...
- Also fairly new to BarEssays are essay templates that you can literally copy and paste. Check out this Contracts template.

If you're wondering what makes a passing essay vs. what doesn't on the California Bar Exam, this is a large repository of actual graded essays and PTs submitted by those who didn't pass.

But this doesn't mean the essays are all sub-par! While there are essays scored 40 and 50 that show what is not passing material, there are essays that earned 75, 80, or even 85.

The advantage of this repository is the variety of real answers you can study.

Because the State Bar doesn’t disclose how well its model answers did, it’s hard to tell whether they are barely passing or top scoring. All they indicate are that they are “passing” essays and that essays don’t need to hit all the issues, which is implied by answers A and B covering different issues (although each usually hits all the key issues).

There are over 3,000 essays that you can search by subject, range of score, year/month, and even typed/handwritten/both for anyone worried about handwriting. Some have grader commentary.

These essay examples are useful after you outline or write out an essay to check whether you discussed relevant issues and rules and used the facts properly. I'd look at least one below and one above 65, with grader commentary if available.

High scorers tend to discuss all the issues and much of the nuances—but do not necessarily have excellent rule statements or analyses. While you want to look like the 70-75+ people, you’ll notice that they don’t always look like the impossible Barbri answers. These are real answers you can compare to see where you stand.

The owner has raised the price in recent months, and I don't blame him. Fortunately, I have a coupon for $25 off a subscription! Ask me or someone else.


[*4] Past essays and performance tests: These might be the only free things you get from the CA State Bar. They release exam questions from each administration.

Link: State Bar of California Past Exams

If you're looking for convenient access to individual questions organized by subject and issue, check out BarIssues.com below ($20 off).

For a budget version, here is an essay locator -- a list of essays organized by subject and issues contained therein (issues incomplete).

User Rap Genius found a repository of all the essay questions and sample analyses here: https://sites.google.com/site/easybarpasser/past-exams/

I have also put together a guide to own the PTs (v. 1.41), including an approach to answering the PTs in 3 hours, why you NEED to practice PTs, and list of PTs to practice in order of difficulty.


[*5] BarIssues.com: Need to hone in on that mysterious issue you've never been able to tame ever since you laid eyes on it? Need to know which issues have been tested most frequently?

BarIssues is a directory of all the issues that have been tested on the California Bar Exam in the last 10 or so years. You can sort by frequency or the issue itself. A convenient link to the question and model answers is available whenever you explore a subject and its issues.

It's a subscription-based service like BarEssays (i.e., no perpetual access). But I have a $20 coupon for this as well!


[*6] BarMax MBE ($249.99): As with the rest of BarMax's offerings, your materials are available online or via mobile iOS devices, which allows for great portability. A solid choice if you don't mind reading questions on a tablet and being unable to write on a paper surface. But the better-known MBE supplement is...


[*7] Adaptibar ($395/365): This program gives you access to the entire universe of NCBE-released questions (1,700+ of them) and is web based and accessible via PC (desktop or laptop) and mobile site. This is useful for those who are working and studying at the same time because you can prepare with AdaptiBar during lunch and breaks. Detailed explanations are provided for each question as well as thorough subject performance and timing analysis feedback. In addition, the program allows users to create PDF reports of questions that were answered incorrectly. This makes it simple to print the questions and explanations out and review the rules you didn't understand.

Moreover, the online app adapts to your strengths and weaknesses and can create customized full-length tests, too. Additional information regarding the program can be found in this flyer and at http://www.adaptibar.com/pricing.aspx.

AdaptiBar Review: Is It Worth It? (no fake news)

It is indeed rather expensive, but it’s probably the single best comprehensive option to study for the MBE, assuming you have the budget... but I have a code for $30 off an AdaptiBar subscription (feel free to ask me or someone else; the person whose code you use gets a small kickback, $15 in my case).
Last edited by a male human on Sun Nov 05, 2017 2:28 pm, edited 19 times in total.

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caLOL

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by caLOL » Thu Mar 02, 2017 1:02 pm

Thanks for posting the list of resources. How should someone taking BarBri incorporate those supplements?

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a male human

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by a male human » Thu Mar 02, 2017 1:40 pm

caLOL wrote:Thanks for posting the list of resources. How should someone taking BarBri incorporate those supplements?
I would recommend the resources listed under the "shortnotes" ... those appear to be the biggest bang for your buck for the MBE and essays. Consider those first. You don't need all sorts of supplements, just the right ones for you, because you'll get overwhelmed otherwise.

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by drawingasmile » Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:18 pm

Holy crap... 5 essays and a PT all in one day? That sucks.

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by a male human » Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:22 pm

drawingasmile wrote:Holy crap... 5 essays and a PT all in one day? That sucks.
Yep, the good thing is the shorter PT, and all the written part being done in one day.

The "bad" thing is that yeah it's all compressed... and you can't narrow down likely subjects to cram for the 3rd day, so you have to be prepared all for the first day (which is what normally happens anyway). I guess you can still narrow it down during lunch?

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caLOL

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by caLOL » Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:23 pm

Your assigned location is posted on the application status checker on the bar website.

anon3030

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by anon3030 » Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:56 pm

I received an email with my location.

NYC2012

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by NYC2012 » Sun Mar 05, 2017 2:25 am

.
Last edited by NYC2012 on Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

favrefire4

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by favrefire4 » Sun Mar 05, 2017 1:42 pm

Does anyone know which testing sites fill up the fastest? And at what point we would need to register in order to essentially "guarantee" our first choice in testing site? Thanks!

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rcharter1978

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by rcharter1978 » Sun Mar 05, 2017 3:07 pm

favrefire4 wrote:Does anyone know which testing sites fill up the fastest? And at what point we would need to register in order to essentially "guarantee" our first choice in testing site? Thanks!
I've heard la/century city full up pretty fast.

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by favrefire4 » Sun Mar 05, 2017 3:09 pm

Thanks! But, sorry for not fully clarifying, which sites specifically in the LA area? Or do all of the LA ones fill up quickly?

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by caLOL » Sun Mar 05, 2017 11:37 pm

My guess is that Pasadena will be the one to fill up first (if it is not already full for 1st time takers). It is the only real LA location available (at least the only one within 40 miles of downtown). Anaheim hasn't been a location anytime recently, though my guess is that the OC school crowd will take over Anaheim.

If you haven't already signed up, I would do so soon.

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rcharter1978

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by rcharter1978 » Mon Mar 06, 2017 5:58 am

caLOL wrote:My guess is that Pasadena will be the one to fill up first (if it is not already full for 1st time takers). It is the only real LA location available (at least the only one within 40 miles of downtown). Anaheim hasn't been a location anytime recently, though my guess is that the OC school crowd will take over Anaheim.

If you haven't already signed up, I would do so soon.
Century City is closer to downtown than Pasadena IIRC. So, if Pasadena is the only location open, Century City is already full.

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by AspiringCALawyer » Mon Mar 06, 2017 8:52 pm

rcharter1978 wrote:
caLOL wrote:My guess is that Pasadena will be the one to fill up first (if it is not already full for 1st time takers). It is the only real LA location available (at least the only one within 40 miles of downtown). Anaheim hasn't been a location anytime recently, though my guess is that the OC school crowd will take over Anaheim.

If you haven't already signed up, I would do so soon.
Century City is closer to downtown than Pasadena IIRC. So, if Pasadena is the only location open, Century City is already full.
When I first inquired about test locations for February 2016, I was told that Pasadena fills up quickly for LA residents. Last July LA Convention City was an option. I eventually picked Ontario, since the hotels are cheaper and walking distance to the convention center.

Century City was not on the list. Perhaps you meant Culver City, which is only for those needing accommodations.

favrefire4

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by favrefire4 » Tue Mar 07, 2017 1:14 am

Are only certain testing sites available if you are not a resident of California? If so, which ones?

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by AspiringCALawyer » Tue Mar 07, 2017 3:48 am

favrefire4 wrote:Are only certain testing sites available if you are not a resident of California? If so, which ones?
No. I live in IL and had no issue getting my first choice--Ontario. I was only restricted by my method--writing. Laptop users far outnumbered writers, so you should have more choices.

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by rcharter1978 » Tue Mar 07, 2017 4:32 am

AspiringCALawyer wrote:
rcharter1978 wrote:
caLOL wrote:My guess is that Pasadena will be the one to fill up first (if it is not already full for 1st time takers). It is the only real LA location available (at least the only one within 40 miles of downtown). Anaheim hasn't been a location anytime recently, though my guess is that the OC school crowd will take over Anaheim.

If you haven't already signed up, I would do so soon.
Century City is closer to downtown than Pasadena IIRC. So, if Pasadena is the only location open, Century City is already full.
When I first inquired about test locations for February 2016, I was told that Pasadena fills up quickly for LA residents. Last July LA Convention City was an option. I eventually picked Ontario, since the hotels are cheaper and walking distance to the convention center.

Century City was not on the list. Perhaps you meant Culver City, which is only for those needing accommodations.
Its probable. I thought I knew people that were testing in culver city/century city, but they wouldn't be asking for accommodations so, who knows.

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by rcharter1978 » Tue Mar 07, 2017 4:36 am

AspiringCALawyer wrote:
favrefire4 wrote:Are only certain testing sites available if you are not a resident of California? If so, which ones?
No. I live in IL and had no issue getting my first choice--Ontario. I was only restricted by my method--writing. Laptop users far outnumbered writers, so you should have more choices.
Ontario is such a good option for people flying in. I can't imagine an easier situation. Fly in, 5 minute shuttle ride to your hotel, small and relatively uncrowded airport. Not the circus shit show that LAX is. A lot of hotels in walking distance so you don't have to cab/uber to the testing facility. Grocery stores nearby so you can pack your lunch.

I can't remember if writers were in a different room, or if they were up front close to the bathrooms.

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by AspiringCALawyer » Tue Mar 07, 2017 12:29 pm

rcharter1978 wrote:
AspiringCALawyer wrote:
favrefire4 wrote:Are only certain testing sites available if you are not a resident of California? If so, which ones?
No. I live in IL and had no issue getting my first choice--Ontario. I was only restricted by my method--writing. Laptop users far outnumbered writers, so you should have more choices.
Ontario is such a good option for people flying in. I can't imagine an easier situation. Fly in, 5 minute shuttle ride to your hotel, small and relatively uncrowded airport. Not the circus shit show that LAX is. A lot of hotels in walking distance so you don't have to cab/uber to the testing facility. Grocery stores nearby so you can pack your lunch.

I can't remember if writers were in a different room, or if they were up front close to the bathrooms.
When I took in Feb 2016, writers were on far right closer to bathrooms but there were still laptop users in front of us. When I took it July 2016 writers were near one of entrance doors so closest bathrooms were in sterile area that was in the hall. If I retake in July, I'll probably pick Santa Clara since I'm moving to Bay Area this month. Anyone have any experience with Santa Clara?

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by stromileswift » Thu Mar 09, 2017 5:50 pm

I am selling my critical pass flash cards. These include the civ-pro flash cards. Let me know if you are interested.

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Re: 2017 July California Bar

Post by ChunkyTaco » Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:20 pm

If anyone is in Bakersfield, CA and would like to study together please message me.

Thank You.

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