Washington DC (UBE) & Virginia Bar Exam Tutoring & Self-Study

Category: Bar Exam

  • Day 1 of the Feb 2010 Bar Exam is Over

    Day 1 is over and the MPT/MEE are finished. Hopefully everyone did well. The MPT’s were a change from the NCBE’s usual memo/memo lineup, but following the same methodologies, the execution was the same.

    Thankfully my MEE predictions for this bar were on-point, save for missing contracts and trusts questions. What gives? Glad fed civ pro was bumped up into the running as well.

    Anyway, for those of you heading into the MBE, it’s almost over. For those of you who were essay-only, congratulations on finishing!

  • Feb 2010 Bar Exam is upon us

    Well, it’s the night before the bar exam. I would like to wish everyone good luck on the bar exam tomorrow. Keep your finger’s cross for your favorite (i.e. – least-hated) essay subjects to appear on the MEE.

    Good luck!

  • Book Review – 2010 Edition of Strategies and Tactics for the MBE

    With just over 1 week until the February 2010 bar exam, I felt it was a good time to do a book review of one of the best and well-known study guides out there:

    Strategies and Tactics for the MBE

    Most bar examinees know the 2006 edition with its olive color, but finally a new edition is out, the 2010 edition, and the book is now in two volumes.

    Volume 1 is the same format as the old one: 6 chapters (1 for each MBE subject) with practice questions, and a 200-question practice MBE exam in the back.

    Volume 2 is approx 300 additional MBE questions.

    I was excited to receive the new edition as I believe that the old (2006) edition is still the BEST study guide for the multistate bar exam. However, upon receiving the new edition, I realized that it was very similar to the old 2006 edition. In fact, it was so similar that I felt compelled to get my 2006 copy and compare. Here is what I discovered: (more…)

  • 1+ Month until the February 2010 bar exam

    We’re just before the 1 month till the exam mark. I hope everyone has started studying at this point. If not, don’t despair, 1 month is still enough time, it has been done before, but kick it into high gear now, no more excuses. Focus on the MBE, it is the most difficult by far, as the scantron machine has no mercy, unlike the essay graders who MAY give you extra points here and there depending on your answers. And besides the MBE subjects carry over to the essays so in effect you’re studying 2 test areas, not just one.

    For those of you taking the Virginia Bar Exam this February, feel free to drop me a line. I am preparing a Virginia pilot program for July and want to share my ideas with upcoming test takers. Anyone taking barbri/micromash/whatever for the VA bar should definitely drop me a line as I have already come up with some improvements to those programs.

    Good luck and study efficiently!

  • Registration for the bar & tutoring

    Friendly reminder than there is only 1 week left for the late registration period for the D.C. February 2010 bar exam! December 30, 2009 is the late fee filing deadline so if you have not registered yet, do so by that date.

    Also, my tutoring classes are now officially 100% closed and fully booked for the February 2010 bar exam. If you are in dire straits and have extraordinary circumstances, go ahead and email me and maybe we can figure some sort of “mini-program” for you, but my roster is full as I like to keep my schedule light and only do personalized 1-on-1’s with each of my students.

  • July 2009 Bar Exam Results Posted, and more…

    The results for the July 2009 DC Bar Exam have been posted:

    http://www.dcbar.org/for_lawyers/membership/current_members/examResults.cfm

    The results are as follows:

    A 72% pass rate for first time takers
    A 53% overall pass rate for all takers (155 successful applicants out of a total 293 applicants)

    No big surprises on the exam itself or the results… If you passed, congratulations!! If not, don’t fret, register for the Feb 2009 bar exam and study some more and you’ll be sure to pass…

    Another reminder that December 15, 2009 is the deadline for registering for the February 2009 DC Bar Exam, with December 30, 2009 being the late filing deadline.

    Finally, the MPRE is coming up next Saturday. Good luck to all those sitting for it. If you can, put in a full week of study and ace it… Otherwise, I recommend 3 full days minimum study… Good luck!

  • 1/2 way done with July 2009 Bar…

    Tomorrow is the MBE… I recommend a solid evening of studying flash cards or doing random MBE questions… Many people don’t want to study the day before the MBE, but I highly recommend it and it is part of my methodology… Get a normal night of sleep, and rest assured you will do well tomorrow!

  • 1 week till the July 2009 Bar Exam

    With 1 week to go, I hope everyone is in the home stretch… My students are ready to go, and this week we are doubling our study times with a majority of our focus going to MBE subject flash cards and timing on the MBE and MPT. The past two MBE exams have been quite fair and indicative of the new style the NCBE is using. The exam next week should prove to be no different.

    I wish everyone the best of luck, and remember that no matter how hard it seems during the exam, you are well prepared and have the ability to pass!

  • Bar Exam Tutoring

    I have received numerous emails regarding my tutoring services… Primarily, I have had inquiries from repeat takers and takers who have been out of law school for a few years… I am open to tutoring anyone, as long as the fit is good… I am only tutoring students local to the Washington D.C. area, with a few rare exceptions… My methodology I have created is based on individual test takers skills and weaknesses, and is geared for in-person tutoring… Withstanding a few rare exceptions, this is the way it is, so if you are not in the DC area, feel free to contact me, but please do not be upset if I cannot take you on as a student… My purpose in tutoring is to get people to pass, and I will only accept a small number of students per bar exam and each must be a good fit or else I will not accept… I hope this clears things up and best of luck to everyone on the upcoming July 2009 exam…

  • D.C. Bar Exam Results Posted

    I received my letter in the mail today and I passed the February 2009 D.C. Bar Exam. As of right now, the Feb 2009 results are not online, but they will be posted this week at the following url:

    http://www.dcbar.org/for_lawyers/membership/current_members/examResults.cfm

    UPDATE: The list has been posted with the following message:

    “Notice is hereby given that the list published herewith contains the names of 116 successful applicants of the District of Columbia Bar Examination administered on February 24 and 25, to 262 applicants. This represents a 57% pass rate among first-time takers or an overall pass rate of 44%.”

    I passed with a high MBE score, way above the national mean (135.67) and the minimum passing score (133)… Makes me wonder how I did on my essays and MPTs… Honestly, with my MBE score I could have failed nearly every essay and done well on the MPTs and passed… I am realizing that my strategy of focusing on the MBE definitely worked… Just wish I could get a hold of my essays to see how I did, lol…

    Congratulations to all who passed! This exam was particularly brutal, with only a 57% pass rate for D.C.

    For everyone who did not pass, don’t be discouraged. You will pass in July. Just redouble your efforts, focus on your weak areas (evidence, property, whatever) and know that you are going into the exam with experience from having taken it in February which will help you. Study hard and study smart!

    Finally, as a result of having not cracked open a law book for a decade, then self studying and passing with a high score, I am planning on offering bar exam tutoring services… I plan to focus on working with people, who like me, have been out of law school for quite some time and can’t take 2 months off work to study… In fact, I didn’t take a single day off work to study, only 2 days off to take the actual exam, and passed on my first attempt, my first ever bar exam…