The aged-old question of 'which bar exam program should I take?' has always had the same answer, until perhaps recently. In this article, we analyze some of the best options you can take to help you with your bar exam success.
Here's a quick chart that basically summarizes the rest of the article. If you want a full depth analysis, carry on!
There are five main bar prep program options you may want to consider:
1) Barbri
2) Themis
3) Kaplan
4) Private tutor
5) On My Own
Here is a list of factors you may also want to consider. We put these in a ranking list of what we would prioritize as most important and a quick reason why. Your priorities may be different, and feel free to re-prioritize as you see fit.
1) Pass rate of the program
Let's go one and done! Not having to redo another two months of intense study is enough incentive for me to pass. Dependability and results of the program are our most important requirement.
2) Cost/Value
I don't want to retake the exam again, but I also don't want to give up eating for a month to pay for the course. It all depends on how much I'm paying and what I'm getting for my buck.
3) Program structure
This is important. When are the classes? What's the study plan? The structure should cater to your individual style and study habits.
4) Cost if have to retake
This is a backup option to consider. Some programs are free to retake if you don't pass the first time. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.
5) Program experience
A program with an established record can be better than a newer program with little or no history.
Now, like a good law school answer, let's apply the factors to the options:
Barbri
Why you would take Barbri:
1) Everybody is doing it
2) Longest and most established record
3) Highest pass rate, or so they say
4) Too scared to go with anything else because everyone else is doing it
5) You want to see Constitutional law Professor Chemerinksy in person
Why you wouldn't take Barbri:
1) Too expensive
2) You have a private tutor
3) You're done with sitting in on long classes
4) You think you can pass on your own without a program or you have the barbri books/cds and will just use those
Advantages of Barbri
1) Pass Rate
Although it's tricky to get exact numbers from Barbri, their pass rate is around 80% - 85% for students from ABA-approved schools. This is very high and very good.
2) Program Structure
The barbri program lasts about nine weeks, which is pretty much from the day after graduation until a week before the bar exam. For February takers, it begins the first Monday in January and goes until a week before the bar exam. This is about how much time you'll need.
Barbri has scheduled, four hour classes usually about five days a week. Several times they will have weekend classes that can go up to eight hours. Each class has a ten minute break after about an hour of study. The classes mostly consist of reviewing substantive law for each section on the bar. However, there are also several, very important classes that focus solely on how to take the essays and the performance tests. These are crucial because they demystify the bar and specifically break down what needs to be done in order to pass.
Also, Barbri has a day-by-day, very specific guide on what homework should be done on each day in order to get you ready for the class and the bar. Although, this guide is good to follow, it is also ideal. I certainly didn't keep up with it and don't know anybody who actually did. However, it is a very good reference to know where you should be.
Barbri will grade several essays and performance tests throughout the course. Congratulations if you actually pass these essays because Barbri will definitely mark as 'fail' answers that are very passable. They do a good job raising the bar and putting you at a higher level than you would need to pass, so don't get your feelings hurt if you don't pass the practice exams (I only passed one of these and still passed the bar!).
3) Cost if have to retake
Barbri has stated they allow you to retake their course for free if you fail the previous bar exam. No promises if you fail twice, though. Either way, you should call them to verify this is true in your state.
4) Program experience
Barbri has been around since the building of the pyramids. They are definitely the most utilized and experienced program around.
5) Other factor - Most people take Barbri
Most people take Barbri. This is good because unlike many values from our Disney movies of standing out and rising to be the best, on the bar exam you just want to blend in and be a sheep. The more you look like everyone else, the less you'll stand out. This is a great idea, especially when the bar exam grader is going through his hundred bar exam essays at 11:00pm, after he's done watching the Apprentice and is in the mood for firing! Don't be the anomaly.
Disadvantage of Barbri
1) Cost
Although Barbri is very good and dependable, it also comes with a hefty price tag. It costs about $3,650, making it the most expensive program out there. On the other hand, it does get results, and you're already a $100K+ in debt, so maybe just add it to the tab?
2) Program structure
I say this could be a disadvantage as well because you just may not want to sit in another classroom for four hours. You should be able to handle it after three or more years of law school, but if you want to avoid the mass of anxious people who are also taking the course, crammed into one room, you may want to look towards Themis bar review.
Barbri allows you to miss up to about six classes, which you can review the lectures online. You shouldn't be missing more than that anyway.
Themis
Themis is the second baddest cowboy out in the wild west that that is the bar exam. For some of you, it might be first. Here's why.
Why you would take Themis:
1) It's has great pass rate for great cost
2) I like the idea of studying from my computer where and when I want
Why you wouldn't take Themis:
1) I'd rather have set class schedules
2) I am scared to not go with the crowd and do Barbri
Advantages of Themis
1) Pass rate 
According to the Themis website, they have an 85% bar passage rate amongst ABA-approved school and 75% amongst all first time takers! This is incredible, especially for a program that has only been in the business since 2009! They are also the only bar prep program out of Barbri and Kaplan to actually publicly claim their pass rate. Their high results shouldn't be entirely surprising as it is rumored that Themis is made of past Barbri employees who are working to enhance the bar review system.
2) Price
Themis destroys the competition in this category. The cost for the entire bar prep course is only... wait for it... $1,395! At only 38% the cost, you can almost buy three Themis bar prep programs for the cost of one Barbri program! If their pass rate numbers are true and hold up, Barbri will have some serious competition on its hands.
3) Program Structure
Aside from price, this is where Themis breaks significantly from Barbri, and why it is so inexpensive. Themis does everything online. All the lectures and notes are available online to view when and where you want. They do also send out hard copies of the books if you want them. This system is advantageous because you can take your classes in solitude, at the beach, in the bathroom, on your roof, and away from the hundreds of tense people taking Barbri. You can also choose to take classes morning, night, midday, or whenever you want! Booya!
Similar to Barbri, they also provide a very specific schedule of what you should be doing on a daily basis to get you ready. An additional advantage is that if you get behind, the schedule adjusts so you can still get ready in time. Personally, I don't like the schedule adjustment because it blatantly lets me get away with procrastination, by letting me do tomorrow what I should be doing today, but each unto his own, eh.
Disadvantage of Themis
1) Experience
Although the program is less than two years old, considering its results and the experience people who work behind Themis, this is really a non-factor. Also, Themis may be with the new trends in technology by moving its operations online.
2) Program structure
Can't keep away from Facebook? Watching TV when you know you're behind on studying? These are the woes of being on the Themis self study program. Without a conglomerate of your fellow classmates holding you accountable by asking, "Why weren't you in class today?" when you decided to watch Sex and City episodes instead of attending your lecture. To its credit, Themis will make periodic phone calls and emails to you, especially if you get off track on your schedule or don't submit essays on time (yes, they are watching). But we all know the power of peer pressure, and coaching calls aren't quite the same. Themis will also grade your essays, as Barbri does.
If you can get yourself up in the morning and commit to going to your online class for a specific block of time on your own, like Barbri would essentially force you to do, you could save a few thousand dollars and may want to consider taking Themis. If not, you may want to stay on the Barbri bus.
Kaplan
Advantages of Kaplan
1) Program structure
The Kaplan program is about a six to seven weeks. The unique advantage they provide is they allow you to take your choice of either in-class sessions or online sessions. The in-class sessions will be slightly more expensive. Although, this is great, I don't believe you can switch back and forth between in-class and online; therefore, if you're going to pick one or the other up front anyway, we recommend you go with Barbri or Themis.
Disadvantages
1) Pass rate
We have no idea what the Kaplan pass rate is. Why? They've only been in the business of providing the full bar prep program for about a year and won't release their pass rate to us (they have successfully done the Multi-state portion for many years). I know that some people who took Kaplan their first year did not pass, and I can't even fathom their pass rate being close to Barbri or Themis, otherwise Kaplan wouldn't be so secretive about their pass rate, especially when attempting to gain some of the bar student market share. Themis, on the other hand, is also a new program, and they are very open about the success of their students.
2) Cost
This is another knock on Kaplan. Kaplan costs between $3,100 and $3,500. This is slightly under the cost of Barbri, and Kaplan is not nearly as established nor accomplished as Barbri. If you're paying this much, might as well go with Barbri.
3) Experience
Although Kaplan used to be the place to go for the multi-state portion before Barbri began providing that service a few years ago, Kaplan has now instituted the full bar-prep program. They're very new, and it's not known how successful they have been. Unless you want to be a guinea pig and not be saving a whole lot of money anyway, we recommend you keep away from Kaplan for now.
Private tutor
This option is difficult to analyze. There are many private tutors out there with varying credentials. Some tutors are as good as 50-0 with bar takers. Some are significantly less successful. Costs also vary, but they can get up to $4,000.
Why you would take a Private Tutor:
1) You are retaking the bar exam
2) You want individualized study
3) You need to improve your writing skills
4) You're from a non-ABA approved school
Why you wouldn't take a Private Tutor:
1) It can be the most expensive form of bar prep
2) You're taking Barbri, Themis, or another program
Typically tutors are used by two types of students: 1) students who did not pass the bar exam the first time and were using an established program like Barbri or Themis or 2) students who need to improve their writing ability. As good as Barbri and Themis are, they do not do a great job helping you become a better writer, and many students have failed the bar exam not knowing this.
Typically, writing is a skill that is developed in law school, and that is why the bar prep programs don't focus on it. So, be honest with yourself. If you know you're writing isn't too hot (my writing was not that great), you can still take Barbri or Themis, but you'll need to spend time to improve your writing (don't worry, we'll tell you how in a later post). Or you can just hire a tutor that will help you with your writing.
On Your Own
I know what you're thinking. I'm going to save some money, and I'll just buy the barbri books, and go through the essays myself, easy peezy. I can do this! Yes, maybe you can, but know you're taking a big risk. The bar is not a mass repeat of your law school essays. The grading, issues, and way to write the exam are different than what your professor would want to see. It's very important you write the way the bar exam graders want you to.
Keep in mind, that going at it alone is walking the tightrope. Many industry professionals utilize the use of coaches for big challenges and goals they are facing. Even the best professional athletes have coaches to help them golf better or place in the Olympics. Even the best actors are still in acting school. They don't do it on their own. The same applies here. Having someone or a program who knows what you're getting into, has studied the ins and outs of the bar exam, and designed a program to guide you to success is very helpful and essential.
I know a student at our school who graduated in the Top 10 of the class. She decided not to use a bar prep program and do complete self study. Her class had an 88% bar passage rate, and I'm sad to say she was not part of that 88%. Now is not the time to beat the new path. There is a very set path that many have taken to pass the bar. Take it. You can be a trailblazer once you have that license in hand.
Whatever you decide, we wish you the best of luck with your bar preparation!
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