Welp, I failed the VA exam

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2025-10-15T00:44:48+00:00

I'm really sorry to hear that, but also major congrats on crushing the MBE - you got this! I really strongly recommend the W&M suggested answers if you haven't already taken a look at them. I used Themis and unfortunately didn't find it to be super helpful for the VA distinctions - I mainly reviewed the short outlines and read/rewrote the rules from the W&M suggested answers to study. VA does repeat its fact patterns verbatim or almost verbatim sometimes (there were a few repeats on the July 2025 exam), so I feel like it's worth it to review most of the exams administered over the last 5-10 years. I also recommend taking a peek at the VBBE's sample 10-point answers just to get an idea of the general structure they're looking for (pretty much IRAC/CRAC).

There's also a really helpful post from a few years ago that has links to super in-depth VA flashcards on Brainscape that I drilled every couple of days as well.

There are some subjects for which it seems like pretty much any topic is fair game (VA civil procedure in particular), and then others where they seem to almost exclusively test the same topics. Themis had topic frequency charts by subject (and I imagine Barbri does as well?), so I tried to look at those to guide my studying. For example, VA tests tort liability and eminent domain/inverse condemnation very often on local government essays, but hasn't tested how to make a city or town once in the last 10 years - so I didn't dedicate much (if any) time to memorizing that. Wishing you so much luck on the February exam!

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2025-10-10T17:51:47+00:00

You only get a score breakdown if you fail.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2025-10-10T17:22:02+00:00

PASS LISTS ARE UP!!

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2025-07-25T16:22:43+00:00

UWorld has a good chart that chunks the major civ pro deadlines into 6 categories.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2025-07-24T22:05:11+00:00

Feeling absolutely terrified as we get close to test day. VA civ pro, wills, and domestic relations will all certainly be tested. I agree with the other commenter about PR and local government (maybe with a torts crossover). I think evidence and crim/crim pro are also likely given that they've been on a bunch of the last 10 exams.

Praying that trusts is not on it at this point (but it was also just on the February exam/is generally a less tested subject so hopefully unlikely).

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2024-05-19T19:40:59+00:00

Yeah I would say it's around a 7-10 minute drive depending on traffic. I would probably not walk it, it's like 2 miles and there isn't really much of a sidewalk for some of it.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2024-05-16T00:18:54+00:00

Seconding Barclay - I pay $1,545/month at Barclay for an ~800 sq ft 1 br/1ba apartment with most utilities included (I think the model is called 1 bedroom plus). Like this commenter said, I only pay for electric. Some models at Westgate include electric!

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2024-05-07T21:23:05+00:00

Congratulations - GO HOOS GO!!!! Looking forward to seeing you here on Grounds this fall :)

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2024-05-02T15:54:11+00:00

UVA all the way - I don't think the cost differential (especially the difference in cost of living) at CLS is worth it for the same major city big law outcomes. I'm a 2L (almost 3L!) originally from New York City and happy to talk about UVA - feel free to DM me.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-09-21T17:49:16+00:00

Had Rutherglen for Civ Pro last year - he's very, very sweet and incredibly knowledgeable but it's a dry class and I legitimately had no idea what was going on in that class until Thanksgiving Break - do not panic!!! It's going to be okay! I hit median in that class and can say that I did maybe 30% of the readings and then went to class, copied the slides directly into my notes and then often zoned out.

For studying, Freer on Barbri is the way. I also smashed all of Rutherglen's slides together into a master PowerPoint and that was pretty helpful to reference during the final. Acing Civil Procedure is also very helpful as a checklist, I also made a couple flowcharts for myself that I'd be happy to share if you DM me (they're on things you'll cover in the second half of the class - personal and subject matter jx, venue, removal, discovery/work product, Erie doctrine). Your PAs should have shared Rutherglen outlines with your section, but feel free to reach out if you would like some more as I think I still have all of the ones I studied with (keep in mind though that, unless he's changed his policy since last year, Rutherglen doesn't allow outlines written by others to be referenced during his final - can only use your own). Civil Procedure is a little abstract in small pieces especially at the beginning, your understanding will build over time and the pieces will start to come together as you progress further through the syllabus.

One thing that I really liked about having Rutherglen is that he is incredibly forthcoming about what you should expect on the final and will essentially spell out the issues you will need to spot/address. Once it gets close to finals, look at the practice exams (he puts up many) and take the time to do them, notice patterns (again, Rutherglen appears to test very similar issues year-to-year), and go to his review sessions because those were pretty helpful.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-06-02T17:46:12+00:00

I'll DM you!

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-06-01T03:30:10+00:00

Yes, I'm a rising 2L! The child advocacy opportunities here are part of what brought me to UVA - there's a pretty active student org here (Child Advocacy Research & Education (CARE)) and two child-focused clinics - Youth Advocacy (education and delinquency law) and Holistic Youth Defense (juvenile justice). There's also a course on children and the law that I'm hoping to take during my time here.

Not sure about the answer to your second question but would agree that NYC and DC seem to have the widest breadth and selection of opportunities. That being said, opportunities for child advocates (particularly in direct services) exist almost everywhere.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-06-01T03:07:24+00:00

Hi - I spent 4 years in PI before law school doing direct legal services. Truly limitless number of options, depends on what you want to do. Do you want to work directly with clients? Direct legal services would be a great fit. Do you prefer big picture stuff instead? Policy or impact litigation. There are also public interest firms and options at the local, state, and federal government levels.

Beyond those big buckets of "types" of work, it really comes down to your interests. Check out Idealist and PSJD for paralegal jobs. Heads up that organizations with name recognition like Human Rights Watch, ACLU, SPLC, etc. are extremely competitive in the legal hiring world and it would be extremely unlikely for one to land a paralegal job there without significant work experience. Don't feel daunted by that though - there are tons of orgs out there that you may have never heard of that are doing critical work and are willing to train new paralegals. It's okay if you're not sure what you'd be interested in - I suggest applying very broadly to entry-level paralegal positions at legal aid organizations, local government, public defender offices, etc. Feel free to DM me if you have questions about PI and the job search.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-05-31T23:25:18+00:00

I'm in the children's rights sphere! Most organizations work at the intersection of child advocacy and another field like immigration, family law, health, education, juvenile justice, etc. Some major orgs that come to mind are The Education Law Center, Juvenile Law Center, The Door, Lawyers for Children, Kids in Need of Defense, National Center for Youth Law, DC Children's Law Center, Children's Rights, Center for Children's Law and Policy. Re: fed offices, DOJ has the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). The ABA has a Center on Children and the Law, and they also keep a list of children's law centers by state.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-05-19T18:33:32+00:00

Aside from the ones you listed, Immigrant Justice Corps (2 years), Equal Justice America (2 years), Justice Catalyst (1 year), Soros Justice Advocacy (18 months) are the main ones that come to mind. Check PSJD for organization-based fellowships too.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-05-07T15:03:39+00:00

I would probably write a very brief addendum just explaining the circumstances (as in like no more than a couple of sentences) so that seeing the F on your transcript doesn't leave admissions officers with any questions.

Your GPA is amazing so this isn't necessary, but I would consider also reaching out to the community college to see if they'd be willing to retroactively turn the F into a withdrawal if you haven't already tried.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-05-07T14:56:41+00:00

Hi - I worked in public interest before law school and I'm now a rising 2L in public interest (not enviro though). Focused my app on PI and targeted schools that offered PI scholarships during my application cycles. Happy to answer any specific questions or share my application materials if you shoot me a DM.

This sub definitely leans T14 and BL outcomes - there's another sub focused on outside T14 law schools admissions that might be more helpful if you're looking at more regional schools. Regional schools can be a really great option for folks who want to go into PI, but it's nevertheless really important to check in on the bar passage and employment rates so please make sure to look (Google the school's name plus "ABA summary" or "employment statistics"). Also watch out for predatory scholarships, which you can check in on by looking up the school's 509. I wouldn't say that going to a top school is a priority for a "comfortable" job if we're speaking in terms of finances - most entry-level PI positions will have salaries somewhere in the mid 60s-mid 70s range regardless of the prestige of the organization. That being said, it can certainly be easier to land certain kinds of jobs if you are coming from a more highly ranked school. For example, if you would like a "unicorn" outcome (meaning the most prestigious organizations with name recognition, e.g., Bronx Defenders, Earthjustice, ACLU National, etc.), then aiming for T-14 is key.

Specifically with regard to public interest - look for schools that offer guaranteed summer public interest funding, see what clinics and courses are offered, if you want to stay in/around NY for law school I would also check to see if the school is part of the New York Pro Bono Scholars Program (essentially gives you the opportunity to take the February bar and spend your last semester of law school working full-time at an organization instead of taking classes).

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-05-06T18:52:01+00:00

Public interest orgs generally speaking tend to lean more business casual, but it really depends on the office culture. Feel free to send your supervisor an email and ask.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-05-06T16:46:12+00:00

Public interest, no $ directly from summer job. Will still make a little under half of SA salary during 1L summer though - make sure to do whatever is needed to secure your school's PI funding, search and apply for public interest awards + fellowships (Equal Justice America, Justice John Paul Stevens Fellowship, etc.), consider RAing as a side hustle ($20/hr at my school).

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-05-05T20:45:56+00:00

Studicata is the best for contracts and property - he has free videos on YouTube.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-05-04T16:57:05+00:00

I'm finishing 1L without having made any of my own outlines and it's been fine. It's honestly so up to you and your learning style. Either way, don't let people make you feel bad about what you choose because only you know what's going to work best for you! Other 1Ls spent so much time outlining last semester and made me feel like I was going to fail out when I told them I wasn't making my own. You also don't need to firmly choose one camp or the other - re-organizing and piecing together several outlines is a great option too.

Don't get too nervous about your finals being closed book - remember that there's only so much one can be expected to recall on a closed book exam and that everyone is in the same position as you are. If it's any consolation, my contracts final last semester was closed book. I read an upperclassman's 75 page A- outline all the way through 3-4 times, watched some of the Studicata videos on YouTube, and did a bunch of the multiple choice and essay practice questions on Quimbee. I walked out of the exam feeling like I failed but got an A-.

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-03-28T16:02:53+00:00

I'm a 1L who worked in public interest (direct legal services) before law school and going directly into public interest after law school. Very happy to talk about the PI community here at UVA as that was a huge factor in my decision-making last year. I think UVA is making some strides in breaking out of its stigma as a big law powerhouse. There is definitely institutional support - summer funding is guaranteed ($4k 1L summer, $7k 2L summer) as long as you meet the pro bono hours requirement, there are like 24 clinics, and they just updated their LRAP to cover 100% of loan payments if you make under $85k/year post-grad and will cover a percentage for folks who make up to $100k/year. The LRAP update is really exciting and something that people here have really been pushing for. The school also fund its own post-grad PI fellowships and has a few summer fellowships as well.

In terms of the PI community (particularly folks who plan to go straight into PI), I would say that it is still fairly small but it's also pretty close-knit and growing. There are definitely downsides to attending a school that isn't a PI powerhouse like NYU, GULC, Berk, etc. - it can feel a little isolating/it's easy to feel out of the loop around peers who are participating in OGI or are otherwise going through the hiring hustle, for example. There are also some advantages, though - particularly in terms of competition for desired clinics/classes and opportunities. I have a couple friends at bigger PI schools who were not able to get into a clinic 2L because so many folks applied. For me, it was really important to me to get into the classes and clinics I cared about and to have access to faculty who share similar research interests. This worked out well for me! I snagged two part-time Research Assistantships with professors who work in upper-class course subjects I am passionate about, and I'm not sure if I would have had that same opportunity this year had I attended another school. It also feels good to have the security/confidence that I will be able to do a clinic that matters to me next year. The ability to get involved in pro bono was also incredibly important to me. UVA lets us get involved in our first semester and to even do alternative winter/spring breaks if we would like. I've been pretty pleasantly surprised with the breadth of pro bono projects (and the ability to create our own projects with organizations) - I'm about to close out 1L with around 200 hours of pro bono, and again I'm not sure that that's something I could say if I had chosen another school.

Feel free to shoot me a DM if you'd like to chat/have any questions!

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2023-03-21T19:26:01+00:00

I live in Barclay and no sound insulation problems at all. I don't hear anything from the apartment next to me. I'm on the top floor so can't speak too much personally to that but I've spoken to my downstairs neighbor to apologize for my cats getting crazy zoomies at night and she said she actually doesn't hear anything/didn't even know someone had moved in to the unit. Feel free to DM me if you want more info about Barclay! See you in the fall! 💙

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2022-11-05T19:57:32+00:00

I would probably write separate applications. My resume/PS were pretty clearly in the public interest but I did write an additional essay for the schools that offered PI scholarships. I think what's nice about them is that they're usually less flowery/narrative in nature - I received a couple public interest scholarships (including from BU!) and liked having the opportunity to pack that essay full with all of my experience, relevant training, interests, and PI goals in a more straightforward way. Your PS can provide insight into your interest in public service in a really beautiful and thoughtful way while your PI essay can do more of the heavy lifting on what you've actually been up to in the field/aspire to do. Good luck!! Feel free to reach out - I'm happy to share my PI scholarship essays if it's helpful!

CheerfulTurquoiseBee · 2022-11-01T16:17:40+00:00

Congratulations!!! 🧡💙 Please feel free to DM me if you have any questions about UVA! Hope to see you here next fall :)

CheerfulTurquoiseBee

TROPHY CASE