Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2017 Forum

[ernie]

Kramer is good. Property lecture is very humane and flying by.

[Jon_Snow]

when did yall start? i have not clue who these people are... just finished secured transactions, though, per my schedule starting last monday.

Yeah, I did the May 22 start so I'm where you're at too. Probably like a day and a half behind because of MDW travel.

O.O

Is anybody actually reading the outlines?

[ernie]

when did yall start? i have not clue who these people are... just finished secured transactions, though, per my schedule starting last monday.

Yeah, I did the May 22 start so I'm where you're at too. Probably like a day and a half behind because of MDW travel.

O.O

Is anybody actually reading the outlines?

Not anymore that shit was awful

[Blackhawks_Fan]

when did yall start? i have not clue who these people are... just finished secured transactions, though, per my schedule starting last monday.

Yeah, I did the May 22 start so I'm where you're at too. Probably like a day and a half behind because of MDW travel.

O.O

Is anybody actually reading the outlines?

I am. Twice even, but I'm finding it's paying off for the MBE questions....

[Slytherpuff]

I'm still reading the outlines, but we'll see how that changes as I get further into the course!

[Slytherpuff]

Anyone else seeing a conflict between the amount of time they say we should be studying a day (approximately 8 hours) versus the amount of work they assign us? I had a May 22nd start date and am currently 21.9% (which means as of now I have everything up until June 3rd finished).

not i. i actually started may 24th and am just shy of 9%. i dunno about you but it took me like almost 5 hours just to read through and digest the secured transactions outline (albeit, i never took an article 9 class...)

I didn't read that outline until after I watched the lectures and it was so much easier to digest having watched everything first. I still only have a basic understanding of it (but obviously I didn't care enough about it during law school to take a class on secured transactions haha).

[yeslekkkk]

Anyone else seeing a conflict between the amount of time they say we should be studying a day (approximately 8 hours) versus the amount of work they assign us? I had a May 22nd start date and am currently 21.9% (which means as of now I have everything up until June 3rd finished).

not i. i actually started may 24th and am just shy of 9%. i dunno about you but it took me like almost 5 hours just to read through and digest the secured transactions outline (albeit, i never took an article 9 class...)

I didn't read that outline until after I watched the lectures and it was so much easier to digest having watched everything first. I still only have a basic understanding of it (but obviously I didn't care enough about it during law school to take a class on secured transactions haha).

I have totally found that reading the outline after some of the videos helps me understand it much better than reading before.

[Jon_Snow]

Anyone else seeing a conflict between the amount of time they say we should be studying a day (approximately 8 hours) versus the amount of work they assign us? I had a May 22nd start date and am currently 21.9% (which means as of now I have everything up until June 3rd finished).

not i. i actually started may 24th and am just shy of 9%. i dunno about you but it took me like almost 5 hours just to read through and digest the secured transactions outline (albeit, i never took an article 9 class...)

I didn't read that outline until after I watched the lectures and it was so much easier to digest having watched everything first. I still only have a basic understanding of it (but obviously I didn't care enough about it during law school to take a class on secured transactions haha).

I gave up on the secured transactions outline having never taken the class and forked over some money to buy some lean sheets.

How are you guys writing the essay without having read the outline. Open book?

[almaz]

I have also been reading the outlines after the lectures. I skip the easier stuff that was clear (concurrent estates and landlord/tenant for me), so that I can actually focus for about an hour on the difficult stuff (mortgages and foreclosures).

[SeewhathappensLarry]

Is anyone using Critical Pass? Or at least making their own flashcards? I've never been a flashcard person but I think it might be time so I can memorize the black letter law

[Blackhawks_Fan]

Anyone else seeing a conflict between the amount of time they say we should be studying a day (approximately 8 hours) versus the amount of work they assign us? I had a May 22nd start date and am currently 21.9% (which means as of now I have everything up until June 3rd finished).

not i. i actually started may 24th and am just shy of 9%. i dunno about you but it took me like almost 5 hours just to read through and digest the secured transactions outline (albeit, i never took an article 9 class...)

I didn't read that outline until after I watched the lectures and it was so much easier to digest having watched everything first. I still only have a basic understanding of it (but obviously I didn't care enough about it during law school to take a class on secured transactions haha).

I gave up on the secured transactions outline having never taken the class and forked over some money to buy some lean sheets.

How are you guys writing the essay without having read the outline. Open book?

To be honest, haven't really done any essays yet as don't think I know enough of the law. I know that's the wrong approach but I'm burying my head in the sand, so let me carry on doing that ; )

[robin600]

Is anyone using Critical Pass? Or at least making their own flashcards? I've never been a flashcard person but I think it might be time so I can memorize the black letter law

I am flashcarding all the BLL. I didn't do it in law school, but I also didn't really give a f*** in law school either (I'm 3 years out). I flashcarded (making my own) the first time I took the bar exam and passed. Knowing the BLL is the main component - once you know this you're golden.

[yeslekkkk]

Is anyone using Critical Pass? Or at least making their own flashcards? I've never been a flashcard person but I think it might be time so I can memorize the black letter law

I am using critical pass flashcards. I don't think I have time to make my own. I haven't been a big flashcard person before but it's really helpful to have the BLL so clear on a flashcard. For the contracts section, I would just talk it out with them in my room to really drill the language. If you want a $10 discount code for Critical Pass, PM me.

[SeewhathappensLarry]

Is anyone using Critical Pass? Or at least making their own flashcards? I've never been a flashcard person but I think it might be time so I can memorize the black letter law

I am using critical pass flashcards. I don't think I have time to make my own. I haven't been a big flashcard person before but it's really helpful to have the BLL so clear on a flashcard. For the contracts section, I would just talk it out with them in my room to really drill the language. If you want a $10 discount code for Critical Pass, PM me.

Thanks, but I already ordered them! I have the same view--it sounds like a waste of time to make them myself but there is so much BLL to learn that I don't think the outlines themselves will really help me nail it down

[yeslekkkk]

Is anyone using Critical Pass? Or at least making their own flashcards? I've never been a flashcard person but I think it might be time so I can memorize the black letter law

I am using critical pass flashcards. I don't think I have time to make my own. I haven't been a big flashcard person before but it's really helpful to have the BLL so clear on a flashcard. For the contracts section, I would just talk it out with them in my room to really drill the language. If you want a $10 discount code for Critical Pass, PM me.

Thanks, but I already ordered them! I have the same view--it sounds like a waste of time to make them myself but there is so much BLL to learn that I don't think the outlines themselves will really help me nail it down

Yeah, rereading the outlines just doesn't work for me. They're too dense. I've always been a fan of making my own outlines, but that is just going to take too long also. I've always been about doing practice and that helps you remember. Right now though, we really have to know the language just cold. There's just too much.

[Sheeit]

Anyone else seeing a conflict between the amount of time they say we should be studying a day (approximately 8 hours) versus the amount of work they assign us? I had a May 22nd start date and am currently 21.9% (which means as of now I have everything up until June 3rd finished). Just to take an example of a couple days:

June 2nd:
Watch Property Chapters 20-27 - 1.75 hours (1.5 times speed)
Review Property FRO - 1 hour
Watch Property Essay Workshop - 1 hour (1.5 time speed)
Write Property Practice Essay - .75 hours
MBE Property Workshop - .75 hours
Property Practice Questions (17) - .75 hours
Total = 6 hours

June 3rd:
Asses Family Law - .5 hours
Review Family Law Lecture Handout - 1 hour
Write Family Law Practice Essay - .75 hours
Review Property Lecture Handout - 1.25 hours
MBE Property Practice Questions (34) - 1 hour
Total = 4.5 hours

I find myself finishing all or most assigned tasks by lunch time (starting at 9am), and then I just get a little ahead on the next days work later in the afternoon. Is there stuff I should be doing that isn't explicitly on the schedule (all I can think of is reviewing the outlines, but they are assigned)? I read a lot about people falling behind and completing 100% doesn't seem like the expectation, but I'm just not seeing how if I stay at this pace (5-8 hours a day) I won't finish like a week or more before the exam is administered.

I haven't been creating my own outlines (I have always just used other peoples), but I can see that taking a lot of time. Are there any other materials or resources people are using that could explain why people fall behind?

Hang in there and enjoy the early days. Once you start hitting the meat of the 34 and 50 MBE PQ sets, it eats up more time in the day.

[Blackhawks_Fan]

Ugh!! Anyone else completely screw up the 5th Contracts MBE session???
Such a confidence killer. Hopefully you all aced it.
What a downer. Feel like squashing hundreds of caterpillars right now but will watch a movie instead.

[esther0123]

Any thoughts on dispensing with the outline and just focusing on the lectures? I find that outlines may be a bit of an overkill... or I'm just slow...

[jennifer_42]

Any thoughts on dispensing with the outline and just focusing on the lectures? I find that outlines may be a bit of an overkill... or I'm just slow...

I actually am finding the outlines helpful. I learn best by reading. Just my USD 0.02. Of course, if I get in (more) of a bind in terms of time, I will have to start skimming them.

[logicspeaks]

I read the outline for Contracts and the first part of property, but I'm starting to feel like I can be a bit more efficient if I cut back on reading. My plan now is to read the outline for any sections of the law I simply don't remember from classes, but skipping all the parts I am relatively familiar with.

As for flashcards, I'm making my own, but only for rules I get wrong on the MBE PQs. Sometime I get a question wrong due to reading it too hastily, so I don't worry about those.

[Jon_Snow]

I've been following the schedule pretty rigidly but will pull an audible today. Let's see how that goes. I'm going to try to power through some lectures instead of working on essays I feel would be a fruitless endeavor.

Can we all please send a tech support question asking for a 1.25x option? 1.5x is just a bit to fast for me to follow the lecture notes while listening to the lecturers speak.

[almaz]

I've been following the schedule pretty rigidly but will pull an audible today. Let's see how that goes. I'm going to try to power through some lectures instead of working on essays I feel would be a fruitless endeavor.

Can we all please send a tech support question asking for a 1.25x option? 1.5x is just a bit to fast for me to follow the lecture notes while listening to the lecturers speak.

Download "Video Speed Controller." It is a google chrome extension that allows you to speed up videos in increments of .1

...Go Cavs

[Bluem_11]

Any thoughts on dispensing with the outline and just focusing on the lectures? I find that outlines may be a bit of an overkill... or I'm just slow...

At the beginning this could be fine, but as you start doing more MBE questions you'll find a good chunk of them ask questions directed to the overkill. These are the so-called 'hard' questions. The lectures/handouts cover the most tested subjects and nuances, but not all of them.

[ajmb241]

I'm currently away from home and I'm using my iPad to watch lectures. I am trying to speed them up but it's not working. I've figured out that you can't speed up lectures on the Themis app but as I'm trying to use it in the online portal, all of the keyboard controls EXCEPT the speed controls are working. Is it just impossible to speed up the lectures when using an iOS device (iPad or iPhone)?

I really hope I'm not doomed to a day of 1.0x speed lectures

[Spunkylawrue]

Checking in. Started late due to travelling a bit after graduation, so I'm about a week behind. Anyone else starting late?