Answering the MBEs

I hope everyone's preparation is coming along well. Below is a testing strategy you may have already considered, but I include it for those who have not yet considered it.

When taking the MBEs, consider the following strategy: Fill in the answer sheet at the end of every column. So record your answers in the testing book, but only transfer them to the answer sheet once you reach a question to be recorded on a new column on the answer sheet.

I find the following benefits:

1. Concentration is maintained, thus helping the tester stay in the mental grove. By being able to focus on questions, the tester can build momentum in answering the questions. This is the result of a less interrupted questioning experience.

2. It is more time efficient. Filling in the answers at once reduces time spent preparing to transfer the answers.

Potential Risks:

1. Incorrectly transferring the answers due to the higher volume of transfers per transfer event. I caution to transfer with care with this strategy.

2. Not transferring all answers at the very end of the test for the last column.

3. Fatigue. Consider when and how you require mental breaks to prevent mental fatigue.

Consider testing this strategy on a practice MBE. It may or may not be right for you.

Best,

Josh

acronyms

What are your favorite acronyms to remember the elements and the material?

Post comments below to share with others. If we get a bunch, I will create a consolidated sheet.

iPhone App Resource

Hey Y'all (as Fatima would say),

Fatima has mentioned to me she is making available flashcards she is creating for an iPhone application. This is her message:

There is a free app called flash card sets for iphone. If you go to
the website http://quizlet.com/, you can create your own flashcard
sets and view them on your phone.

I've already started to create one for Wills, but not up yet. Y'all
can access any sets I make by searching by my username "sheikafatima".
I'm going to pword protect them all by the title of the set. (Ex.
Wills, pw "wills")

F

So there you have it. Another resource available to the community. So thank you Fatima.

Also, she brings to my attention people are not able to post here. Until I figure out how to let anyone post, I know I can invite people to post. E-mail me if you want posting capacity [horowitz@uchastings.edu].

Josh H.

Summary: Real Bar Essays by Date and Subject

Hello Cal Bar Takers,

I include a document here designed to help you study for the essay portion of the exam. I made it for myself, and so I make it available to you too. The document provides information on when a subject was tested on the essay portion of the exam and within which particular question it was actually tested. For example, the document will state professional responsibility was tested on the July 2009 exam and was the second question.

Prof. Sakai recommended, among other things, we read through a few community property exams. This document will help you locate those and other exams.

If you, reader, have summary sheets or other helpful materials you think others would benefit from, please feel free to post them or e-mail them to me for posting [horowitz@uchastings.edu].

Happy Studying,

Josh H.

Note: If you are preparing with BarBri, similar information may also be found in the BarBri California Essay Exam Practice Workbook, page v.

Collaborative Innovation and a Pull Economy

Here is a audio file that served as the seed for this blog. The aim is for collective learning. Collective learning serves as a means for groups to accelerate learning and performance. Collective learning best operates when individuals share their lessons and learn from the lessons of others.





The speaker is John Seely Brown (Deloitte Center for Edge Innovation). The lecture was given as part of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program.


Description:
Within the guilds of this popular computer game, real innovation is taking place. Thousands of new ideas happen daily through crowdsourcing. In addition, all performance is measured and critiqued, both as a group and individually. Guilds also work collaboratively on larger projects, allowing for radical, exponential learning and results. Deloitte Center for the Edge's John Seely Brown encourages business thinkers to use the practices of the game as a strategic model for building better innovation.

Josh H.

Be Sheep, Chomp Through the Legal Meddow and Enter the Legal Corral

Dear Creative Thinkers that Cherish Honest Communication:

You are in great danger. Bar examiners hate you. It appears the bar seeks to pass and advance those that think like sheep (or are at least able to) and those that can bull shit their way through a problem.

So, when you sit for the essay and the performance test, please be systematic, methodological, and on point or a bull shitter that applies the facts.

Because as one might say..... Do they want you to be creative? Should you be a goat? Good idea???

Josh H.

Tip on Streaming Lectures: 1.5x

Everyone, this tip is monster.

Try watching a BarBri lecture stream at 1.5x speed. Some lectures are just perfect for this. For example, I am watching the Performance Test Lecture 1 at 1.5x speed and am loving it. Not only am I catching everything, but I am also not getting distracted as easy. So now, I am actually paying attention and am on schedule to finish a whole hour earlier than if I had watched along at GGU or at normal speed at home. Granted, some lectures will not be good for this method, because the professor speaks too quickly at times. Still, this method works well for a number of lectures.

How To: Open a stream, as you normally would. Expand image to full screen. Then hit simultaneously, "Control + Shift + G". This places it at 1.5x speed. To reduce it to 1.0x speed: Hit "Control + Shift + F" twice. The first time it will speed it up. The second time it will go back to 1.0x.

Special Thanks: I have to give thanks and props to Big Mike for sharing this tip with me. He is spot on with it.

I hope someone out there finds this post helpful. Also, please share your tips and tricks with us. We are eager to learn.

Josh H.

Step 4: Forget About Step 3

Damn, Step 3. Settle down. I mean, was that really necessary?

How are people feeling about Step 3s in general? What do you think the point of Step 3 is?

Appearances

How is the web page layout? Is it easy to read? Colors OK? Recommendations?

Paula Franzese

The latest lecturer for the BarBri DVD, real property law: Paula Franzese.

Welcome!

2010 Bar Takers,

Thanks for checking out this site. While I was surfing the web, reading articles, and just plain old procrastinating before diving back into real property, I decided to procrastinate more and create this blog forum for open use.

This forum is designed for the collaborators and team oriented people out there. Have some burning questions about an area of the law? Missed an important part of the lecture? Not sure what to really take away from the comments about your graded essays? Solve that here.

This year, I'm predicting an all time high pass rate.....

A Bar Taker in Sufferance,

Josh Horowitz

P.S. That was a real property joke.... Ok. Back to studying.