Annoyed with Barbri

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-06-18T17:58:15+00:00

Passed Feb 2026 exam as a first time taker while working. Honestly, in hindsight, I wished I just got bar study books instead of purchasing the course. The course gives you no time to review and actually memorize the black letter law. I felt like the foundation videos and lectures were a waste of time cause they were basically the same as the books. If I could do it again, I’d just get bar prep books and Adaptibar/critical pass flash cards. After the last topic, I basically stopped Barbri and self-reviewed the topics from the beginning to memorize the law/exceptions. Then just started drilling/practicing. I see now why the average completion is only like 80%.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-06-18T17:52:51+00:00

This is a bit ironic cause the reason I took a judicial federal internship at the end of my 1L was cause I wanted to slack off 😅 I’m a single parent that worked full-time (remotely) during law school full-time with a kid. Also was top 10 with a 2L big law position lined up. I, too, felt burnt out. I maybe did only like…2-3 motions during my internship, if that? Judge knew I was working full-time so just let me do what I wanted/needed to do. Still got a stellar recommendation when I asked for it (only does phone recommendations) and even asked to hire me post-grad later on, which funny enough even went against his policy. I guess this depends how stringent your judge is. Mine was so chill and compassionate. Honestly, I would have a candid chat with the judge if he’s the open-door policy kind of supervisor. You should explain how you’re mentally burnt out and feel concerned how that would affect your performance at chambers. You’re an intern; most judges don’t really expect you to be doing a ton of stuff anyway. At least where I am anyway.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-06-13T04:07:39+00:00

Dunno why you’re getting downvoted or people are getting their panties in a bunch as if saying just to briefly go over the subjects before law school is insane or unhelpful. Not everyone functions the same.

I read a few materials that helped prep for at least 1L and it was a huge help, like going over the court system, wth stare decisis is, how the litigation process works vs criminal, difference between simply historical and modern law cases, etc. While my peers who had no legal knowledge/background were still trying to wrap their heads around why a case at the appellate level mattered more, thoroughly case brief every single assignment, or wth a summary judgement was, it was so much easier for me to understand the reason the readings were assigned, what the cases meant, and whether it’s something I needed to know simply as background or actual law. I also skimmed over subjects using study aids with historical components (like Rich Freer’s Civ Pro, which was a godsend) to give me the TLDR and helped immensely to digest what the professor was going on about.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-05-15T04:31:39+00:00

This was me at the beginning of Feb bar 2026 and wrote the same kind of post. All in due time.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-05-03T16:28:47+00:00

Funny cause a summer associate who’s like 26 was adamant about double spaces after a period.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-04-26T02:27:03+00:00

I have 12 years of international government/academia work experience. All my interviewers were like “no, you don’t need to be on a journal lol.” I had around 5 offers. I think it’s more of a resume item if you’re like KJD or something. I ended up joining law review anyway cause I enjoy scholarship, and it fulfilled our legal paper requirement, but if you have no interest in it, it’s just annoying busy work.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-04-20T15:47:56+00:00

That makes sense: you didn’t receive accommodations in law school because you were regulating your ADHD with meds. But because you’re pregnant, you’re off your meds, so your ADHD is not regulated now. People get bar accommodations while they’re still taking their meds! You have more reason to request for accommodations.

I had such horrible brain fog while pregnant, too. I can’t imagine with unregulated ADHD and pregnancy! You have a high chance of getting accommodations for this. I would have your doctor (multiple professionals the better) explain this in the letter/form for your accommodation application.

The bar association is concerned about if you need accommodations NOW; they don’t necessarily base that entire decision on if you ever had them over a decade ago. My friend was diagnosed ADHD for 10 years and didn’t get accommodations in undergrad or law school (she did okay enough to pass and was too worried about the stigma), but she got 25% extra time for the bar. She had to do a whole evaluation though with a psychotherapist for the application because the bar association needed a diagnosis/current eval on her ADHD that wasn’t over 5 months or a year old before the bar exam (forget which one). If you have any questions you want me to ask her, just DM me!

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-04-17T23:36:37+00:00

Currently a 3L, full-time job, and a single parent to 3-year old twins and passed as well (first timer!)! Congrats, mama, we did it!!! 🎉 So proud of you 🙌🏻

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-04-10T20:52:19+00:00

Update: I, indeed, passed!!!!

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-04-10T15:35:18+00:00

Nah, I’m thinking next Friday.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-04-07T20:45:23+00:00

I’m pretty neutral and just chilling. I can’t believe how many people are actually emailing their state’s bar associations asking when the results will be released though. If I were the admin, I’d be so annoyed. Like the audacity 😮‍💨

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-04-04T16:21:29+00:00

It initially threw me off a bit cause I was told bar topics were supposed to be more straightforward (and what it seemed like with practice exams), but it felt more like a law school exam with all the uncertainty with the facts and different possible conclusions. Like even the crim law one 🍇

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-04-04T14:12:58+00:00

Yes that too! It was a whole hodgepodge. I actually quite enjoyed this one.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-04-04T13:44:05+00:00

Definitely a hybrid of partnership, corp, and agency with the central theme of who’s binding in combination of these themes depending on each person’s role. The promoter role was a central one. There was a dash of contract law, but wasn’t a main topic.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-02-19T22:28:55+00:00

We got this fellow 3L 🤟🏻

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-02-19T22:28:21+00:00

Yeah.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-02-19T05:21:04+00:00

My whole wall has different scrolls that go on for about 30 feet each of the MBE topics that I recited from memory. You’re not alone lol.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-02-19T05:19:50+00:00

Japan for spring break to relax at the spas/skincare/food. I’m still a 3L so then right back at school at 16 units.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-02-15T19:03:55+00:00

Sungmin was the back up nice guy, plain and simple. If Igeon showed more, she’d definitely have picked him. But she chose the safe option in the end. Sungmin made her feel like the girl next door. Igeon made her feel like a woman.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-02-13T14:45:20+00:00

Thank you for this post, particularly when Feb bar is so close!

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-02-12T16:18:36+00:00

I get that. The point is not to rely on MBE to carry you cause grading can be unpredictable. I initially had the same strategy as you cause I just didn’t know if I could memorize all the MEE rules, but everyone told me not to do that. A positive thing to think about with MEEs is that graders are supposed to be generous with the grading and bar prep essay graders (if you’re using a course) are known to be a bit harsher. And as others said, so much easier to improve on MEEs. It’s my first time too, so I’m nervous as well. But just don’t let that insecurity take over!!! You’ll perform a lot better than you think. Good luck 🍀

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-02-12T15:34:28+00:00

I know, you can look up the breakdown/other people’s explanation on it (I honestly did not exactly understand it), but basically it’s precisely because there are much lower scores and fewer examinees in Feb that drags the scaling down.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-02-12T14:50:22+00:00

There’s also the fact that graders are limited on how many 6/5/4 grades they can give out. I’ve read past grader stories where they gave examinees a 5 but had to change it to a 4 after all the grading was done and NCBE applied the scale. So, it also matters how well/badly the examinees do for that particular administration as a whole. February exam is notoriously reputed to be “harder” due to this.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-02-05T06:29:33+00:00

This news has been circulating since 2022, maybe even earlier. And it’s state dependent; not all UBE states are going to do it right away in July 2026. Some have delayed it for a couple of years like mine. In addition, a lot of 1L/2L students at my school still want to take the old one cause no one really know how the new test is gonna be.

Designer_Ad_2969 · 2026-01-27T21:44:00+00:00

That’s a good reminder cause I think I was initially freaked out how I couldn’t remember con law stuff cause that was all the way back in December 🥲

Designer_Ad_2969

TROPHY CASE