The bar exam stands between you and the practice of law. With a 77% pass rate for first-time test-takers, it’s hard not to worry about the exam. Afterall, the 23% who fail can’t work as lawyers.
The good news is: There are a host of options when it comes to test preparation programs.
Barbri dominates the bar review market, with an estimated 60% market share. Kaplan and Themis Bar Review control another 30%.
But there are several other options that offer a variety of styles, allowing students to find the learning approach that best suits them.
“Part of this diversity concerning options for learners of every kind is made possible by the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) and National Conference of Bar Examiners licensing, which have lowered the barriers of entry to the market for new companies,” said Adam Balinski, founder of Crushendo. “Technology has also removed barriers like the cost of distribution, maintenance and publication.”
Crushendo is a bar prep program that focuses on audio outlines and memorization tools.
Balinski said that while most programs offer similar aids, they differ in their styles and emphases.
“For example, Crushendo’s emphasis on audio and mnemonics appeals to auditory and visual learners,” he said.
Bar review companies offer a wide variety of approaches. There’s everything from full-service prep, to supplemental prep, to tutoring, to stand-alone study aids, thereby ensuring that nearly every type of learner will have what they need to pass the bar exam.
Amit Schlesinger, executive director of legal programs at Kaplan, said he has noticed a substantial change in bar review programs since his company entered the field in 2008.
“Today’s bar review options reflect students’ interests in a range of approaches, featuring diverse course structures and resource offerings, from set schedules to flexible, on-demand learning,” he said. “This is very different from the bar review landscape 15 years ago, when students had few options, rigid schedules and limited study materials.”
So, how do students determine which bar review company will provide them with a program that best aligns with their learning style?
Balinski said there is no “silver bullet” that is best for every student. Every learner is different in one way or another. As a result, each student must research the available options to determine what is best for them.
Some students may prefer the audio flash cards, illustrations, mnemonics and whiteboard videos that Crushendo offers. Others might choose Kaplan’s approach, which includes an extensive question database, live and on-demand lectures, unlimited essay grading and a choice of course structures that vary from two to six months.
Schlesinger said bar reviews should provide whatever students need to help them pass in the least stressful way possible, whether it be flexible study schedules, a variety of study materials or unlimited practice opportunities.
Rich Douglas, chief operating officer of Themis Bar Review, said finding a course that fits the student’s schedule is key.
“Law students should seek a bar review course that’s tailored to their schedules while offering individual feedback and a study plan that adapts to their specific learning styles and needs,” he said. “Moreover, students want a sense of security when they choose providers. They want to know that the bar review course they’ve chosen will help them pass the bar exam the first time they take it.”
Douglas recommended that students check each bar review company’s passage rate before choosing a course.
“To ease this process, Themis Bar Review has published detailed, data-driven passage rates annually since its inception, focusing on first-time exam takers and their July bar exam performances,” he said.
Mike Sims, president of Barbri, emphasized that confidence is key. Since the stakes are so high, students should feel confident throughout the entire process, from the moment they begin to prepare to the second they submit their exam.
“Confidence comes from technology that personalizes their studying, along with up-to-date lectures and materials and a group of bar exam takers that students can compare their performances to,” Sims said.
Many in the industry recommend that students choose bar review companies that offer a lot of practice options, including essay and multiple-choice questions.
Test questions from previous bar exams should be provided, said Meghan Short, managing director at Helix Bar Review, which was founded by AccessLex as a low-cost bar prep option.
“Students should also receive feedback on practice essay and performance test questions from professional graders,” she said.
“To ensure they have enough of a runway before the exam to fully prepare, students should look for a company that offers earlier access to course materials, too. And finally, free resources like subject matter outlines and Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) prep courses should be available.”
Ashley Heidemann, founder and CEO of JD Advising Inc. and a regular columnist for The National Jurist, agreed that bar review companies should offer questions from previous bar exams and high-quality outlines throughout the review process. Additionally, she said, they should provide ways to help review and memorize material, such as flash cards.
“A good bar review company teaches students how to pass the bar exam, a skill that law school will not necessarily teach,” she said. “Bar review companies should offer outlines specifically tailored to the bar exam, as well as strategies that will help students boost their scores on all portions of it.
“The future is certainly bright for bar review companies and, in turn, law students that are preparing to take their bar exams. As the bar exam steadily evolves, bar review companies’ importance will only continue to increase, leading to more and more options for students and their particular needs.”
