Why is your pass rate so much higher than other courses?

Our pass rate is one of the highest in California for several reasons. THE APPROACH BOOK: First, our outstanding APPROACH BOOK materials written and designed by Shari Karney, owner and creator of BARWINNERS to make passing the essays easy.

WE GIVE YOU AN APPROACH FOR EVERY SUBJECT AND ISSUE TESTED ON THE CALIFORNIA BAR EXAM. BARWINNERS' Approach Book referred to by Bar-takers as (The Bar Review "Bible") lays out the materials in exactly the way the Bar Graders want to see it, already "Bar Ready" in answer blueprints (beyond IRAC). We give it to you, the way you need to give it to the Bar grader, in a "boiler-plate" format, so all you need to do, is write the boiler-plate and then briefly fill in the facts from the fact pattern.

Remember, the California Bar Exam is a standardized test. The Bar graders take only 1-3 minutes to grade your essays. We give you all the headings, sub headings, rules of law, and steps for each issue in for every Bar tested issue and area of the law.

Our materials are user-friendly, with the right amount of law, but not so much, that you can't memorize anything. Under the stress of sitting for the exam, and the time constraints put on you, we believe in giving you exactly what the readers need to see to score high.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO RE-WRITE OUR MATERIALS--In order to write a passing Bar Exam answer in the allotted time. Our substantive approaches and rule statements are simple, straightforward and easy to memorize. We also give you the substantive law within the fact situations tested by the Bar Examiners.

How structured is BARWINNERS?

Extremely structured. We provide a class schedule and we work with you to make your study schedule. Every day, every hour, is scheduled and structured. Shari keeps a copy of your study schedule and reviews it regularly to make sure you are on-schedule. You have homework assigned for every class. Every day, every hour, and for every subject, you know exactly what you are studying. All review time is scheduled as well. Your schedule continues throughout the course up to the actual day of the Bar Exam.

Do you cover all of the sections tested on the CA Bar Exam?

YES! AND MORE! BARWINNERS IS A FULL SERVICE BAR REVIEW PROGRAM-- We provide instruction, materials, simulated exams and feedback for all three sections on the California Bar Exam. Further, we provide as part of our BARWINNERS INTENSIVE REVIEW COURSE: ESSAY Preparation, MBE Workshops, PERFORMANCE TEST Preparation and 2 free stress management, hypnotherapy class sessions. Additional programs you can participate in for a separate fee are: PRIVATE TUTORING, small GROUP TUTORING, PRIVATE HYPNOTHERAPY, STRESS MANAGEMENT. We have everything you need, all in one place, to get you through the bar exam. Whether its getting motivated, keeping to a study schedule, feeling comfortable with the Performance Test, raising your score on the MBE, managing your stress, or even understanding Contracts we have the team in place to give you what you need to pass. We love what we do, and we love you. It would be our privilege to help you.

How much substantive law is covered?

We give you all the substantive law you need to pass the bar exam. But instead of 149-page long treatises that are difficult to use and impossible to memorize, we give you the substantive law condensed into substantive approaches. Each of our substantive approaches is approximately 22-45 pages long. You get the best combination of just enough substantive law; in the order and format you must write it on the actual Bar Exam. Our Essay Workshops are designed to help you learn how to apply the law you have learned to actual Bar questions. Most students learn the law but are weak in application. Trying to memorize all the law may leave you short on memorizing what you actually need to pass. With BARWINNERS, you learn how to smoothly accomplish Bar-passing applications and necessary memorizations with our proven approach. The Bar Exam is a standardized test--and we show you how to meet that standard. Also, our MBE workshops give you a mini-substantive law lecture for all six Multi-state tested subject.

Does BARWINNERS give simulated exams, how many, and how are they graded?

YES! YES and YES! All testing in BARWINNERS is done under BAR EXAM CONDITIONS--timed and proctored. Exams are graded within 2.5 points of what we believe the actual Bar Exam grader would score your exam. We do not inflate or give you "feel good" grades.

Do we get feedback?

We provide lots of feedback and show you how TO TAKE YOUR CURRENT WRITING STRUCTURE and STYLE AND TRANSFORM IT INTO PASSING ESSAYS AND PERFORMANCE TEST SCORES. As part of BARWINNERS' Intensive Course, there are four Performance Simulated Exams, fifteen Simulated Essay Exams, seventy Essay Questions assigned and reviewed in class or in your study group, three proctored MBE Simulations. Further, if you participate in any of BARWINNERS Tutorial Programs, there is countless more practice exams given based on your individual needs.

How long does it take to get our graded exams back?

SIMULATED EXAMS ARE GRADED AND RETURNED WITHIN 5 CLASS DAYS. In BARWINNERS, we give you tons of simulated exam sessions (essays, performance tests, MBE's) UNDER BAR EXAM CONDITIONS. YOUR EXAMS ARE RETURNED TO YOU FULLY GRADED WITH COMMENTS WITHIN 5 CLASS DAYS. We work hard to grade your exams and get them back to you quickly so the feedback is relevant and timely. BARWINNERS' puts you under the same conditions as the actual Bar Exam on a weekly basis. Almost everyone taking the bar exam has studied and learned the law. It's how you apply it under the stress of the Bar Exam that makes the passing difference. BAR Graders take one to three minutes to grade your essays and performance tests. We show you how to give them exactly what they are looking for--right out-of- the-gate.

Do I write the exams at home and turn them in when I can?

No. To ensure your success, we believe it is essential to take a lot of practice exams under simulated bar exam conditions. We want you to get comfortable taking simulated exams so during the actual bar exam you are calm and secure. We work with you to overcome any obstacles. Your Bar Exam experience will be predictable, controllable, and pleasant. You are training for a legal marathon. BARWINNERS is your loving supportive coach. You can't expect to win the marathon by just buying the world's best pair of running shoes--you need to practice running in them. It's the same with the Bar Exam. There is a structured Simulated Exam Schedule and attendance is mandatory. You must sign in at all sessions--lectures and exams. We will try to specially accommodate those who have been given "special accommodations" by the Bar Examiners. The only way to assess how you will do on the actual Bar Exam is to consistently take exams under Bar-like conditions with Bar-like grading. The only difference between the actual Bar graders and BARWINNERS' graders is you will get focused, clear, helpful feedback. Most of our graders are former Bar graders.

Why do I need a Bar review course? Why can't I just study on my own?

The writing style you learned in law school is not generally suitable for the Bar Exam. If it was, then everyone who graduated from law school would pass the Bar the first time. THE STATEWIDE pass rate on the July exam is around 49-51% and on the February exam around 39-41%. About half of all statewide California Bar Exam takers do not pass. We DO NOT use the ever-popular law school writing style--the "ping-pong" writing method, i.e. "A will argue," "B will argue," "A will counter-argue," and so on. We will show you what Bar graders are looking for in writing style, headings, sub headings, rules of laws, factual statement. There can be gaps in your substantive knowledge and understanding of all the Bar-tested areas. In addition, attempting to write a Memo, Point and Authorities, Trial Brief, Appellate Brief, Opening or Closing Argument, can be daunting if you haven't clerked, or done much legal writing since your first year of law school. Therefore, BARWINNERS' Performance Workshop is essential to ensure you pass the bar. Many of you, did not or were unable to take all of the topics tested on the CA bar exam. Many law school students did not or could not take all the topics tested on the Bar. Even if you did take a Bar Exam subject in law school, it is generally taught from a different perspective than how it is tested on the California Bar Exam. There always seems to be fact patterns asked on the Bar that your law school course did not cover or emphasize. In conclusion, you need a good Bar Review Course.

I almost passed the Bar last time, why do I need another course?

It's good that you came so close to passing. Clearly, you have the talent and skill to pass the California Bar Exam. But we want to make sure that you actually pass this time. Sometimes people, who come close to passing, have a subtle undiagnosed problem. It's like having an underlying medical issue that busy doc's miss. We are specialists and you can count on us to figure out why you came so close but didn't quite make it. You just need to follow what we show you.

Why sign up now—I won't be taking the bar for another year or more?

Starting early prepares you early, giving you lots of time to reap real solutions and real benefits. You won't need to madly cram at the last minute. You will be prepared, ready and at ease if you sign up now. In addition we are now happy to offer a new exclusive, early start, private tutorial program that will give you the extra edge to pass the Bar. This program is now available for you to begin year-round. It is the ideal choice for those of you who want to get an early start on your Bar Prep. We offer it on a one-on-one basis or in small groups. (Click here for more info on Private Tutoring).

Why is BARWINNERS best for me?

Enrolling in BARWINNERS gives you a huge advantage. Some of you aren't the "one-size-fits-all" type. You need and want a bar review course where you can interact, ask questions in class and actively learn. A smaller class, tailored to your individual needs, strengths, skills, (BARWINNERS) is so much better for you. Why would you choose to be in a huge review program with 5,000 other stressed out bar-takers, with no personal service, individual help or feedback? Taking Bar Review by video is like watching a re-run of Andy Griffith. BARWINNERS OFFERS smaller classes, personalized attention, stress management, tutoring, and MBE help, Essay Help. We know who you are, we interact with you. You can ask questions, participate. We have 26 years experience with one of the highest pass rates in California. The BARWINNERS' team knows what works and which areas are tested and what is emphasized on the actual Bar Exam. Let the experts at BARWINNERS make it easier for you.

Does BARWINNERS show us how to outline a question correctly?

YES. GOOD QUESTION. We believe that the first 15 minutes spent reading, issue spotting and outlining determines your actual Bar score. The reason: Most of the criticaql issue spotting, analysis and organization are done in the first 15 minutes. Once, you have spotted the issues and have a good, organized, structured and usable outline, writing is easy. But if your outline is sketchy, messy, and disorganized with notes in the margins, and chicken scratches all over the page, your essay will be disorganized and analytically weak. BARWINNERS APPROACH BOOK OUTLINES THE ESSAYS FOR YOU. You memorizing the law, from the Approach Book. The APPROACH BOOK IS IN THE EXCACT ORDER, FORMAT, STRUCTURE, and ORGANIZATION INCLUDING THE EXACT RULES YOU NEED TO WRITE for EVERY ISSUE ON THE BAR. When you memorize the Approach you are memorizing how to write that issue. When outlining the essay, you simply use the headings, format, and structure pre-memorized from the Approach Book. Now all you will have to do is fill in the facts from the fact pattern, reach a brief conclusion, and you're good-to-go.

A BAR/BRI rep at school told me that since 95% of the students taking the CA Bar have taken BAR/BRI, the bar grades to the BAR/BRI standard.

The Bar does not grade to BAR/BRI's standard. If that were true, since BAR/BRI has about 95% bar review market share, why was the statewide pass the following?
July 2008 61% Pass General Bar Exam, 43.6% Pass Attorneys' Exam;
July 2007 56.1% Pass General Bar Exam, 37.3% Pass Attorneys' Exam;
July 2006, 51.8% Pass General Bar Exam, 35.7% Pass, Attorneys' Exam
July 2005 48.8% Pass General Bar Exam, 28.3% Pass Attorneys' Exam.
The February Pass Rates are even significantly lower. For example:
February 2008 General Bar Examination 39.6; Pass General Bar Exam; 39.7 Pass Attorneys' Bar
February 2007 General Bar Examination 36.8 Pass General Bar; 47.6% Pass Attorneys' Bar
*Taken from: The State Bar of California Examinations Results Statistics Report

• Why is your pass rate so much higher than other courses?
• How structured is BARWINNERS?
• Do you cover all of the sections tested on the CA Bar Exam?
• How much substantive law is covered?
• Does BARWINNERS give simulated exams, how many, and how are they graded?
• Do we get feedback?
• How long does it take to get our graded exams back?
• Do I write the exams at home and turn them in when I can?
• Why do I need a Bar review course? Why can't I just study on my own?
• I almost passed the Bar last time, why do I need another course?
• Why sign up now—I won't be taking the bar for another year or more?
• Why is BARWINNERS best for me?
• Does BARWINNERS show us how to outline a question correctly?
• A BAR/BRI rep at school told me that since 95% of the students taking the CA Bar have taken BAR/BRI, the bar grades to the BAR/BRI standard.