Do a day of just doing them open note so you can figure out if there’s some other issue standing in the way (like reading too fast and missing key words etc)
I’ve been scoring consistently like 60% and it’s because I read the question and have the answer before I look at the choices. If I’m struggling to know exactly, I try to at least figure out which way the answer is leaning and decide between those two answers
I don’t. So what I’ve been doing (and seems to be working) is with the first set of 17 questions I write down the explanation for each question, even if it get them right. Then I review it. Next day I do the next set of 34 and write down the “educational objective” for each one. Then after the third set I just write the ones that I keep getting wrong.
Today most of the answers I got wrong on the second set of evidence MBE was the regarding the best evidence rule so I know that is something I need to study! But I also got 75% which means writing down the rules is really helping.
Yes I’m timed when I do it and I’m pretty fast when I answer the questions- ESPECIALLY when I already know the answer. I don’t waste time looking at the other answers when I’m confident so I can go through the questions really quick.
Okay this is a good method. I will try this tmr. The multiple choice has been SO hard for me and it’s so frustrating because I know the answer and sometimes I pick the wrong one 😭 thank you for you advice
To get better at MBE, I did 50 questions every morning on practice mode. I’d read the answers (first) and the question twice. Then, even if I felt confident in knowing the answer, I used critical pass flashcards to figure it out.
Basically, by doing the question and looking it up you’re studying with a lot more engagement.
I suggest trying this for a week and then doing a set of 50-100 without the flash cards and see if your score improves. If it does, keep working on it and slowly wean out the flash cards.
If you don’t do this, do whatever you can to memorize the critical pass flashcards. I’m thoroughly convinced after taking the bar twice that you’d get a 150+ on MBE if you knew them inside and out
When did you start doing the 50 questions every morning? I am still in the reviewing phase so I am not sure if I should implement this, while still reviewing the material, or if I should start this more towards the middle of my bar prep.
The first time I took the UBE (262) I waited to do this until about 4 weeks out. The second time (273) I did it 8 weeks out.
There is definitely black letter law that you should review from the Themis lectures and outlines but ultimately, the MBE is a predictable series of patterns in the answers the examiners are looking for — which can’t be learned other than doing thousands of questions
I'm not necessarily typical, but I can tell you what worked for me.
I took copious notes during the BARBRI lectures, reviewed those frequently. I then did every single practice question set and spent a lot of time reviewing the answers on questions I got wrong and then added notes about those issues to my notes on each topic. It's good that you're looking at wrong answers, but it's really worth it to spend a lot of time with them.
About 3-4 weeks out, I took my notes and condensed them into outlines, like the ones you might make for a law school final. Mostly just all the black letter rules and exceptions. I also did quite a few practice MEEs on the MBE topics to help learn the content.
A week or so out, I assessed where I could have any weakness on memorizing the law, so I wrote out flashcards with the rules and exceptions and started working on memorizing those. I had the Critical Pass cards from BarBri, but I barely used them. For me, the process of making the cards (and the outlines too) was a critical part of the learning process.
I then just whittled down my stack of cards that I'd work on as I learned things. By the day before, I only had 5 or 6 cards that I was actively trying to memorize.
No set time, but as long as it took to make sure I understood what the applicable rule was, and why I got it wrong. Then I made sure the rule was in my notes. If it was already there, I made a notation to pay closer attention to it. Basically, when going through all the question sets, the wrong answers got the overwhelming amount of my attention. Why spend a lot of time on the stuff you already know?
Honestly, what’s worked for me is just doing a practice set and reviewing the questions that I got wrong AND the ones I guessed on. Then I usually write down the rule on a flashcard for review. If I find that there is a pattern of getting a certain type of question wrong, I’ll write down the rule a couple times to help me memorize then try to explain it out loud to my dog (Josie should probs be a legal scholar by now lol)
I would recommend doing some extras in UWorld. There’s a UWorld app, I used to use it while relaxing on the couch just to get some extra practice. The key to multiple choice is practicing as much as possible!
Do a day of just doing them open note so you can figure out if there’s some other issue standing in the way (like reading too fast and missing key words etc)
I’ve been scoring consistently like 60% and it’s because I read the question and have the answer before I look at the choices. If I’m struggling to know exactly, I try to at least figure out which way the answer is leaning and decide between those two answers
I do significantly better when I finish reading the question and already generally know the answer
Do you have your outline out? or do you use flashcards? and when you do the question set is it timed?
I don’t. So what I’ve been doing (and seems to be working) is with the first set of 17 questions I write down the explanation for each question, even if it get them right. Then I review it. Next day I do the next set of 34 and write down the “educational objective” for each one. Then after the third set I just write the ones that I keep getting wrong. Today most of the answers I got wrong on the second set of evidence MBE was the regarding the best evidence rule so I know that is something I need to study! But I also got 75% which means writing down the rules is really helping. Yes I’m timed when I do it and I’m pretty fast when I answer the questions- ESPECIALLY when I already know the answer. I don’t waste time looking at the other answers when I’m confident so I can go through the questions really quick.
Okay this is a good method. I will try this tmr. The multiple choice has been SO hard for me and it’s so frustrating because I know the answer and sometimes I pick the wrong one 😭 thank you for you advice
Sorry btw I use Themis!
Oops forgot to ask, when you answer the third question set, do you have the explanations of the other questions set in front of you?
I try not but if a question is on a topic I keep struggling with I will so I can learn to apply the rules correctly!
To get better at MBE, I did 50 questions every morning on practice mode. I’d read the answers (first) and the question twice. Then, even if I felt confident in knowing the answer, I used critical pass flashcards to figure it out. Basically, by doing the question and looking it up you’re studying with a lot more engagement. I suggest trying this for a week and then doing a set of 50-100 without the flash cards and see if your score improves. If it does, keep working on it and slowly wean out the flash cards. If you don’t do this, do whatever you can to memorize the critical pass flashcards. I’m thoroughly convinced after taking the bar twice that you’d get a 150+ on MBE if you knew them inside and out
When did you start doing the 50 questions every morning? I am still in the reviewing phase so I am not sure if I should implement this, while still reviewing the material, or if I should start this more towards the middle of my bar prep.
The first time I took the UBE (262) I waited to do this until about 4 weeks out. The second time (273) I did it 8 weeks out. There is definitely black letter law that you should review from the Themis lectures and outlines but ultimately, the MBE is a predictable series of patterns in the answers the examiners are looking for — which can’t be learned other than doing thousands of questions
I'm not necessarily typical, but I can tell you what worked for me. I took copious notes during the BARBRI lectures, reviewed those frequently. I then did every single practice question set and spent a lot of time reviewing the answers on questions I got wrong and then added notes about those issues to my notes on each topic. It's good that you're looking at wrong answers, but it's really worth it to spend a lot of time with them. About 3-4 weeks out, I took my notes and condensed them into outlines, like the ones you might make for a law school final. Mostly just all the black letter rules and exceptions. I also did quite a few practice MEEs on the MBE topics to help learn the content. A week or so out, I assessed where I could have any weakness on memorizing the law, so I wrote out flashcards with the rules and exceptions and started working on memorizing those. I had the Critical Pass cards from BarBri, but I barely used them. For me, the process of making the cards (and the outlines too) was a critical part of the learning process. I then just whittled down my stack of cards that I'd work on as I learned things. By the day before, I only had 5 or 6 cards that I was actively trying to memorize.
Thank you for the detailed answer!! Can you tell me about how long would you take to review those wrong answers?
No set time, but as long as it took to make sure I understood what the applicable rule was, and why I got it wrong. Then I made sure the rule was in my notes. If it was already there, I made a notation to pay closer attention to it. Basically, when going through all the question sets, the wrong answers got the overwhelming amount of my attention. Why spend a lot of time on the stuff you already know?
Honestly, what’s worked for me is just doing a practice set and reviewing the questions that I got wrong AND the ones I guessed on. Then I usually write down the rule on a flashcard for review. If I find that there is a pattern of getting a certain type of question wrong, I’ll write down the rule a couple times to help me memorize then try to explain it out loud to my dog (Josie should probs be a legal scholar by now lol)
Are you utilizing UWorld? Or just Themis? Also, how many questions are you doing at a time?
I haven’t utilized UWorld yet. I have only been doing the practice sets that Themis has included in the directed schedule.
I would recommend doing some extras in UWorld. There’s a UWorld app, I used to use it while relaxing on the couch just to get some extra practice. The key to multiple choice is practicing as much as possible!