Bar Exam Tutoring Testimonials
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Hear what our students are saying here!
2023
JD Advising’s private tutoring really helped me gain my confidence back as a repeat test taker. Amanda was amazing and addressed all my concerns and needs. I do not think I could have done it without her help. It is nice to have one on one help that is geared towards what you need. Amanda always took the time to answer all my questions. This time around I earned a score high enough to practice in all the UBE states. If you are thinking about private tutoring, JD Advising is the way to go. ASK FOR AMANDA! You will not regret it!!
This was my second time taking the bar exam and I’m so happy I passed! Thanks to my tutor Doriel, my score went up significantly by 52 points. I really enjoyed working with Doriel because he structured a personalized schedule to strengthen my weakness in all three sections. Doriel was able to clarify difficult concepts in a way that I could understand throughout the course. He also gave me great advice and strategies on how to best tackle the MBE, MEE, MPT that I otherwise did not know the first time I took the exam. Along with his help, I strongly recommend JD advising’s bar course. As a visual learner, JD advising’s outlines are great because they are color coded with charts, illustrations and examples. The outlines and videos are straightforward and also include the date and the year each rule has been tested so that you know how to prioritize your studying. I also found it very helpful that JD advising has real past bar exam questions and it made me feel more confident on exam day. I highly recommend JD advising and a tutor like Doriel for re-takers!
I took the Bar Exam four times. I failed it three times. I tried everything. I tried doing it all on my own, I tried big thick outlines the size of a wall, I tried guided video classes with professors I could never meet. None of them worked. The fourth time was going to be my last time. But I decided to try another method that time. I tried working with JDAdvising, getting a tutor who could work alongside me, help me with what I specifically, acutely, needed help with. And now I am a lawyer. I worked alongside Jordan, an amazing and kind individual. Jordan responded to what I needed help with, he saw me struggle with certain topics and helped me dig in to them. He helped me with my writing skills, he helped me navigate multiple choices, he assisted me in fitting more information into my brain than ever before. I am a lawyer now and I firmly believe it is due largely to the work I did with Jordan. I cannot imagine a better use of time. Would I recommend this to a friend? Guys, I would recommend this to anyone I knew was struggling with the bear that is the Bar Exam. I truly feel like JD Advising (Jordan) is the reason I was able to succeed on the Bar Exam, where I had failed three times prior.”
Amanda was such an amazing tutor because she helped me stay organized and focus on the areas of law I struggled with the most. I really liked how in depth she would be with grading my essays because she provided me with invaluable feedback that ultimately helped me receive high scores on the Bar. Additionally, I enjoyed our walk throughs of the JD Advising outlines together because it helped me think on my toes when she would ask me questions on the spot. These sessions really helped me memorize the black letter law. Overall, Amanda was very encouraging, positive, and such an amazing help through this process. I would definitely recommend any student studying for the Bar to use Amanda.
I took (and failed) the bar exam twice under the tutelage of another major preparatory course, and I knew I needed a more personalized approach for my third attempt. Jordan at J.D. Advising helped me craft a realistic study schedule, and he shared helpful strategy tips for approaching each section of the bar with more sophistication and confidence. Whereas the other course offered an intimidating volume of written materials and recordings, J.D. Advising’s more concise study materials were structured optimally to dovetail with the live tutoring sessions. My score on the July 2023 bar exam increased by over 10 points, giving me the result I need to practice in any UBE jurisdiction. I wish I had worked with Jordan and J.D. Advising from the start, and I would recommend them both to others sitting for the bar.”
I passed the New York Bar Exam on my third try thanks to JD Advising. Their different resources like one-sheets, mini outlines, memorizing techniques, and webinars are immensely helpful for everyone that is planning to take the bar exam. These different resources make it easier to memorize and are key to synthesize and structure in your head the vast amount of information you need to learn. I highly recommend them all.
However, I still struggled understanding certain topics and, as an LL.M and repeat taker, I felt like I needed an extra push to feel more confident. I decided to take a couple of private tutoring sessions and that is how I got the privilege to meet Albert. Albert changed my studying approach completely and every topic and subtopic started to make more sense. I started understanding and memorizing concepts that I never thought I could. During the sessions we focused on the toughest and the most frequently tested subjects, and he explained everything in a simple and straightforward manner. He reviewed my practice essays with a lot of detail which helped me to understand and work harder on my weak areas. Lastly, Albert is a very nice guy and he teaches with a lot of patience, he makes you believe in yourself, and he makes every session entertaining.
Thank you Albert for your continuous support through all this journey and for building up my confidence.
I found Jordan in early July. Prior to tutoring with Jordan, I was using a standard bar prep program. While helpful, I knew that I needed a more individual approach to get me through that last push. Jordan was great about adjusting his approach based on what was working for me. Also, despite meeting later in the process, Jordan quickly became a great supporter and motivator. He also made a sincere effort to fit me into his schedule and was always amenable to adding sessions.
I highly recommend purchasing the MBE and MEE one sheets. I spent about a week in July memorizing those documents and quizzing myself and I found it to be confidence-building and helpful. I found that the traditional bar prep schedules are so dense that they don’t leave enough time for actual memorization. These one sheets were an excellent resource to add into my study routine.
I absolutely recommend tutoring with Jordan and other JD Advising resources. I received a high enough score to transfer into any UBE jurisdiction with their help.
I passed the Texas bar exam on my fourth attempt this year. I’m so grateful that I made the decision to work with JD Advising, and my tutor Vincent. He was beyond helpful, and extremely easy to work with. I looked forward to our online sessions each week because he kept me accountable and on track. Vincent really helped me understand the law by breaking down each subject area that I was struggling with. We practiced going over essays, we reviewed multiple choice, and even broke down how to tackle some of the MPT’s together. It’s one thing to review the material on your own, but it’s a completely different experience when someone explains and breaks down topics that you’re struggling with by making it easy for you to understand. Vincent kept a positive attitude for me on days when I felt less confident. He believed in me which gave me more confidence too. My score went up by almost 40 points thanks to his help. Thank you JD Advising for helping me pass the Texas bar exam
Jordan is an absolutely incredible bar tutor. Multiple choice testing has always been a challenge for me, but with Jordan’s guidance, I was able to increase my MBE score by ~40 percentile points—and pass the Delaware bar.
In addition, Jordan is one of the kindest, most conscientious, and most supportive people I have met. He spent extensive amounts of time preparing for our sessions so he would be equipped to answer my questions. He also was incredibly patient in answering any question I might have, whether complex or straightforward—and on the rare occasion he did not know an answer off the top of his head, he would research the question after our sessions and make sure I understood the answer. There is no one, in my opinion, who cares more about their bar tutoring students than Jordan.
Additionally, Jordan was incredibly adaptable, which is one of the reasons his tutoring was so effective. Rather than taking a “one-size-fits-all approach” to bar prep, he took the time to figure out exactly how I learn best and then teach the material in that way. This is a rare skill, and it just speaks volumes about Jordan’s abilities as a tutor.
I could not be happier with my choice of bar prep tutor, and I would absolutely pick him over any other tutoring service. And I say that having had tutoring from other services myself. Jordan is truly phenomenal at what he does.
The bar exam tutoring sessions with JD Advising were immensely helpful in crossing the finish line. I was able to discuss my weaker topics with my tutor, Ninos, which helped me to fill the gaps in my knowledge. The tutoring especially helped on topics that I had not taken any prior law school classes on, such as trusts and wills. The tutoring equipped me with test-taking strategies and helped me feel more confident going into the bar exam.
Choosing JD Advising was the best investment I have ever made. My tutor, Jordan, was truly a lifesaver. Beyond being a living and breathing encyclopedia of Bar prep knowledge, he is one of the friendliest and most patient individuals I have ever worked with.
As a first-time taker with a history of being weak on standardized tests, I knew I needed additional help. My law firm had provided me access to a “big box” bar prep course; however, I struggled with the exam’s writing portion — specifically creating coherent IRAC structures and thoughtful analysis. During our sessions, Jordan and I worked through dozens of MEE questions together, and I worked on dozens more as homework. At first, I consistently scored 1’s and 2’s, but as the weeks went on, I began averaging 3’s and 4’s. By test week, I averaged 5s and ultimately passed a 270 jurisdiction with plenty of room to spare. I would recommend this course, and Jordan in particular, to everyone.
Thank you again, Jordan, for helping me pass this test
A huge thanks to Daniel and J.D. Advising for helping me pull my UBE score up above the requirement in my jurisdiction of practice. I found my experience with the company to be valuable and accommodating. After two attempts at the UBE I found my score lacking twice, just below the mark. With study instructions and review materials from J.D. Advising, I was able to increase my MBE score by fifteen (15) points. Daniel was an excellent tutor, coach, source of encouragement, and friend. My regular meetings with him gave me the motivation to study hard and the confidence to succeed on test day. I would highly recommend J.D. Advising to anyone on the fence considering the aid of a tutor after unsuccessful attempts at the bar exam.”
Thank you, JDA, for helping me pass the UBE (and the MPRE for that matter). I am a tenured full professor working at a state university and I will be transitioning into my second career as a licensed attorney when I retire in just a few years. Up until now – it has just been a dream to practice federal Indian law and immigration law – JDA has helped me breathe life into those aspirations and made it a reality for me.
My success, at sixty years old, comes as the result of hard work, the JDA study materials (I found the JDA MBE one-sheets and MEE study materials particularly helpful), a fair amount of perseverance, and the awesome advice and counsel I received from my JD Advising bar tutor – Brittany. It was her advice, tips, enthusiasm, and feedback that put me over top of the UBE.
Kudos to JDA and its bar exam tutors like Brittany!
As a first-time bar taker, I was very nervous and unsure where to focus my attention. I worked with Andrew in conjunction with another bar course. He was great in explaining why I got things wrong – I often took non-JD Advising questions I was having trouble with to him and got a much better explanation.
I ended up passing with a score high enough to transfer into any UBE jurisdiction – I credit a lot of that to working with Andrew and J.D. Advising. The outlines were really helpful and the essay feedback was invaluable. This was money and time well spent, and I would highly recommend it to anyone doing bar prep.
I am thrilled to provide a glowing testimonial for the JD Advising Tutoring Program and, in particular, for the outstanding work of Andrew as my tutor. My experience with this program has been nothing short of transformative, and I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Andrew for his exceptional guidance and expertise.
Andrew is a tutor par excellence. His deep knowledge of the bar exam and his ability to break down complex legal concepts into digestible, manageable portions made all the difference. He tailored his approach to my specific needs, understanding my strengths and weaknesses, and crafted a study plan that was both efficient and effective. I had narrowly missed a passing score two attempts prior.
Thanks to Andrew’s guidance, my bar exam score increased by an astonishing 18 points. I couldn’t have achieved this without him. His patience, dedication, and unwavering support were instrumental in helping me succeed. His insightful feedback on practice essays and multiple-choice questions improved my test-taking skills significantly, and his guidance on time management and stress reduction strategies were invaluable during the actual exam. The JD Advising Tutoring Program, in conjunction with Andrew’s expertise, is an investment in success. I cannot recommend this program highly enough for anyone looking to excel on the bar exam.
After taking the Bar Exam for the second time, I am happy to have passed with a score increase of 40 points all thanks to JD Advising and especially my tutor Caroline Veniero. Caroline went above and beyond, answered all my questions, responded to my emails within 24 hours and made sure I understood topics I had trouble with by providing detailed explanations, examples and assigning specific questions. Most importantly, she made sure I was ready to pass. JD Advising’s outlines were extremely helpful as they provided straightforward explanations and detailed examples with pictures. I would recommend JD Advising to anyone taking the Bar Exam because their services have proven to help me be successful in passing the Bar.
Amanda is truly an exceptional tutor. Her approach to bar exam preparations is nothing short of excellent. I was a repeat taker, thanks to JD materials and Amanda’s tutoring, my score increased by 26 points! Amanda’s deep commitment to her students is genuinely inspiring. She meticulously tailors her approach to meet the unique learning needs of each student. Her dedication shines through in the long hours she spent ensuring that I grasp the complex legal concepts, reviewing my practice essays, and providing precise feedback. Amanda’s guidance didn’t stop at the academic aspects; she also offered sound advice on time management and anxiety reduction, ensuring that I approached the exam holistically.
Amanda truly empathizes with her students, understanding the pressures we face during this high-stakes period of our lives. I found solace in her enthusiastic presence and her ability to break down seemingly overwhelming tasks into manageable parts. Her kindness, patience, and sincerity in wanting us to succeed are qualities that set her apart. Amanda’s ability to simplify and demystify complex legal concepts is outstanding. Her teaching methods are engaging and interactive, making the learning process much more palatable. With her guidance, I was able to grasp and retain knowledge more effectively, which significantly boosted my confidence in facing the exam.
I wholeheartedly recommend Amanda to any aspiring attorney preparing for the bar exam, and especially if you appreciate more analytical feedback and gaining an understanding of the dry legal material. Her excellent teaching, coupled with her compassionate and dedicated demeanor, is precisely what I needed during this challenging journey. You can trust in her deeply committed approach to help you pass the exam. I am beyond grateful for her invaluable support and can confidently say that her assistance was a major key to my success
I passed the Delaware bar exam on my second try this year, and I’m very glad I decided to get tutoring with JD Advising. My private tutoring sessions with Rachael were immensely helpful. Rachael has a very calm and positive demeanor, which helped keep my stress down, and allowed me to really absorb the material we covered. She is also very flexible and knowledgeable. During our sessions, Rachael helped me understand the law better, and walked me through difficult sub-topics, but she also taught me strategies for tackling questions within those sub-topics. Ultimately, I left every session feeling more confident and prepared. I’m so happy I had the opportunity to work with Rachael, and I highly recommend her!
Andrew was very helpful, talked me through all of the topics that I was struggling with and helped me think about it differently. I am a first-time bar taker and felt that property law was a weak point for me, and it helped to have a session focusing on that one area. I did one session and scored well in property on the exam.
Brittany was open, honest, straightforward, and extremely informative. She called me out when I wasn’t doing the right thing and made sure I was on top of my studying at every stage. She also supported me and encouraged me every day of the exam!
First time or repeat, having someone who is as well versed in the exam as Brittany to help guide you and focus your studying is an asset that proved essential to me.
Anything you want to add! I am a full-time business owner. I committed many months and years studying for this exam and was constantly falling short. Not because I didn’t know the law but because I couldn’t apply it or provide it in the correct way. Brittany immediately recognized my deficiencies and struggle points. She helped me focus on the areas that mattered most. She enabled me to master my craft and to be able to identify the issue and answer the question at hand! I was especially troubled by the MBE portion and Brittany helped me increase that score significantly while also increasing my MEE and writing scores!
I took the Uniform Bar Exam (the “UBE”) twice, the first time in July 2022 and the second time in February 2023. My score increased thirty-eight points from the July UBE (not using JD Advising) to the February UBE (using JD Advising). After the February UBE I had a very high level of confidence that I passed, differentiating from the July UBE where I felt like I had a fifty-fifty chance of passing. I was working full-time during the second time studying for the UBE and JD Advising’s program and schedule were excellent at keeping me on track and still extremely flexible.
Lisa is an amazing tutor and an expert at making complex ideas seem simple and digestible. The feedback on MEE’s and MPT’s were invaluable. The feedback was personalized and completely restructured my organization for answering MEE’s. On the same note, all the JD Advising outlines are a must have! The outlines simplify studying because they present the information exactly how you would answer an MEE. The other commercial bar prep providers, especially the ones I initially used for the July UBE, are unnecessarily dense and complicated. Every person taking the UBE should use JD Advising.
JD Advising was a huge help while studying for the bar exam. This was my second attempt and I passed with a 20 point increase. Doriel was an excellent tutor—he was patient, kind, and very knowledgeable. He took time to learn both my weaknesses and strengths so that we could tailor our time together towards focusing on the concepts I needed the most improvement in. The outlines were clear and concise and the charts/diagrams illustrated the topics perfectly. Doriel also provided tips on how to attack the MPT and MEE so that I went into the exam with a strategy and structure. I would most certainly recommend JD Advising and Doriel for supplemental tutoring to anyone taking the bar a subsequent time. Thank You!
As a repeat taker, I cannot explain the stress – both emotionally and physically that this exam places on you, but I am so thankful that with the help of JD Advising, the experience is behind me, and one I will never have to go through again. I took the exam 3 times and finally passed on my 3rd attempt. The first time, I used a different bar tutoring service, and to be honest it was information overload for a first-time taker and a foreign-trained attorney at that. And so, the second time, I used JD Advising and found their outlines to be well-detailed and still very easy to understand and recollect – the outlines helped me truly learn the law.
While I didn’t hit the passing score for NY on my second attempt, my score went up by 13 points as their outlines and strategies helped me do even better on the written part of the UBE ( I have always been an above-average writer but the essay submissions and feedback helped a lot). However, I focused a lot on the written aspect and didn’t pay as much attention to the MBEs ( which is where the magic needed to happen for me). For my 3rd attempt, thankfully JD Advising let me use the program again at no extra cost but I did decide on my own to pay for two private tutoring sessions, and I had these sessions with Nicole. I think those few sessions unlocked something within me that pertains to the MBEs particularly. Nicole helped me view them in a way I hadn’t done previously, and shared strategies with me that were really a game changer, and this showed in my results the third time as my MBE score went up by 11 marks, giving me enough room to pass with a score high enough for pretty much all UBE jurisdictions. So grateful to Nicole and the entire JD Advising team! If you’re still on the fence about using JD Advising for your first or next & final attempt, I’m hoping you take the bet on them. You won’t regret it!
I would highly recommend JD Advising tutoring and Megan to anyone studying for the bar exam. After failing the bar, for the third time, I felt hopeless. I used JD Advising tutoring for my fourth attempt and passed! I increased my score by 10 points. Working one on one with Megan helped me so much. She was so positive and encouraging. While working together we were able to break down all of the UBE subjects and really dig deep into them. Megan also provided priceless individual feedback to all of my essays and MPTs. The JD Advising outlines were awesome, they were a great way to review the material because the outlines broke down the concepts and made them easier to understand. Thank you JD Advising and Megan for your patience, help, and support. My two-year journey of passing the bar has come to an end and I can now call myself an attorney at law because of you.
After not passing the Bar Exam, J.D. Advising helped me get through a stressful and uncertain time. Their outlines were easy to read and understand, and the one-on-one tutoring with Lisa greatly helped reinforce tricky subjects and rebuild my confidence prior to re-taking. Lisa was always encouraging and was available to answer texts about questions I had day and night. Additionally, she was very mindful of finding out what worked for me and then tailoring her tutoring around that.
My previous bar prep program had not used actual UBE questions, so the Q Bank was extremely helpful in raising my awareness of the language used by the Bar Examiners, and helped me hone in on language patterns indicative of certain subjects.
After using J.D. Advising, I passed the Bar Exam with a score of 274, raising my previous score by 22 points. I am ecstatic to be able to close that chapter and officially start my career as an Esquire. Thank you, J.D. Advising!
I took the IL Bar exam twice and improved my score by over 20 points. Caroline’s tutoring was a great add-on to the studying I did on my own. She really took the time to go through all of the random, one-off questions that I had and was great about providing examples and problems to work through. For example, Caroline helped walk me through how to do a mortgage priority problem, something that was not covered in the online course that I had previously taken. In addition, I found JD Advising’s one-page outlines, both for the MBE and MEE topics, to be invaluable. They sent me physical, laminated copies of these and I referred to them CONSTANTLY as I studied and up to exam day. Finally, I really appreciated Caroline’s words of encouragement and all-around positive attitude – I really needed that after not passing the first time. Would highly recommend!
JD Advising private tutoring was one of the best decisions I ever made. Brittany worked with me tirelessly and provided feedback that was incredibly helpful. The tutoring sessions as well as written feedback allowed me to improve in areas I once felt hopeless about. My writing became better and better with each assignment and my score went up 30 points altogether. JD Advising outlines and videos were also super helpful and easy to understand (even the most difficult subject matter). If you are considering private tutoring, look no further. I owe any and all success to Brittany and JD Advising. If you want a sign to do this, this is it!
I am obsessed with Heather Buck and have nothing but positive and amazing things to share. First, substantively Heather has so much knowledge about the structure of the bar exam itself. She understands how to teach so that students understand the structure and timing to be successful. I learned how it’s of course important to memorize the subjects, but it’s equally important to understand the patterns of the exam so that issue spotting is that much easier. From day one, Heather made sure I learned all of these aspects. Of course, having a tutor that understands the bar exam is the most important, but what makes Heather so special is that she truly cares about her students. It meant so much to have that genuine support going into the exam especially when I wasn’t feeling very confident. I highly recommend Heather and I’m so grateful that she helped me pass the bar exam!!
Kathryn was instrumental in helping me understand some of my weaknesses during my second round of bar prep. I felt quite defeated after I failed the first time. She was incredibly encouraging and helped me work through a lot of the defeating self-talk. This boosted my confidence in my abilities. I know I went with a completely different mindset this time around. She went out of her way to create essay outlines and not to mention give invaluable feedback to all of my essays. She supported me throughout and even until last week, she kept encouraging and checking in with me. I highly recommend working with Kathryn!
I highly recommend JD advising for its ability to show students that anybody can pass the bar exam. I did one of the three most famous bar programs on my first try and I am able to compare how JD advising organizes and thoroughly explains each topic so that memorizing everything is a lot easier. Their one-on-one tutoring helped me understand the small nuances I could not comprehend on my own. My tutor, Caroline, would always take the time to explain even the smallest things and showed me how to connect the dots of different concepts. It felt motivating when I finally understood and memorized things. Their tutors genuinely want to help you learn and pass and are very understanding that people learn in different ways. My tutor was very encouraging early on and sessions with her were helpful because that is when I saw my improvement. If you struggled 1L like I did and feared that you would never understand certain concepts, this program will help you learn. As an immigrant who learned English when I moved to this country, I appreciated how JD advising rewrote the black letter law to a basic reading level. I passed on my second try increasing my score by 31 points. I will be recommending JD advising to test takers I encounter!
I am thrilled to provide a glowing testimonial for the JD Advising Tutoring Program and, in particular, for the outstanding work of Andrew as my tutor. My experience with this program has been nothing short of transformative, and I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Andrew for his exceptional guidance and expertise.
Andrew is a tutor par excellence. His deep knowledge of the bar exam and his ability to break down complex legal concepts into digestible, manageable portions made all the difference. He tailored his approach to my specific needs, understanding my strengths and weaknesses, and crafted a study plan that was both efficient and effective.
I had narrowly missed a passing score two attempts prior. Thanks to Andrew’s guidance, my bar exam score increased by an astonishing 18 points. I couldn’t have achieved this without him. His patience, dedication, and unwavering support were instrumental in helping me succeed. His insightful feedback on practice essays and multiple-choice questions improved my test-taking skills significantly, and his guidance on time management and stress reduction strategies were invaluable during the actual exam.
The JD Advising Tutoring Program, in conjunction with Andrew’s expertise, is an investment in success. I cannot recommend this program highly enough for anyone looking to excel on the bar exam.
I was a successful second-attempt test taker. Working one on one with a tutor I think made the difference between failing the first attempt and passing the second attempt. I was able to ask questions and go at my own pace because the tutoring was made specifically for me. Even though other commercial providers give you the opportunity to ask questions and get feedback, you get much more in-depth feedback and help in tutoring sessions. The outlines are super helpful and simple and are broken down into material that is easy to understand. I would recommend JD Advising and my tutor, Brittany, to anyone.
I am writing this review to express how amazing my tutoring sessions were with Julia during the 3 months prior to the February 2023 UBE exam. From the start of our sessions, I was extremely nervous and worried about failing given the low passage rate in my state, combined with recently moving to the US from a different country. However, after my first few sessions with Julia, my mind was put at ease and my confidence increased greatly. Why? Because Julia is super smart, friendly and sharp and made sure that during all of our study sessions, we focused only on the highly tested areas of each subject that I struggled with the most. Julia was always honest and direct with her feedback and marked my practice MBE and MPTs extremely fast. She always let me know where my strengths were and the areas where I needed to improve. By having an expert like Julia on my side, I was able to better understand: (I) how to study effectively and (II) break down complete issues into short sentences, and this is the reason why I excelled on the exam. Thanks to Julia I was able to score well-above the 270 passing score for my jurisdiction and was able to move on with my life. Thanks very much Julia! You’re great!
I used JD Advising for my second attempt to pass the IL UBE bar exam and increased my score by 52 points! I went from being nervous and scared to the 95th percentile of all UBE takers. JD advising helped me so much for my second attempt at the bar. Also, I was working full-time the second time I took the bar exam and they completely built the schedule around my available time and amount of weeks I had top study. I can’t recommend their program enough. Compared to other big bar prep services, JD Advising is so much more personalized and they actually 100% care about you and your success on the bar exam. Thank you JD advising! And thank you so much to my personal tutors who guided me through the whole process, Ninos and Lisa! You are both amazing.
I am a repeat test taker and one of the main things I struggled with the first go around was my essay writing. I was wordy in my responses and often led to rule dumping due not having a proper framework in tackling certain issues for different subjects. Since working with Kathryn, this has improved tremendously! I am more confident in my essay writing and feel the frameworks we have created together have allowed me to properly write about issues presented in various calls. For those that are wanting constructive/positive feedback on essay writing, I would recommend Kathryn!
After not passing the bar the first time, I realized I needed to find a bar prep company that would be better tailored to my learning needs. For my second attempt at the bar I was working full time, if not more, so had limited time to study. I needed a program that would work with my time constraint, but also build up my confidence and help me understand how I learn. Through JD Advising my score raised 19 points. The reason I was able to raise my score and pass the bar on my second attempt, was largely due to my tutor through JD Advising. My tutor Caroline was quick to understand what I needed to pass the bar – which ended up being a lot of positive reinforcement, building my confidence up, discussions on how terms fit into the larger pictures, and then homework that forced me to focus on specific topics but also master my rules. Even though I said essays were not an issue, she made me quickly realize by mastering essays, I would learn the rules. And she was right. I raised my essay score by almost 15 points. Caroline knew my time restraints and was tactful with my homework assignments and the feedback she gave. Caroline also encouraged me to think about how I learn best and embrace that. I would recommend JD Advising to anyone because the program allows a more tailored approach to bar study and recognizing studying is not a one size fits all approach.
Rachael is very friendly and was always willing to help out to answer my questions or give me more feedback. I asked her many questions over our sessions in which she provided answers. I felt like I really got a better grasp of the material on the UBE just from asking more in-depth questions and working on areas I struggle, with a tutor. Rachael is also very knowledgeable. She has a great understanding of the law and content that is tested on the UBE. Rachael was able to help me better understand the content tested on the UBE and improve my writing skills, which made me feel more prepared than I was the first time I took the bar exam. Rachael was a great fit for me as a tutor, as she is very focused and goal-oriented, and was accommodating to my personal needs. I would recommend her to anyone who is looking for a tutor for the bar exam.
My experience with JD Advising was also great. Their customer service is phenomenal, and their staff really invests in finding a tutor/program that will help you succeed. I cannot thank JD Advising and Rachael Page enough for the support they have provided me throughout this long process of studying for and passing the bar exam.
If you are a repeat bar taker who is considering signing up for JD Advising Tutoring please keep reading. Not to be dramatic, but as someone who has had to retake the bar exam multiple times and started to lose my confidence, JD advising tutoring changed my life. I wrestled with the UBE jurisdiction bar exam 3 times. The first time I had no idea what I was doing because I came from another jurisdiction and I failed by well over 15 points. The second time I had more self-taught strategies down but missed the mark yet again. The final time, I made the decision to not only use JD advising materials, but also invest in tutoring as well which included outlines, essay grading, and fifteen tutoring sessions at 1hr each. The materials provided by JD Advising were thorough and they were the only outlines I used. TUTORING WAS A GAME CHANGER! As soon as I had my first session with Caroline, I knew I was in good hands. She was bubbly, optimistic and reassured me countless times that this time would be different than any other time. She was right! Having Caroline on my team equipped me with the knowledge to tackle this exam with strategies tailored to my specific learning style- which I never had before. She assessed my learning style detail by detail and she was able to communicate what the game plan was in a palatable way. Studying for the bar is no easy task and she made me excited to learn which I had such a challenge with in the past. Caroline set the tone to success early on and this became a pivotal moment for me. I know tutoring is pricey, but it was well worth the temporary sacrifice to open that letter and see “congratulations!” After so many disappointments and failed attempts at passing, finally seeing a passing score with my name attached to it was an indescribable feeling. Caroline believed in me more than I believed in myself on some really tough days during bar preparation and I truly believe that her positive attitude coupled with her accountability, compassion for retakers, and the test taking strategies she instilled in me gave me the confidence boost I needed to go into each exam day with peace. I was able to bring my original UBE score up well over 20 pts to finally pass the exam in several jurisdictions after not passing in any. I will never stop being grateful for this experience. I had a jaded view and thought that passing the bar was an unattainable goal to reach. Anyone struggling with the confidence to accomplish this goal, please take my word for it. My entire perspective, and self-confidence changed the minute I signed up for JD Advising tutoring which resulted in finally passing the bar exam. Caroline, I cannot thank you enough for being the best coach, leader and friend. Thank you JD Advising for providing me with everything I needed to pass.
Kathryn is AMAZING!!! She is a huge confidence booster not only during bar prep season, but also during the exam. Whenever I had a question, or needed something I could just reach out and Kathyrn would respond right away. I’m a retaker and 5 weeks before the February exam I got matched with Kathryn. Anxiety set in, but we worked together and my score increased by 30 points. I PASSED with a score that is transferrable to any UBE jurisdiction. If you put in the work, Kathryn does everything she can to make sure that you survive and crush the exam. So happy I got her and ended up putting the bar behind me!
I had the privilege of working with Brittany Thomas as I studied for the UBE Bar Exam the second time around. I had just graduated law school and failed the July Bar and then used JD Advising to prepare for the February Bar for context. Brittany was incredibly patient with my frustrations and endless questions and made the process an entirely different experience for me. She explained things in a way that made perfect sense and how we all wish law school professors could’ve actually explained the material throughout law school. She tells you what you need to know, calms your nerves, and is empathetic to how incredibly stressful this process is. Her positivity, reassurance, experience, kindness, confidence in her students, and communication skills are second to none. Brittany is the best tutor I have ever had the privilege of working with and whoever gets to work with her is very lucky.
In short, I could not be happier with my experience as a JD Advising bar prep student. Approaching the bar exam was particularly nerve-racking given that I took a two-year hiatus from the legal profession. I was immediately impressed by the comprehensive nature of the course, the meticulously crafted outlines, and the instructors’ ability to communicate a plethora of complex information in a concise manner. I am particularly thankful for having the opportunity to work with Vincent, a JD Advising tutor. With only a few weeks left before the exam, I was struggling to grasp the last few MEE topics and finishing MPTs within the allotted time. Vincent’s ability to simplify some of the densest topics was unmatched. After gauging my strengths and weaknesses, he was able to craft a practical test-taking strategy that proved to be invaluable on test day. In fact, I received several perfect essay scores between the MEE and MPT—including subjects Vincent and I worked on. I scored around 97th percentile on the written portion, and around 93rd percentile overall. Thank you, Vincent and JD Advising! I have already recommended JD Advising to a few others and will continue to do so!
Kathryn Buckley was my JD Advising tutor from mid-December 2022 until right before the February 2023 Bar Exam. During that time, Kathryn taught me how to significantly improve my essay writing. Kathryn carefully dissected my practice essays and provided extensive written instructions as well as words of encouragement. Kathryn also gave me a better understanding of the “nuances of the law” that I was struggling with on MBE practice questions. I so appreciated Kathryn’s honest assessment of my Bar Exam skills and how certain skills were improving over time and others needed more work. I enthusiastically recommend Kathryn Buckley as a Bar Exam tutor and coach.
I worked with JD Advising as a repeat taker, while working full-time on top of studying. Throughout the signup process, the staff worked with me to make sure we found a schedule that worked for me and that I was assigned a tutor best suited to my needs. My tutor, Megan, was a great help. We worked together well and she helped break down difficult concepts as well as practice questions ahead of the exam. She also sent me study resources and discussed study strategies as we worked together. I also received outlines for each of the MBE subjects, which were a great way to review the material because these outlines broke down concepts into simpler terms and included examples and practice questions to help me understand and memorize the information
I give JD Advising as a company, and Rachael Page as a bar exam tutor, 5/5 stars. This last attempt was my second attempt at taking the UBE. My confidence was low after not passing the July 2022 bar exam. I really needed to find support in someone who could motivate me, explain the areas of law that I struggled with, provide me with tips to improve my writing skills, and work on overall test-taking strategies. From the beginning of our bar prep tutoring sessions until the end, Rachael was real with me on what I needed to do to give myself my personal best chance at passing the exam. Several times, Rachael cheered me on virtually when I was struggling completing tasks, when life got busy, or I was studying a subject I dislike.
I knew I needed to improve my Essay/MPT score, so that was one of main focuses in our sessions. Rachael always gave me quality, timely, feedback that was easy to incorporate throughout all subjects. I believe that our sessions made writing the essay portion of the exam much easier for me this last time around than my first attempt at the UBE. Rachael gave me great tips on how to write essays that have potential to score high, even if you are unsure of the exact rules/answers. I passed the February 2023 bar exam after having several sessions with Rachael. I made a 21-point score increase. I am very glad I chose to go with JD Advising for tutoring, and specifically Rachael, as a tutor.
I usually do not write testimonials, but having Kathryn Buckley as a tutor was an extraordinarily empowering experience that I must share. Studying for the bar exam may be very stressful, at least it was stressful for me. However, Kathryn turned my stress into a powerful tool that focused on one small thing at a time, which raised my confidence and gave me exactly what I needed to succeed. Kathryn made sure that I understood and remembered the rules. She helped me with mini outlines, made some of them for me, simple and easy to memorize, so I could walk into the testing room with the right tools and the right mindset. When I needed something, was there, always available for me, an email away. Kathryn worked with me not on my weaknesses, but on what I “needed to improve”. Kathryn served me with more than what I signed up and paid for. In addition to regular tutoring, Kathryn coached me beyond tutoring hours. Yes, her encouraging email on the exam day sealed my confidence to the point where I heard her voice over and over during the MEE session. I am not selling her here; I am saying that she was a blessing to me, and she will be a blessing to whoever reading this, and I encourage you to experience her style.
As a UBE re-taker, my tutor, Ninos Donabed, helped make a tremendous difference for me!! I knew that I needed something in addition to my own hard work to prepare for Feb 2023. I turned to JDAdvising because of their growing reputation for solid results with others in my situation. At first, I wasn’t sure about another significant outlay of cash, so I signed up for a 1-hour individual consultation with one of their tutors. I was quite pleased with how that went. That consultation, based on what I had previously submitted about my performance in Jul 2022, was very helpful – good insight and ideas. Still, I took a bit more time for consideration before I decided to move forward. I requested to continue with the same attorney that had done the consultation – and I am so very glad that I did! I purchased the JDadvising outlines to use, which I also found very helpful! Succinct and spot-on! Ninos is so knowledgeable and has the gift of being able to explain any topic, regardless of complexity, at a level that makes it both understandable and easier to recall. His support and encouragement throughout my preparation this time were very helpful as my self-confidence at that point was not terrific. I passed Feb 2023 and love the fact of knowing I’ll NEVER have to take that test again!! Grateful to have found Ninos who worked with me to help me prepare to put that test behind me once and for all! Thanks, Ninos!!! Much gratitude!!
After failing the Bar exam the first time, I realized I needed a new approach. Knowing I was in good hands from my first conversation with JD Advising, I signed up for the On-Demand course and additional tutoring.
Completing the 12-week study plan was achievable even with a full-time job. JD Advising’s staff is caring, knowledgeable, and supportive. The course helped me to improve my score beyond my expectations! You can do this!
2022
I started my bar exam studying with one of the big box programs, and it seemed to be going well. Halfway through the summer, I noticed that my mock exams and multiple choice results were not increasing much, and I found myself making some of the same mistakes. I turned to J.D. Advising and purchased one of their private tutoring programs. My tutor was Jonathan and he made studying for the bar much more efficient by making the material I was struggling with easier to understand. From the first session, I realized that I made the right decision to go with J.D. Advising. Scheduling my sessions was easy, even on short notice. I would definitely recommend J.D. Advising to any bar exam taker, especially if you find yourself stalling out on certain topics. With their help, I was able to pass the exam on my first go.
When it came time to figure out how to pass the bar this time around, I knew I needed the best help available. I credit my tutor Racheal and the JD advising materials for passing on my second try. I was just sworn in today and I am so grateful I went with JD advising. The money seems like a lot on the front end, but for me, today, it feels like the best money I ever spent.
I was very worried about the bar exam because I had a lot going on personally and the bar prep course I had was not working for me. All I knew is that I did not want to take this test again! I used JD Advising when I took the MPRE and received a great score. I had already been using the free materials and attended the free practice sessions. When my family was going through yet another obstacle, I knew that I needed extra help. I purchased one-pagers and later the outlines plus tutoring with Julia. It was the best investment I could have made. The one-pagers were great for quick review at the end of my studies for the day. The outlines were easy to follow and memorize. Julia was patient and understanding, allowing me to vent and helping me see the progress I was making when everything else in my life was falling apart. I am forever grateful for JD Advising. I know I couldn’t have passed the bar (with a score high enough to be licensed in any UBE jurisdiction) without you! Thank you all so much!
I purchased one-on-one tutoring from JD Advising to help sharpen up my grasp of Real Property and some other, more specific content areas in the final days leading up to the test. Prior to my tutoring sessions, my confidence had dipped because I had scored lower than I had hoped on a practice exam. Kathryn helped to restore my confidence in my ability to pass the bar exam by going over the questions I had gotten wrong on the practice exam with me until I thoroughly understood them, and by reinforcing good test-taking methodology. Returning my attention to this sound methodology, rather than the stressfulness of the task before me, I felt lazer-focused in the days and hours leading up to the exam, and on exam-day I executed the test-taking strategy we had discussed with precision and energy, exceeding my scores on the practice exams I had taken and ensuring my admission to the bar. I am confident in saying that, without these tutoring sessions, I very well may not have focused my attention in the right ways on the exam.
I would highly recommend JD Advising tutoring and Albert to anyone studying for the bar exam. When I signed up for tutoring, I had taken and failed the bar exam twice. The program is fantastic – the live, one-on-one tutoring sessions really helped me address and improve my weaknesses. I really struggled with multiple choice questions – my tutor Albert encouraged me to take a different approach to studying for multiple choice questions and it worked! Albert also helped me strengthen my writing skills with helpful feedback on organization and substance. The tutoring program is tailored to meet your schedule, which is convenient for those working while studying for the bar. The outlines provided by JD Advising are comprehensive but very easy to read and straight forward. There were concepts that I struggled with repeatedly that finally clicked once I finished going through the outlines. There also are charts, summaries, practice questions, and other helpful tips for studying. Overall, I would highly recommend Albert and JD Advising to anyone studying for the bar. Five out of five stars!
I highly recommend JD Advising for your tutoring needs. Please hire a tutor before your first Bar Exam. Don’t wait. If you are nervous or have high anxiety, a tutor can help you focus on your weak areas while highlighting your strengths.
Brittany was my tutor: knowledgeable, intelligent, and empathetic. I was pretty much lost until she became my tutor. She quickly assessed my studying habits and pivoted me in the right direction. I would be taking the Bar a second time if not for her.
JD Advising was also flexible in changing tutors. I did not mesh well w/my first tutor, and asked for a change which they gladly obliged. So you don’t have to feel as if you are stuck with someone who does not understand you. Find what works.
Tutors are expensive, yes. But you don’t have to purchase the entire package. Get one or two tutor sessions at the least just to have a coach on your team to get you to pass this exam. This is an investment.
I also used Adaptibar, Barbri (not recommended imo), and old MEE essays to practice. It was extremely difficult for me to focus and even have the confidence to study for this exam until I started working with Brittany. Michael Jordan, the greatest NBA player in history, has coaches. You need one as well.
I took the July 2022 UBE Bar Exam in Texas. I was in a group with four other law school graduates. I studied with JD Advising and my friends in the group studied with other commercial Bar-Prep providers. I also did tutoring with JD Advising. I was the only one in our group that passed the Bar Exam on first attempt. The others did not pass and, for one of them, it was his second attempt. My friends in the group asked me for tips on passing the Bar Exam. I told them that they need to study with JD Advising for several reasons. (1) The outlines are matchless. They are easy to memorize. The other commercial bar-prep providers’ outlines are too long and unmanageable when it comes to memorizing them. (2) JD Advising gave me nearly 2,000 actual past MBE multiple-choice questions with analytical answers. Most other bar-prep providers have made-up questions, and those made-up questions are not the real deal. (3) JD Advising gave me over 480 actual past UBE Essay questions with analytical answers. (4) JD Advising gave me over 60 MPT questions with answers.
On top of that, JD Advising assigned to me a private tutor. I had regular meetings with my Tutor on Zoom and she guided my every step. My tutor tested my understanding of the rules, she gave me essays to write under exam conditions and she graded my essays and gave me feedbacks at our private zoom meetings. My tutor tested my memorization of the rules and made sure I was ready for the exam.
On the actual exam day, the essay questions looked easy to me. I had fun answering the essays. My tutor had drilled into my head the technique for answering MPT questions and I just applied those techniques to the MPT questions. And I sailed through the 200 MBE questions and I finished the MBE multiple-choice questions 15 minutes earlier than the deadline because they looked similar to the actual MBE questions that JD Advising had already given me and my tutor had gone through them with me.
If I were to summarize the above, I would just say that if you are serious about passing the Bar Exam, you need to follow the JD Advising method. There is no substitute for it out there in the market.
I am a repeat taker and I knew I had to change the way I approached the New York Bar Exam the next time around. I failed by 8 points and I wanted a private tutor who could help me achieve a passing score. Joseph not only helped me increase my score by 10 points but he gave me the type of confidence that I didn’t think was achievable for an exam of this magnitude. He believed in me and I appreciated how invested he was in my studies. I didn’t just have a tutor; I had someone who genuinely cheered me on every step of the way. I believed in myself in part because Joseph saw my potential and that has made all the difference. Thank you JD Advising and Joseph for your patience, help and support. I can now call myself an attorney at law because of you.
I came to JD advising after failing my first attempt. I was extremely weak on my MBE and did poor in my essays.
Thanks to my one-on-one tutoring sessions with Dayna I was able to raise my overall score by almost 30 points.
The best part was the outlines, I literally visualized the diagrams and color-coded outlines during my exam.
Overall, JD advising was a life saver for me, I would never have passed if not for them!
I took the July 2021 Bar Exam and scored a 258. I knew that in order to pass the exam I would need to change the way I studied and prepared. JD Advising offered private tutoring at an affordable rate and I couldn’t pass on the opportunity. I was paired with Albert who simplified complex problems in every area that is tested on the bar. Albert also helped me strengthen my writing skills with weekly essays, randomized pop quizzes (highly effective), and provided coaching and encouragement that gave me the mental edge I needed to succeed on the February 2022 exam. I scored a 295 in February which is a 37 point increase from July! I can’t thank Albert and JD advising enough for helping me realize my dream of becoming a licensed attorney. I HIGHLY recommend their services for first-time and re-takers. It’s the best money you’ll ever spend!
I took the bar in July with a go at your own pace online bar prep that I got from my law school for free. Not only did I not pass, but I was nearly 20 points away from passing in my state, with a score of 248. I decided to work with Albert from JD advising to study for the February Bar Exam and it ended up being the best decision of my life! With Albert’s help I passed the Bar Exam for every state and increased my score by 38 points, getting a 286. It’s not a surprise that I made a score increase by nearly 40 points because the studying plan Albert gave me was perfectly tailored for me. I would highly recommend Albert’s tutoring to anyone taking the exam, whether it be for the first time or the 5th time. The biggest differences with Albert and the generic go at your own pace online bar prep is that with Albert your study plan is specifically tailored for you and he holds you accountable to keep up with your studying. Albert helped me determine what subjects and specific topics I needed help with most on the bar and made sure we targeted those areas until I was comfortable with them. Additionally, Albert held me accountable for my studying because you are dealing with a live person who gives you feedback on your improvement. Albert uses JD advising’s Outlines and real old exam questions to help you study. I absolutely loved JD advising’s outlines because rather than having a library worth of books like my first bar prep, they break down everything perfectly and pinpoint the information heavily tested on the bar. These outlines also have the best quick charts and summaries that make everything easily understandable. You will not need anything more than Albert and JD Advising’s outlines to pass the bar exam. I spent over 25 hours with Albert leading up to the Bar Exam and can say that he genuinely cares about his students and that he gave me the confidence I needed to make the passing the bar exam a stress–free experience. My only regret is that I did not use him when I took the exam the first time!
Lisa, had a plan when I didn’t and when I had a plan Lisa was willing to adjust if needed. Bar exam prep over an 8-10 week period is a grueling process, I have read blogs where students state they preferred child birth to bar exam prep. No journey is ever the same, but I imagine there are similar stressors along the way. Having a tutor who can adapt and remain committed to your overall objective of passing the bar is what Lisa offered. I am 100% certain that I would not have passed the bar if it were not for my JD Advising tutor Lisa. Lisa walked me through the reasons why I selected the wrong choice, she walked me through the reasons why I selected the correct choice and she made certain that I really understood the material inside and out.
I was determined to take the bar only once … with the help of my tutor, Doriel, I did exactly that. I signed up for JD Advising’s bar prep course and added on 10 hours of private tutoring to assist with nerves and to confirm I was on the right track with my study plan. I am confident that the combination of JD Advising’s bar prep and private tutoring hours ensured my success in passing the bar.
Why use JD Advising bar prep? They offer access to a databank of actual MBE questions and also provide actual MEEs, MPTs, and model answers unlike other bar prep programs. I ran into a former co-student at the bar exam who was on her third attempt at passing the bar; her feedback: “the MBE questions were way harder than my practice questions.” I recommended JD Advising to her … why waste money on other bar programs that make their only “MBE-like” questions when you can simply use actual, previously administered questions. The MBE questions are all about nuances of the law … run into that nuance once and you’ll remember it when it presents again.
On another note, I waited until the last minute to take my MPRE before the bar exam (I took the MPRE in Nov ’21). I used JD Advising’s free MPRE 2-week prep course and passed. I highly recommend the program if you want to pass the MPRE on the first try and move on to bar prep.
Again, Doriel helped immeasurably in resolving the nuances of the law that arose through practice questions and essays and really helped me develop a method for attacking MBE questions … well worth the investment if you want to pass the bar on the first attempt.
I was determined to take the bar only once … with the help of my tutor, Doriel, I did exactly that. I signed up for JD Advising’s bar prep course and added on 10 hours of private tutoring to assist with nerves and to confirm I was on the right track with my study plan. I am confident that the combination of JD Advising’s bar prep and private tutoring hours ensured my success in passing the bar.
Why use JD Advising bar prep? They offer access to a databank of actual MBE questions and also provide actual MEEs, MPTs, and model answers unlike other bar prep programs. I ran into a former co-student at the bar exam who was on her third attempt at passing the bar; her feedback: “the MBE questions were way harder than my practice questions.” I recommended JD Advising to her … why waste money on other bar programs that make their only “MBE-like” questions when you can simply use actual, previously administered questions. The MBE questions are all about nuances of the law … run into that nuance once and you’ll remember it when it presents again.
On another note, I waited until the last minute to take my MPRE before the bar exam (I took the MPRE in Nov ’21). I used JD Advising’s free MPRE 2-week prep course and passed. I highly recommend the program if you want to pass the MPRE on the first try and move on to bar prep.
Again, Doriel helped immeasurably in resolving the nuances of the law that arose through practice questions and essays and really helped me develop a method for attacking MBE questions … well worth the investment if you want to pass the bar on the first attempt.
I have a great update to share! I finally passed the bar exam. I am so ecstatic!!!!!!! I worked so hard and can’t believe that my efforts finally paid off. The number of tears that were shed this weekend was unreal! Thank you so much for supporting me during those times when I felt like this was an impossible goal. You constantly encouraged me and offered me amazing tips to make it over this hump. You honestly simplified the law in a way that I could really digest it and it paid off.
I am truly shocked and overjoyed that I passed. The MBE was a killer for me and I overcame it! I truly appreciate your support and I am VERY THANKFUL that this journey is behind me.
Many Many Thanks! BEST TUTOR EVER!
After failing the exam bar exam twice, I knew I had to do things differently this time. Working a full-time job and studying for the bar was a challenge for me to do on my own. I wanted to hire someone capable of keeping me on track and holding me accountable for doing the work. I searched online for tutors but did not feel comfortable enough to hire them because there was little to no indication that they knew enough about the UBE. I chose JD Advising because they are a reputable company that has done the research on hiring tutors to help examinees be successful on the bar. It is a little on the expensive side, but it was totally worth it. You can be confident that you’ll be paired with a tutor with ample experience with the UBE.
My weakness was writing. After discussing my weaknesses with the JD Advising coordinator, I was paired with Ambika Mehta. Ambika had a high level of understanding of what the bar examiners are looking for. Ambika requested I turn in a sample essay at the start of my prep journey. These essays allowed her to see how disorganized my writing was. She helped me organize my essays in a coherent manner that flowed logically with the issues presented in the essays, and the law that addresses these issues. She detected my weak areas and worked with me to strengthen those areas. I specifically asked her to light a fire under me if my performance on my bar prep assignments did not meet high enough standards, especially as I worked to balance studying and my full-time job. Not only did she teach me the law, but she also motivated me through a mentally taxing journey and instilled confidence in me that I had the skills to pass.
At the end of the tutoring course, she provided me with a mock exam under timed conditions — exactly as it was during a real bar experience. After submitting the mock exam, she graded it and assigned me a second mock exam without the MBE’s. Having done both exams under timed conditions allowed us both to evaluate how I would perform under pressure.
Having a tutor does not mean they will do the job for you. Their job is to smooth rough edges that you are having issues with. The student has to put in the time, effort, and determination to study. Ambika is a motivational and highly skilled bar tutor. To be paired with Ambika is a recipe for success. I am thankful I was paired with Ambika because she was definitely the person for the job. I recommend anyone to be paired with Ambika regardless of if you are struggling with the MBEs, essays, or MPTs.
After working with Ambika, I took the exam and I passed on the third time with a score of 279. I cannot thank her enough for everything she did for me!
I cannot overstate the value Lisa Cline brought to my bar preparation, especially as it relates to the MPT. The first time I took the bar, I bombed the MPT scoring a 1 and 2 on each essay. Lisa came in and gave me a crystal clear game plan on how to approach the MPT. It was decisive, it was systematic, and a well-thought-out approach that I felt extremely confident with on the day of the bar exam. Every single MPT that was assigned, she walked me through what I did correctly and how to change certain areas to maximize my points. It paid dividends and I would recommend her to anyone.
The outlines are spectacular and the one-sheets are great as a last-minute review!
2021
I highly recommend JD Advising and their tutoring services for the bar exam. I started bar prep a little bit late and was not doing well on practice tests. About a month before the exam, I reached out to JD Advising about tutoring. They set me up with a time with Ambika immediately. We focused on the topics I was confused about and went over the nuisances that the bar exam tests. She was able to explain to me what the bar exam looks for in their answers. One session cleared up all of my confusion. The first session went so well that I even booked a second session to work on another subject area I struggled with. Thanks to JD Advising, I felt more prepared and I even scored a 302 on the UBE exam on my first try! Thank you Ambika and JD Advising!
I recently found out that I passed the bar exam on my fifth try and I am so grateful to Meagan and JD Advising for helping me finally get over the hump! The first two times I took the bar exam, I relied heavily on a popular “big box” bar prep company. On my third try, I realized that I probably needed a more individualized approach. Although I was able to find a tutor to help me with the written portion, the tutor I attempted to hire for the MBE fell through so I had to self-study. While studying on my own, I came across JD Advising’s MBE Guide and found it extremely helpful. The guide did a great job of breaking down the most testing subjects and was very easy to follow. After failing the bar exam for a third time, I decided to sign up for MBE tutoring with JD Advising. I initially worked with Heather on one subject and she did a great job of explaining topics to me that I had struggled with in law school. When I decided that I wanted to work with JD Advising for the 7 other MBE subjects as well, I was paired with Meagan. Meagan is awesome! She really walked me through the topics I was having trouble with and helped me solidify my knowledge on the subjects that I knew but needed to become more confident in. She was able to give me real-world examples which helped me remember nuances much better. In addition to helping me with the MBE subject matter, Meagan also gave me tips on strategy for both the MBE and the written portions of the exam. She was always available to answer my questions and gave me encouragement along the way. Just like the MBE Guide, I found the outline provided by JD Advising to be very straight-forward and not as confusing as some other commercial outlines I had purchased. Although I ended up failing the exam again on my fourth try, my overall score improved by 25 points and I only missed passing by 8 points. Thanks to JD Advising, I believed for the first time that passing was possible for me. I worked with Meagan again for my hardest subject as I prepared for my fifth try. I continued to study using the techniques Meagan taught me and I was able to pass my exam with 14 points to spare! I wish I had found JD Advising much sooner but I am glad that I found them when I did!
If I knew then what I know now, I would have went straight to JD Advising instead of taking those other commercial courses to prepare for the bar exam! Thanks to Ambika I finally passed — on my fifth attempt.
I had previously used commercial courses, but the outlines were long, dense and overwhelming, so I had trouble understanding and memorizing everything I needed to know. The numerous video lectures also didn’t match my learning style and left me little time to tackle the myriad other tasks that were scheduled each day. After three failed bar exams using these courses, I realized that I needed a tutor to help me understand what I was doing wrong. I tried a particular tutor and while it was helpful, the result was the same as before: another failed exam. At that point, I turned to JD Advising because I had used its free MPRE materials to pass the MPRE. I specifically asked about its tutoring services, and I liked what I heard, so I took the plunge. It was a bit pricey, but it was well worth the money.
What makes JD Advising so great? First, its outlines are simply the best! I cannot overstate this. There is an outline for each MBE and MEE subject, and each outline emphasizes the highly tested areas in plain language with plenty of visuals to further enhance understanding. Each outline also includes mini outlines and numerous references to scenarios that have popped up on previous exams. Instead of giving you every bit of law that might possibly pop up on the exam, JD Advising focuses instead on what is tested the most and lets you know when material has never been tested or hasn’t been tested for a long time.
Second, Ambika was an awesome tutor! She created a study plan that was ideal for a married father of two daughters who works full time and doesn’t have all day to study. She knew the material inside and out, and offered numerous tips on things that tend to trip up test-takers. Her thorough feedback helped me to improve my essays and become more proficient at answering MBE questions. Most importantly, Ambika was patient, friendly and answered all of my many questions. She celebrated with me when I did things well and encouraged me when things didn’t go well, but she also knew when I needed a kick in the rear!
I will always be grateful to Ambika and JD Advising for helping me to successfully close this chapter of my life. I wholeheartedly recommend working with Ambika to anyone who wants to pass the bar exam and achieve their dreams!
The day that I failed the bar exam in October of 2020, my mom somehow found JD Advising online. She sat on her phone and read through testimonial after testimonial for Ambika and told me that she would help me pay for it and that that’s who she thought I should tutor with. After reading through the major leaps and bounds those who had tutored with Ambika made, I was sold. Especially knowing that I needed a leap to pass the Colorado bar exam.
My total UBE score the first time around was 258. And I felt pretty crippled by the fact that I did not even do well enough to pass in any UBE states. I did not score great on either the MBE or the written portion, scoring a 130.10 on the MBE and a 127.40 on the written portion. I was historically a terrible test taker, but believed that by getting through well over 75% of my bar prep course (which markets a high bar passage rate for those who complete at least 75%) and the grace of God I would pass. I was wrong. When I sat for the bar in July, I had given up on Property, I was pretty confused about Con Law, and could not keep many of the Civil Procedure rules straight. I was also terrible with timing and the entire exam seemed foreign to me. The real MBE looked very different from the MBE practice exams on my bar prep course, and even the essays were oddly worded. I felt like a fish out of water, and clearly I was.
When studying for the second time, I relied heavily on the tips, pointers, and resources I received from Ambika. I knew I had to study differently this time around, and thank God for JD Advising because I studied differently and in the right way. I did 4 tutoring sessions total with Ambika focused on Property, Con Law, Civ Pro, and Evidence. After my first property session I started feeling like maybe I could pass the exam. Ambika helped me understand a subject I had given up on all the way back in 1L, and through her kind and patient tutoring, the JD Advising outlines, and one-sheets I learned the subject of Property. Each subject that followed was the same, and not only did Ambika help me with the subjects that I paid for, but she also helped me with other areas I had questions on. There were a number of trick questions in multiple subjects that I had simply given up on before, and with Ambika’s help carefully breaking down questions and their answer choices and having me learn and try them on my own in practice with her, I figured these questions out.
With my writing, Ambika was able to break down my essays and point out the key tips that would get me extra points even before getting into the rules and the writing. After learning a good structure from her, and with knowing the law much better this time around my writing score improved immensely. Finally, one of Ambika’s best suggestions was for me to get Adaptibar. The questions on my bar prep course were still so different from actual bar exam questions. When I sat for the bar the second time, I felt calm and prepared. Even though I was anxious in the months leading up the results, I knew I did better leaving the bar exam this time around.
I improved an entire 27 points the second time around, going up from a 258 my first time to a 285 my second time around. My MBE went up to a 142.70 and my written portion went up to a 141.90, making it possible for me to practice law in all UBE states with my new score. Ambika is kind, patient, brilliant, knows the material inside and out, and is the best tutor I have ever had. I would highly recommend Ambika and JD Advising to anyone studying for the bar exam.
I have recently passed the CA Bar. This was my second attempt taking the exam and I have felt better prepared this time all thanks to JD Advising.
There are a few reasons why I would recommend JD Advising.
First, the attitude – Ashely and the rest of the crew are simply awesome! Their explanations are great, easy to understand and follow. Also, it seems like Ashely had experienced every tort issue herself, directly or indirectly, which adds color to the lessons in the form of hilarious stories :)
Second, the material – the outlines are great, they provide great explanations, and are filled only with the necessary details.
Third, the plan – the instructors don’t sugarcoat their plan, they explain plain and simple that in order to succeed one must memorize the outlines, all of the outlines, not a short version of them. Though it is hard to digest and to do, it was the main reason why I was successful in passing the bar this time.
Lastly, a personal touch – JD Advising is relatively new and smaller than its competitors. But, they provide more personal communication with their students. I felt like they cared about me, and they were there when I needed them. In the beginning, I was hesitant to spend a relatively large amount of money on another bar prep program, as opposed to take a known previous program for less, but it was worth every penny. I couldn’t recommend JD Advising more.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
2020
First and foremost, I want to address Meagan Jabbori’s excellence in what most students seek in determining which bar exam tutor to work with in preparing for the most significant exam of a lawyer’s life – understanding the structure of the bar exam and improving one’s score. Simply – Meagan Jabbori helped me improve my UBE score by a remarkable 51 points. Yes, 51 points. After years of academia, I can confidently say that Meagan was by far the best instructor I have ever had. Her command of the law and mastery of the bar exam is unmatched. The bar exam requires strategy and precision, both of which Meagan taught me in a clear and methodical way for the MBE, MEE, and MPT. Understanding what you need to focus on is paramount as it is easy to get stuck on areas of law or parts of the exam that are less significant than others. Meagan helped me do just that. Preparing for the bar exam requires a personalized schedule, something one won’t have access to in a “big box” bar course, which I engaged prior to working with Meagan to no avail. This schedule needs to be amended countless times as the exam date nears. Meagan worked tirelessly to help me maintain a structured schedule. Amongst help from Meagan in every other way, this structure greatly contributed to my success. JD Advising’s materials are also exceptional. Meagan knows them inside and out. They are second nature to her. You can expect quick responses and accurate, efficient answers to your questions without second-guessing a drop of advice. I am beyond grateful to have found and worked with Meagan. She is patient, kind, thorough, and brilliant. Without the slightest of reservations, I could not possibly recommend her to a greater extent. Thank you, Meagan – I could not have done this without you!
I HIGHLY recommend Heather Buck and JD Advising for bar preparation assistance. I was lucky enough to have my law school introduce me to JD Advising and assist with the cost (and I highly recommend that everyone reach out to their law school for similar assistance). I took the October 2020 bar in the midst of a worldwide pandemic and just a few months after unexpectedly losing a parent. I initially dreaded the thought of bar prep and had no interest in beginning the journey. I did not begin to enjoy studying until my sessions with Heather. She is so darn AWESOME. Working with Heather was the best part of my bar prep journey. I truly looked forward to our sessions – believe it or not, they were actually fun. Heather was thoughtful in preparing for sessions, attentive to my needs, and made really difficult concepts understandable. She helped with MBE, MEE, and MPT preparation and gave me the skills I need to succeed – not busy work. I was blown away by her knowledge and how easy it was to work with her. No question was ever too dumb and we reviewed things I had a hard time with over and over until I got it. My confidence increased and I actually felt more prepared as time went on. I passed the bar exam on my first try with a score high enough to pass in any UBE jurisdiction. I sent Heather a personal thank you on the day that I passed the bar (before even telling my best friends and some family members) and applauded her for the incredible work that she does. The bar exam – like many other things in the field of law – is often a barrier to entry for graduates, especially graduates of color. But people like Heather go above and beyond to ensure that all students have the tools necessary to jump over that last hurdle on the first attempt. And that is priceless. I’d like to wrap up by encouraging anyone who is on the fence to go for it! It is worth every penny. After investing tons of time and money in law school, it’d be silly not to invest fully in your bar prep. To succeed on the first try is such a wonderful feeling. There is nothing like having one-on-one help for the bar and I truly believe it is the secret to passing on the first try. Go for it and good luck!
I had the amazing opportunity to take tutoring sessions with Ambika for a number of UBE subjects, including Real Property and Wills & Trusts. I failed by 4 points initially (with a score of 262), and as I was a repeat taker, I had pressure/anxiety to sit for the bar exam again. However, as a result of the incredibly helpful and well-organized tutoring sessions with Ambika, I passed the NY Bar exam with a score of 278. It is a huge jump from the score I initially received, and it qualifies me to be licensed in 35 UBE jurisdictions. I am really grateful for the excellent job Ambika did to help me identify my weaknesses and strengths quickly and to guide me through the challenges I was encountering. Ambika carefully reviewed my essays and MPTs from the previous exam and gave me invaluable feedback about how I could improve my score. Ambika was well-prepared for each tutoring session with me, and not a second of our time was wasted. We would cover every critical subtopic for a targeted subject. She even took the time to look over a few additional essays for me and broke down the issues that were most likely to be tested on the February 2020 exam (and most of them did show up on the exam!). Also, when I told Ambika that I was using Adaptibar for MBE practice, she explained how to best use that platform so that I could focus on the most highly tested subtopics. The amount and the quality of support you receive from Ambika are the best and make you feel valued. Besides, I have to confess that JD Advising has the best materials I have ever seen. The outlines cover exactly what you need to pass the bar exam. The thing I especially liked about the outlines is that they link rules to the specific MEE Essays that were tested, and this makes reviewing the rules super easy. I would recommend Ambika, and in general, JD Advising for anyone who is either the first-time taker (so you do not fail) or a repeat taker (so you do not repeat it)!
Heather,
I hope all is well. I just wanted to reach out to you and give you a big THANK YOU!!! The MBE course and your helpful hints helped to increase my MBE score by 10 points and I am EXTREMELY happy to announce that I passed the SC bar exam!! I have told ALL of my fellow bar takers who were not successful and has an issue with the MBE to take your course! Again I thank you so much for all of your help and for answering all of my pesky little questions. Your program ROCKS!!!!!
I would highly recommend Jonathan and JD Advising. I was a third time bar taker working full-time and at the end of my rope. I desperately needed help to raise my MBE scores so I signed up for the private tutoring. Jonathan was so patient in answering all my questions and providing me with a strategy for studying so that I could manage working full-time and studying. After my first session I noticed a dramatic improvement in my understanding of the law and my MBE scores started improving dramatically. The outlines provided by JD Advising were outstanding and made such a difference in helping me understand and remember the law. Working with Jonathan and JD Advising was the best decision I ever made! I would highly recommend the private tutoring and Johnathan as a tutor. THANK YOU JD Advising!
This was my first time taking the Bar Exam. I graduated from Detroit Mercy Law School in May 2020. I was a student representative for Barbri, and thus received a Barbri Bar Review Course for 100% off. However, knowing the difficulty of this exam, I decided to “get it right” the first time and enrolled in the JD Advising On Demand Course. I was thoroughly satisfied with the On Demand course, but given the changes to the Bar Exam in Michigan this year, I sought private sessions with Megan Jabbori to focus on my essay writing skills.
Evidently, the course and the sessions were worth every penny as I was able to pass the Michigan Bar Exam with a score of 156. Notably, I received three 10s, three 9s, and two 8s on my score report. Megan Jabbori was especially helpful in preparing me to receive the high scores on my essay section. She was very up front with regard to how essays are scored, she helped explain concepts that I needed a to give a little more attention to, and the sessions were very tailored to my individual needs.
Overall, I would highly recommend my friends to go with JD Advising for their Bar Exam Review course. The outlines were second-to-none, especially in Michigan, and the analysis provided on frequency of topics tested were very helpful in my preparation for the exam.
After failing the July 2019 NY Bar Exam, a friend recommended I use JD Advising for private tutoring sessions. After only minutes into my first tutoring session with Ambika, it was evident that she was going to be a tremendous help. Ambika not only helped me understand the substantive law but also provided me with various “tips and tricks” that were important to my success on both the essays and the MBE. She also made my studying efficient by explaining what topics within each area of the law were the more heavily tested topics. Ambika was also extremely accommodating with respect to my schedule, and always promptly responded to my email questions (of which there were many!). The results speak for themselves: the first time I sat for the bar exam, in July 2019, I scored a failing 256. The second time I sat for the bar exam, in February 2020, and after working with Ambika, I scored a 297 (an increase of 41 points!) My score is beyond passing in every UBE jurisdiction. I would highly recommend working with Ambika to both first-time and repeat bar exam takers. I couldn’t have done this without her.
Ryan helped me with my approach. My essay scores are what made the difference between passing and not. My February 2020 score in fact was a 284!! A 34 point jump from the July 2018 score.
I genuinely believe that the reason I got the scores I did is that I stuck to the strategies we talked about. applied your strategies with staying organized and starting from the basics and working my way into more in-depth analysis. The best thing about this score is that it’s good for admission in any UBE jurisdiction, which, quite frankly, is something I did not expect to accomplish even with the help of a tutor.
I just wanted to say ‘thank you.’ I’ve taken the bar exam 4.5 times (the 1/2 is for the time I sat for just the MBE) with my first bar exam (in VA July 2017) being a 106 MBE | 108 Essay (…yea, I know – I have crippling test anxiety my law school multiple-choice tests were horrible). Last Friday, I passed with a 282 Written Component Scaled Score: 149.69999999999999 | MBE Scaled Score: 132 | UBE Scaled Score: 282 (see email below).
*This is a long story* but I first looked into your company in late May of 2018, after I failed the Virginia bar exam for the second time (108 MBE|150.1 Essay – a 134 total | 140 is passing in VA). I had to resign from my firm job and get a legal job that didn’t require a license. My weakness was (and still is) the MBE.
After my third failure – this time in DC (121.9 MBE | 135.6 MPT/MEE = 258), I decided to bank my passing MEE/MPT score (which DC allows) and retake just the MBE in July of 2019. I’d ordered JD Advising One-Sheets (just one week before the bar, smh) so I was familiar with the company and decided to hire a JD Advising tutor – and got paired with Jeff.
I would like to take a moment to praise Jeff. He was the first person to tell me that I was capable of raising my MBE score. Before him, I was told that my scores were too low to overcome and that I should just give up. Jeff went through questions with me and really helped me figure out my weaknesses. He encouraged me and told me that it was clear that I knew the law but was overthinking my responses. I went into the MBE feeling like I was actually capable.
But…I still didn’t pass and only got a 124.9 on my July 2019 MBE.
In December of 2019, I decided to sit for both days of the exam…again. But this time I decided to tackle things differently. Emotionally and strategically. I have worked full time during every bar prep but the 1st (and then I only stopped working 1 month before the 2017 exam). I told no one at work – they still don’t know. But I woke up at 6am and studied until 9:30am and ubered to work by 10am (sometimes 10:30, tbh). I did MBE questions on my lunch break and practiced essays covertly at work and at night. Weekends I was a shut-in and did nothing but bar prep – even when I got really sick at the beginning of February with a nasty upper respiratory infection.
I ordered your One sheets in Feb 2019 – but only a week before the 3rd exam. This time, I used your One sheets for the whole of my essay prep and memorized them to the best of my ability. I used BarMax to answer even more MBE questions this time, while using my notes from my sessions with Jeff as my guide. I took off just the two days of the exam, and went back to work on Thursday.
Fast forward to last Friday, and I passed! Needless to say I was…and am SHOCKED. I went from a 106 to a 132 MBE. That might not be an impressive score, but I’m blown away. The bar prep process can be rather cookie cutter and figuring out what went wrong can take time for me. I made a lot of mistakes. I wanted to rely on my writing abilities because I’ve never been great at multiple-choice.
This profession prides itself on brilliance and first-time perfection, so I get that my story is shameful and ridiculous to a lot of people. Some may think I’m lazy or too stupid and I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I still feel a lot of shame about it.
My old boss said the bar exam is like a bad boyfriend who makes you feel horrible about yourself. The more you fail, the more you identify as a failure. Unlearning that was another process all together…and this email is already too long! If I’m honest, without unlearning that mindset I would have never passed.
But I wanted to tell you all of this so my ‘thank you’ has context. JD Advising has been invaluable to me and I just wanted to say that. Your one sheets gave focus to my rambling (like now, lol!) writing. Barmax is great for barebones outlines but I sent for my JD Advising outlines from last summer and used them for clarity in both by MBE and essay prep. Your MPT blog guidance was essential and I used it to structure the practice MPTs I made myself do every other week using BarMax materials.
Jeff is awesome! He is incredibly knowledgeable and competent, he is no BS while being encouraging and pushing his students. I used the notes from our sessions and I could not have improved without them.
Thank you for creating this excellent company. I have (it feels like) bought EVERY bar product in existence and hired another tutor before Jeff (who didn’t have much hope for my MBE improving). In the end, it was a combination of addressing my crippling test anxiety, failure mentality, studying right for me and really great help and resources.
When I received California Bar results last November and found out that I did not pass, I was devastated. After doing some research, I came across JD Advising. From the initial consultation, they were extremely compassionate and addressed every one of my concerns. I was then connected with Ambika, who sat down with me and discussed my score report in detail. She not only discussed strategies and suggestions for the next exam, but also provided detailed feedback on my bar essays, which I found to be invaluable. Throughout the study period, Ambika made sure to touch base regularly and answer my questions or address any concerns. With her help and the JD Advising California One Sheets (which I also highly recommend), I was able to pass the California Bar exam on my second try even though the overall pass rate was only 26.8%. Thank you Ambika and JD Advising, I cannot thank you enough!
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about my experience with JD Advising’s materials, staff, and entire program.
JD Advising’s outlines are the best of any I saw or used during bar prep. The material is condensed into a format that isn’t overwhelming, but still covers every single piece of law necessary to succeed on the bar exam. They are structured in a way to help you actually absorb the information, and you never feel like you’re studying useless material. The outlines are filled with real examples from past exams, and helpful mnemonic devices to aid in memorization! The outlines also show you when and how many times each subject has been tested, so you can spend your valuable time wisely. Another important tool was the MBE QBank, which had a plethora of practice MBE questions. They were all real bar exam questions, which was such great practice compared to other bar reviews that use questions they create on their own.
The one-on-one essay tutoring sessions were incredibly helpful and informative. I was able to ask any questions I had about the material, go through major topics and key points, and work on real problems that had been tested on past exams. These sessions really helped narrow down important, highly-tested areas of the law. When the sessions were over, I always felt comfortable with the subject we went over and confident in my preparation moving forward.
My tutor was always available to answer questions via email about any topic I was studying after our sessions! Her essay feedback was extremely helpful and definitely made a huge difference in the scores I was getting during essay practice. She was not only knowledgeable about the subject matter, but really cared about how my preparation was going. She supported and encouraged me throughout the entire process!
I honestly can’t recommend JD Advising enough. The program is unmatched and worth every penny. I was a second time bar exam taker when I came to JD Advising. My overall bar exam score went up from a 126 to a 143. My essay score alone went from a scaled score of 123 to a 152. The first time I took the bar exam I didn’t get a 10 on any of the essays, but the second time I scored a 10 on multiple essays. I only wish I would have done JD Advising before I took the bar exam the first time around!
Meagan is quite possibly one of the best teachers that I have had during my entire academic career. I had Meagan as a tutor for a “high stakes” MPRE exam. Initially, I had planned on self-studying and then taking a session to review with her the week prior to the exam. As the exam approached, I took a practice exam and I scored very poorly. Meagan was able to fit me in during her schedule (at this point I only had a week or two before the exam and my score was lower than I wanted). Meagan took the time to really understand which learning technique worked best for me and she created a study schedule for me. We worked together for 3 sessions and Meagan was able to take me from a near passing (almost failing) score to a passing score in just 2 sessions. With her tutoring and counseling (building up my confidence) I was able to walk in and out of the exam with a sense of relief. When I found out my score a few weeks later, I learned my score was high enough to be transferred to any jurisdiction.
I also had the pleasure having Meagan as a teacher in the UBE course. I have never had a teacher who was able to explain some of the most complicated law that was tested on the exam in such a simple and straightforward way. As someone who has taken the bar more than once, Meagan’s style of teaching made the course easy to follow, interesting and lively. Even after barely having the confidence to study for the exam again after failing (and after barely having the energy to study after work day at a grueling NYC-finance job) I actually looked forward to her sessions. I looked forward to them because her session were upbeat, lively, and easy to understand. Most of all, her patience is unparalleled. She answered student questions during class and throughout the course in a clear and thoughtful manner. Meagan’s personality allows you to feel comfortable asking questions and she never makes you feel like it was a silly question to ask. She is very smart and knows the law incredibly well – so when you ask a question or confuse issues, she knows exactly what area to guide you towards and will tell you exactly what you need to memorize or review.
Beyond being able to explain the law seamlessly, Meagan is also skilled at creating a study plan tailored to your strengths and weaknesses. Meagan helps you attack the exam from several aspects – understanding the law, prioritizing with the time that you have, what to do the days leading up to the exam, and the day of the exam.
I am so thankful for JD Advising and for connecting me with Meagan. She truly has a skill and patience for teaching. I can’t recommend her enough!
I passed the bar with the help of JD Advising! In Feb 2020, I was a repeat taker in Michigan. I failed the July 2019 bar by 5 points (cumulative score). After taking JD Advising in the summer, I knew I needed more personalized help to pass. I focused on my weakest bar subjects with only 2 tutoring sessions . Heather broke the outlines down piece by piece. She answered any questions that I had. She even answered questions for subjects that I did not request to be apart of my tutoring session. Due to the guidance of JD Advising, my essay score improved by 28 points!!!!!!!! I am a lawyer today because of the great instruction of JD Advising.
I highly recommend working with Ambika and the JD Advising team. Their outlines are fantastic and exactly what you need to prepare for the bar exam: concise, to the point, without unnecessary explanations. I used another course in the beginning and felt overwhelmed with the volume of outlines and the unrealistic study schedule. JD Advising provides you with just one booklet of material per topic that is sufficient to prepare you both for the MBE and/or the MEE portion of the exam. For the areas that I felt I needed more help with, I worked with Ambika who’s fantastic at patiently breaking down complicated concepts until you feel confident about that topic. She’s also accessible via email and answers questions as needed. For me, Ambika was more than a tutor. Throughout the process, she became a genuine friend. I was able to call her when I felt overwhelmed and she always patiently listened and genuinely tried to make me feel positive again. Working with Ambika, I saw a substantial difference in my scores after each tutorial session. Ambika also provided me with a realistic and flexible study plan tailored to my needs and weaknesses/strengths. She’s incredibly professional, caring, and knows the bar exam and the topics inside out. My score increased by 38 points! I can’t say enough good words about working with Ambika!! I’m very happy that I chose to work with Ambika and JD Advising and I highly recommend them to anyone preparing for the bar exam.
I have taken the Bar Exam twice because I didn’t pass the first time. Matt’s tutoring focused on building my confidence that I knew the material. He gave me techniques to help break down my “overthinking” and “making the question harder than it was.” We worked specifically on two of my weakest subjects. Matt gave me nice encouragement and was patient with me. I would recommend him to everyone who needs a tutor for the UBE. The JD outlines were easy to follow and great for memorization. I used a lot of the phrasing of the rule statements in those outlines when writing my essay answers. Specifically, I liked the Real Property outline and the drawing of how the easements work. It added a more visual learning experience than my bar prep did. Overall, my scores improved drastically. I scored a 256 on the UBE my first go around, and needed a 276 to pass. I ended up scoring a 281 this time. My essays were my saving grace because I could better issue spot after working with Matt.
I highly recommend JD Advising for UBE bar prep! As a first time taker, I knew I wanted a bar prep experience that went beyond the one-size-fits-all approach of the big box bar prep companies. Having had such a positive, personalized experience with Ambika, as my JD Advising legal writing tutor during law school and as my MPRE tutor, I decided to sign up for the JD Advising Premium Plus UBE prep course (which included 14 hours of one-on-one tutoring with Ambika). Although a big investment, I reasoned that investing upfront would reduce my odds of becoming a repeat taker as I would have a highly personalized experience, ongoing accessibility and accountability with my instructors and focus the bulk of my study on highly tested subjects most likely to be tested on the February 2020 exam.
JD Advising’s prep course offered tri-weekly small, online group lectures covering each subject in-depth with the opportunity to ask questions as the material was presented. Each week, the course instructors also verbally and visually worked through MEE and/or MBE questions in real-time which helped me develop a consistent strategy and approach to each and every question. Instructors also spent ample time on MPT strategies, emphasizing the opportunities to increase your overall UBE score which are often neglected.
I can’t thank Ambika enough for her support and encouragement during such an intense process. I am so grateful to her for her instruction! She made a tough process a lot easier to handle. She helped me figure out which topics and issues to focus on and clearly and promptly answered any questions that I was unsure on in every subject. In addition, she helped me created an efficient study plan and cheered me up when I got discouraged. I appreciate her so much!
Although the assignments and pace were both rigorous and demanding, my hard work paid off and I passed the February 2020 examination with an MBE score of 144 and a written score of 156.9 for a total score of 301 – which is passing score in every UBE jurisdiction! Thank you Ambika, Rosie, and everyone at JD Advising for your instruction and support! You guys are terrific!
I would highly recommend JD Advising to anyone taking the bar exam- far superior to the commercial review courses. I only wish I had found them my first time around! My scores were always about eight-ten points shy of passing, but my MBE score needed improvement. I did one private tutoring session with James and it really gave me the confidence and push I needed. The outline was so manageable and leaps and bounds better than any material Barbri provided. James answered all my questions and went through the outline with me in a way that helped me hone in on what was most important. He also provided little tips for memorizing certain tests. James graded and provided feedback on two essays which was very helpful.
Even though I only did one session/subject, I was able to use what I learned and apply it to other subjects to study smarter, not harder. This was crucial as I had an infant and could not devote endless hours to studying. With the help of JD Advising and James, my MBE score went up 23 points and I now have a passing UBE score in every UBE jurisdiction!
The team and tools provided by JD Advising (JDA) offer the very best opportunity to pass the bar exam. I sat for four bar exams (NC & FL) prior to signing on with JDA. My highest MBE was a 136 and my essay responses were deficient. MY UBE score after working with JDA’s Jonathan Jones was a 281 (134.3 MEE/MPT & 146.6 MBE). Jonathan dispelled my belief that my previous lack of success was due to poor test-taking skills and assured me that if I followed the JDA method and schedule I would improve and likely pass. Previously, I had used Barbri and Kaplan and found their grading lacking in sustenance to help me improve. In contrast, Jonathan would encourage me to read through the JDA outlines, memorize the highly tested subsections, and then write an essay response. The JDA outlines were so intuitive and easy to read because of the highlighting of important areas. I know the pain and disappointment of not passing the bar exam. Walking out of the final day of the exam after working with JDA, I was confident I had passed; the only question was by how much. My goal in writing this review is to help you, a future attorney, bypass all the obstacles to success by reassuring you that if you are reading this review you have found the right resource in JD Advising.
With Ambika’s help, I passed the first time that I took the uniform bar exam this February 2020. I desired bar tutoring, because I failed to gain a solid grasp of legal concepts throughout law school. In law school, my grades were poor, and I struggled with personal issues at the time which impeded my learning of the law. I’ve had many tutors in the past for various reasons, and without a doubt, Ambika is one of the best, for many reasons.
A few include: 1) Prioritization and Focus. Ambika was able to strategically hone-in on priority testing areas, enabling me to use my time and energies wisely on areas that would most certainly be tested to likely-tested areas. She would steer me away from areas where I may have unnecessarily spent useful time in studying, if it was unlikely to show up on the exam. Undoubtedly, her ability to strategize and direct me in study methods proved invaluable to acing the bar.
2) Sheer Knowledge. Ambika knew the JD Advantage materials almost verbatim. Her breadth and depth of knowledge about the UBE, subject matter being tested, how to write effective essays to the MEEs, and even knowing what the MBE questions were testing without preparation helped use our time most efficiently. I could ask most any substantive bar-related question and have the confidence that Ambika could assist. Ambika could anticipate my complex questions, she could target my problem areas before I could explain where I was failing, and her explanations led to the direct and immediate improvement of my scores. I would see an increase in MBE performance from 35% to 75% in each subject after most sessions.
3) “Charades” with bar exam rules. Aka “guess what I am trying to say (in reference to legal concepts).” Oftentimes, I would remember only a certain phrase or part of a rule while performing the MBE and attempting to explain my reasoned answers – with Ambika’s wealth of knowledge, she would be able to guess correctly what I was trying to refer to – even if I did not know which subject matter (for instance, Torts or Crim) I was referring to, or what rule. Her depth of knowledge assisted greatly when I would apply a piece of knowledge I had read, perhaps incorrectly. Ambika could “fill in the gaps” to my knowledge, understand how I interpreted the rule, how I applied it, how to correct an application or understanding of the rule. She could then show me the page where the rule was located, in one of the 7 outlines.
4) Ability to Triage. Because I was managing several personal issues, Ambika was able to triage the most important bar elements to focus on. Ambika anticipated most of the MEE subjects to be tested. She also provided PTs which showed up on the upcoming exam. During beginning practice sessions, I scored between 35-45% for most subjects on the MBE, had a difficult time with memorizing rules for the MEEs, and could not complete most of the timed PTs and MEE. But with Ambika’s tips and techniques, I passed the UBE for 30 U.S. jurisdictions on the first try.
All of the above reasons and more, are reasons I would highly-recommend Ambika as the most exemplary bar tutor.
I enjoyed JD Advising’s resources because the outline material and cheat sheets, which I used throughout bar prep, focused only on the most essential material that a test taker needs to know. The cheat sheets were also organized and color-blocked in an easy-to-skim and memorize way. I would absolutely recommend JD Advising’s services to friends who can afford the service because Ambika is a top-notch instructor at the top of her game.
2014-2019
I took the bar exam in Washington where the curve is notoriously steep. I studied with the blue box company and completed 98% of the assignments. Nevertheless, I failed multiple times – by a long shot; I was basically in the bottom 10% of examinees for both the multiple-choice and the written portions.
The blue box overwhelmed me with boxes of dense content and endless assignments; I’ll never forget the delivery man dropping off those heavy books in two boxes. Additionally, their sample answers were cumbersome and nearly impossible to replicate. Because of the overwhelming amount of content and endless assignments, it was challenging to see the ‘big picture.’
I contacted JD Advising after my second attempt because I was essentially in the bottom 10% of examinees.
I set up private tutoring sessions with Meagan. Meagan helped identify areas of weakness and we came up with a solid study plan to get my biggest bang for my buck. As JD Advising says, ‘not every area of the law is treated equally.’ Meagan helped tailor sessions that were aligned with my study style. We analyzed what went wrong, what went right and refined a study plan that worked for me.
JD Advising helped simplify the content in ways that resonated with my unique learning style (mostly auditory with some visual). The one-sheets and the other diagrams on the subject outlines were so helpful because they are straight-forward. I read content aloud with the rules, and it helped reinforce the necessary elements. I attribute these study materials in helping me achieve MBE scores in the top 15% for torts and evidence.
I’m happy to report that I passed with 21 points to spare – a 291. This score is high enough to transfer my UBE score in every UBE jurisdiction!
My MBE increased +12-points from Feb., with a 21-point increase pre-JD Advising. My written portion is where I really excelled: compared to Feb., I increased by 21-points. Compared to pre-JD Advising, there is a 41-point increase. In total, this was a 33-point increase from February and a 62-point overall increase from where I started with the blue box company.
If you are having trouble, save yourself the grief and spend the money to get help. Meagan was not just a tutor; she helped me gain confidence and overcome the psychological aspect of this exam (If you’ve failed multiple times, you will know exactly what this means).
I consider Meagan a lifelong friend, and I hold the JD Advising team very dear to my heart. I would recommend JD Advising to anyone who wants to beat the bar exam – especially those who have unique learning styles & those who need clear and concise materials.
My only regret is not contacting JD Advising sooner.
As a full time working lawyer and family father the bar exam was a huge challenge. Fortunately, I had my tutor Meagan Jabbori on my side. She helped me develop a strategic plan, how to most efficiently tackle the vast amount of material to learn. Furthermore, her insight to as how to approach both essay and MPT part of the exam in an outcome-oriented manner was incredibly valuable. The weekly meeting gave me full comfort as to where I stand, and Meagen identified meticulously my weak spots and had me work on them. Without Meagan Jabbori help, I can bluntly say, that I would not have passed the bar exam. It is with my full conviction that I recommend JD Advising to anyone he seeks target-oriented tutoring and general support for the bar exam.
I took the bar exam three times. The third time, thanks to Ambika’s help, I scored 268. I met with her for three sessions and my score increased by 8 points. UBE tutoring is definitely what made a difference for me. When I took the bar previously, I failed by few points each time, even with a good MBE score. The third time, I worked on my weaknesses with Ambika, and got customized advice which were really helpful. I highly recommend working with Ambika! She is professional and keeps track of your progress.
I found the outlines to be immensely helpful and way more digestible than the large Barbri books I had. I also really appreciated Heather’s help. She was so approachable and I felt like I could ask her any question without feeling dumb. She had practical advice for memorization and was easily accessible even on days when we didn’t have sessions. She was also provided great emotional support–and I can’t understate how helpful that was. I would recommend JD Advising to any student studying for the bar
I absolutely cannot thank everyone at JD Advising enough for preparing me for the the February 2019 bar exam. I only wish I had found out about JD advising and invested wisely in my bar prep earlier.
When I reached out to JD advising, I had already failed the bar exam four times. I had tried a big box bar review course; completed 100% of the lectures handouts and more than a 1,000 MBE questions. However, I still felt unprepared. I also spent an additional 3,000 dollars for one-on-one tutoring with another bar review course, but my scores were dismal and I felt cheated. I had given up hope until a friend recommended JD Advising.
With Heather and JD advising, I did not waste time on lecture video after lecture video. I spent quality hours learning the material and identifying what I misunderstood. Each of our sessions occurred via Skype, which made our sessions together more productive. Heather’s tips and methods of explaining the topics I thought I understood were invaluable. She gave me great feedback on my essays, prepared me with homework sheets weekly to keep me on task, and even talked me off the ledge when I was in panic mode.
The outlines were phenomenal. The time and effort JD Advising has put into their outlines is unparalleled and it shows. JD Advising coupled with AdaptiBar’s online MBE questions, helped me pass the Alabama bar exam on the 5th try and a score increase of more than 30 points. Thank you again for helping my dreams come true!
I am so grateful to JD Advising and the one on one tutoring. I was incredibly nervous to come back and take the UBE the second time around because I found the bar exhausting. And my first-time failure was not by a little but was with gusto, so I was terrified that what I was attempting wasn’t just an obstacle, but a mountain. I am grateful because the JD Advising website was easy to navigate, there was great communication prior to my tutor start date, and tutoring was ah-mazing. It was great to have accountability in my weekly sessions and to focus on the subjects that I needed to know and understand strategies I could use for all subjects. Everything was so transferrable and useful. I ended up improving my score a full 30 points. And I know for sure I wouldn’t have been able to do it on my own. Thank you JD Advising, thank you Ambika. If you have any doubts about tutoring, DO NOT HESITATE. Best investment I made in my bar prep hands down.
This morning New York State released the results and I PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just really want to thank you for being my tutor and taking time to answer my questions and grading my essays and providing feedback.
I also am really thankful to JD advising for the fantastic outlines, I felt the most prepared this time due to the substance of the outlines. When I was answering MBE question a lot of them I recognized because I remembered my outlines.
I could not have done it without your help.
JD Advising provided me the structure and framework that I needed to pass the New York Bar Exam. The curriculum was complete and thorough – specifically targeted at tackling the questions at hand and preparing you for the test. Studying for the bar requires a great deal of discipline and JD Advising was an incredible resource for those who are willing to pursue the challenge. Most specifically, I’m grateful for my personalized instruction from Ambika Mehta. She is brilliant and kind beyond measure and if you’re lucky enough to reserve her as a tutor, you’ll be happy you did. I sat for the New York Bar exam for the first time and passed with a score of 296, which is considered a passing score in every UBE jurisdiction.
I cannot thank Meagan and all of the staff at JD Advising enough! During my first attempt at studying and taking the bar exam, I used a popular commercial course and felt completely overwhelmed and unproductive the entire time. Even though I had taken the entire summer off to study, I felt that I couldn’t pack all of the information in. Everyone told me this was normal, and I was brushed aside when I attempted to contact the commercial course’s customer service and tutoring departments.
After discovering I failed the bar exam in July 2017, I contacted JD Advising immediately. Meagan responded within minutes to discuss my next steps and offer any guidance possible. After talking with Meagan for a few weeks and discussing my scores, I knew that I wanted to hire her as a tutor. I decided to take the bar exam again in February 2018 and immediately started MBE tutoring with Meagan. She provided me with much more manageable and useful outlines. I also signed up for Meagan’s MI Essay Course. Since I was retaking the bar exam while working full-time, I wanted all the help I could get. Meagan worked with me remotely and we were able to FaceTime during our tutoring sessions and I was video-conferenced into the essay classes.
I cannot describe how happy I was to find out that I had passed the Michigan Bar Exam the second time around! I know that there is no way I would have been able to on my own without the accountability and focus Meagan’s tutoring and essay course gave me. I only wish that I would have used JD Advising’s services the first time around, it was absolutely worth the price! Throughout the entire process, the whole staff at JD Advising was professional, quick to respond, and extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the bar exam. I would definitely recommend Meagan to anyone who feels like they are struggling with a commercial course or who has previously failed the bar exam.
Meagan is not just a private tutor….she is my coach! –– Last November I was skeptical I could really find the time and energy to study for the bar while working full time as a foreign licensed attorney in NYC. For one reason or another, I was denying myself the opportunity to sit for the bar. One thing was clear to me though – a traditional bar review would not work for me (or my wife and two daughters =]). I decided to give it a try with a private tutor despite my doubts about its effectiveness. I came across with one of Ashely’s best-tips post and saw some hope….next thing I was texting them. Klaudia quickly called and pair me up with my tutor – Meagan. The first session went great. Due to work obligations, however, I got overwhelmed by the second session. Meagan was patient enough to listen and adjust the format of my sessions in a way that I felt I was getting the most out of her precious time. Since then every session became enjoyable. Meagan was simply a fantastic tutor – passionate about what she does, committed to helping you pass, and patient enough to work every detail and ensure you had a good understanding of the law – overall making an obvious stressful journey enjoyable. But please, be aware! Meagan has lots of tips that really work! No kidding! Be prepared to benefit from her essay grading too. Plus the materials JD Advising provides you are well structured and their tables will make your life easier. I kept studying those charts while sleeping and on exam day were a great resource to come up with the right answer.
It goes without saying that you need to put the (hard) work in to benefit the most out of private tutoring. With JD Advising, though, you are half-way through as their materials ensure you feel confident that you are focusing on really what you need to know – no more, no less. BTW – it feels great that while you are killing yourself studying, trying to see good results while you practice, you get a gang walking with your a), b), c), d) choice… The entire JD Advising team was great! Nick made sure I got my materials on time, and some essays were graded by other tutors so that I could benefit from their input – remember your tutor is not going to be your bar exam grader – so you get basically at least two for the price of one.
After having spent 108 days preparing for the exam, literally putting aside all fun activities and spending just a few minutes of quality time with my daughters per day, I do not regret any minute of it. The simple reason is that Meagan managed to make the process entirely manageable, goal reachable and most importantly she facilitated all the necessary tools to reach the confidence needed to see exam day just as another test – even through adversity – like realizing you missed the deadline to register your laptop for being distracted working… just another disguised blessing in the process. With Meagan’s tips I managed to finish all essays and MPTs in good shape, and do great on MBE exam. Go figure – she might be proud!
To any candidate doubtful to private tutoring – stop worrying and get excited – this is a really superior resource worth every penny – stop thinking as to how much more money private tutoring will cost you and start getting excited of all the good opportunities that are waiting for you.
Once again – Thank you, Coach!
I passed the NY bar in February 2018 after having failed the July bar. The first time I sat for the exam, I used a traditional prep course and scored a 261. For February, I used JD Advising’s UBE outlines and one-on-one online tutoring with Ambika and scored a 292.
My greatest challenge in prepping for February was balancing studying and working full-time at my firm, so my number one priority was efficiency. I found the UBE outlines from JD Advising to be concise, well-organized, and most importantly, efficient! The outlines contained charts and diagrams that I would have loved to seen in my traditional prep course books the first time. The main difference in materials was that the traditional prep course contained all the text and material I needed to know, but it didn’t present it in a useful way. JD Advising’s outlines are surprisingly short in page count, but the information is all there and it’s consolidated in a way that makes sense and is actually useful for the exam. The best way I can describe them is like this – you know when you made an outline for law school finals and you went through all your class notes and reading notes to outline? And the end product was this wonderful, concise 20 page outline that made sense to you in the end but wouldn’t have had you not gone through all your material? The outlines were like that for me, except that someone else had already done the work.
As great as the outlines were, I know that my scores in the MBE portion would not have gone up as much as they did without Ambika’s help. The outlines gave me the substantive knowledge but working through MBE questions with Ambika is what made it stick. She was able to pick up on my weaker areas and help me figure out why I couldn’t understand certain concepts. I think that was vital to my improvement. Based on my scores from the July exam, I had an idea of where I struggled, but I didn’t know how to tackle them. I could read answer explanations to practice questions by myself and think I understood the concepts, but Ambika would ask follow-ups to the questions that would make me realize I hadn’t connected all the dots yet. This extra step is what made it come together for me.
I would definitely recommend JD Advising as a bar prep course. With the help of Ambika, the UBE outlines, and the MEE one-pager notes, I think I had all the tools I needed to prepare. I wish I had chosen this over the traditional prep course my first time taking the bar. I was wary of choosing the program because people at my firm all used the same prep course, and I didn’t want to be the outlier. If you’re in a similar situation, I really encourage you to give JD Advising a chance!
I found JD Advsing in YouTube and when I hear Ashley’s unique approach to the UBE I realized this was the best program for second takers like me. Ambika was my rock. She was there for me the whole time, the best tutor I have ever had, so knowledgeable and patient. Ambika’s advices were to the point and exactly what I needed to pass the UBE. I would not have made it without her. It was my second time and last! I passed and thanks to JD Advising. The outlines are right to the point and the assignments were in issues actually tested so the whole program is accurate and what you really need to pass. I recommend 100%.
I had attempted the bar exam twice before and was running out of options. I was having issues with timing on essays and getting passed the MBE. I met for one on one tutoring for the MBE with Meagan which I found to be very helpful when it came to strategies. The one on one feedback was priceless and really helped with all the nuances the bar exam throws at you. I would highly recommend Meagan and JD Advising.
The first time I took the bar exam, I got a 115 on the writing portion which was the sole reason I did not pass. Knowing that I needed to improve, I decided to sign up for JD Advising’s tutoring services. Ambika completely changed how I organized my essays/MPTs. She explained to me how to structure my essays to make it as clear as possible to the bar examiners which was a direct impact on my score increasing. In addition, I would highly recommend the MEE one-sheets. With the MEE one-sheets, you know exactly where to prioritize your time based on previous examinations (a benefit you do not get with commercial courses). In the end, I scored a 141 (a 26 point increase) on the writing portion and passed the exam! I cannot thank JD Advising enough!!!
My tutor’s name was Ambika and I worked with her for both the MPRE (my fourth attempt) and the Colorado Bar (second attempt). I passed both with her help! She is very chill and very understanding of the struggles that come with bar prep and test anxiety. I tried to be super honest with her when I was slacking or when I was overwhelmed so that she could guide me. She was good about telling me what the bare minimum I had to do to stay on track was, and good at motivating me to do more when I needed it. She’s also looked at my study plan that I made for myself and told what to change. The most important thing was that I knew she was there for me when I needed help but she gave me space to make the study process my own. JD Advising was always very responsive, professional, and supportive. Thank you JD ADVISING!
This was the second time taking the bar exam for me. Score overall increase about 30+ points. I passed by 20 points. Tutoring helped me learn what I didn’t know and help me strategize for studying and for the exam day. It helped me build confidence and knowledge. It was more interactive than Barbri and it helped keep me on track during studying. It was convenient and accessible. I was able to ask questions and find the areas I needed to work in most. I would recommend this to anyone who struggles with building test studying strategy and those who struggle testing and have anxiety on test day and during prep. I am a first generation college student and there are a lot of gaps in what I should know in terms of preparation or dealing with anxiety during tests. I also have a disability and English is not my first language. I always excelled in academics despite this, but it can be a huge disadvantage when every question is so crucial and the curve is so tight. Meagan was a great tutor—I enjoyed the sessions and learned so much about the way I learn and what I didn’t know for the test. The outlines were also very very helpful. Barbri was not helpful for me, it didn’t apply to my learning style. I barely missed it the first time around and was really disappointed and scared that i would fail again, but I passed and was able to keep my job and move on with my career. I couldn’t have done it without JD Advising.
After spending month preparing for the Bar, my scoring on practice MBE’s and essay questions were well below passing. Out of options and time, I turned to JD Advising during my final month of Bar preparation in hopes of bringing up my scores to passing. Working with Meagan was the key to my success. Meagan was extremely patient and helped me work systematically to address where I was falling short, what corrections needed to be made, and how I should be tailoring my studying to maximize the time I had remaining. Meagan was extremely responsive throughout the entire process, and her essay edits helped me score nearly 10 points above passing. I can’t thank Meagan and the whole JD Advising team for helping me pass and I could not recommend JD Advising enough to anyone who is preparing for the Bar!
I failed the Michigan bar exam on my first attempt. I was extremely discouraged because I did everything that Barbri told me to do. I did the required exercises and studied massive amounts of material. I felt as if all my hard work was for nothing. I doubted that I could ever pass the bar exam.
Fortunately, I found JD Advising and began tutoring sessions with Meagan. She simplified the material in a way that made it easier to understand. The information was condensed and focused on highly tested areas of law. Every assignment had a purpose of getting me closer to my end goal of passing the bar exam. Meagan taught me strategies to approach the MBE questions.
Come test day, I felt prepared for the bar exam. I am proud to say that I passed the bar exam on the second attempt and improved my MBE score by 24 points. This would not have been possible without JD Advising and Meagan.
I received my Bar results this past week: I passed! I have exchanged texts with Ambika and I also left her a voicemail thanking her for her tutoring and getting me over the hump to pass the DC Bar. I just wanted to formally say thank you for your services. Ambika is legit – a very competent and effective tutor. She was very professional and very effective with our tutoring sessions. Ambika really made it simple and tactically guided me through the MPTs and MEEs so I could get enough points to pass. I think I remember her saying that no one she tutored ever failed the MPT/MEE portion and her streak is still alive – I passed!
I cannot thank Meagan enough for all of her help and encouragement throughout the process of studying for the bar exam for the second time and giving me that extra “push across the finish line” so to speak. I only wish I would have gone with the JD Advising class the first time around. I took the July 2016 Michigan bar exam and failed it by twelve points. While not insurmountable, I was discouraged.
Like most of my classmates I took BarBri the first time around. I also began working part time at my new job right after graduation, which meant I was trying to juggle studying for the bar and starting my legal career simultaneously. I struggled to keep up with the structure and pace of the BarBri course and, outside of a few of the instructors offering their emails for follow up questions, there was no opportunity to ask questions or clarify concepts. You basically had to go through the BarBri outlines (which are probably way too detailed…more on that later) on your own, and which often differed greatly in structure from the lecture handouts prepared by the individual BarBri lecturers.
I would highly recommend any of JD Advising’s programs (they have a number of options, ranging from a full in person lecture style class to private tutoring that can be done remotely over Skype, google hangouts, etc) to anyone, but especially for those who are also working during their bar prep experience.
Because of my work schedule, I knew taking BarBri again would not be helpful and, after hearing great recommendations from some of my former classmates about Ashley’s programs (especially the outlines!), I decided to enroll in a few of the private tutoring programs. Further, because I live two and a half hours from JD Advising’s headquarters in Birmingham, I had to be able to do the sessions remotely. This was not a problem at all and I was soon set up with Meagan Jabbori who created a schedule for our sessions as well as a study and assignment schedule based on my personal needs and work schedule.
Each session was an opportunity to go through JD Advising’s amazing outlines with Meagan, who knew which points of law were “highly tested” and also allowed us to focus on areas that I knew were weaknesses for me the first time around. There were times where I could almost literally see the points that I had missed on the July exam adding up. If I ever had questions pop up between our sessions Meagan was only a quick email away.
The other great benefit of the program was the sheer number of practice essays that I was able to have graded by Meagan and other members of JD Advising. I would estimate that I had anywhere from four to seven essays for each subject area graded by Meagan. To compare, I think BarBri grades like ten essays total. Their process of self-grading, followed by Meagan’s comments, allowed me to see the areas I needed to work on from a number of different perspectives and gave me new insight into successful bar exam essay writing that is simply not possible with a traditional bar prep company.
Lastly, but certainly not least, the outlines that Ashley has created are amazing. In most cases they are shorter than the ones you receive from BarBri, but do a great job of focusing on the really important areas of law. I was a bit skeptical when I first saw the length of some of the outlines but soon realized that all the information I needed to construct good essays and answer MBE questions was there. Because of this the information seemed much less daunting and I was able to focus on the points of law that matter the most.
Thank you to Meagan for being such a great teacher and confidence builder, and to both Meagan and Ashley for running such a successful prep course. After going through the course I felt much more confident on the test days and ended up improving my score by fourteen points. They are the best resource for anyone tackling the bar exam.
Stumbling upon, and using JD Advising for the February 2017 UBE exam was a blessing. Unlike the big name bar prep companies JD Advising made a schedule that was unique for me, and Ashley’s MBE subject outlines were gold mines (some of her examples showed up on the exam) explained in a common sense way. Also, having a personal, experienced tutor (Ambika was great!) go over the areas that are not as clear made sure my studying was not wasting time. The MEE outlines explained the HEAVILY tested subjects in a clear and understandable way. Needless to say, I felt better prepared and more confident after using JD Advising and would recommend it over the other big name bar prep companies.
When I found out I had failed the Michigan bar the first time (July 2016), I felt absolutely defeated. My self-confidence took a huge hit, and after a few minutes of frantically scanning and re-scanning those online results for my seat number, I knew who I needed to call. I dialed Ashley Heidemann’s number, and I could not be happier or more grateful for what she did for me. She was kind and encouraging the first time we spoke, and I knew that she would be the one to help me through the bar the second time around. She asked all the right questions and patiently walked me through my options. She also gave me a ton of free advice about whether to appeal, since I was only five points off. She determined that I needed help with the MBE since my essay grades were good. Within a couple of weeks I was signed up for the seven private tutoring sessions for the MBE.
On the first day I met my tutor Meagan and I knew we’d work great together. She is so patient and such a wonderful teacher. She perfectly balanced my needs with the program they had designed, so that I was in control of the material we discussed every session. She was also an excellent listener and confidence booster during those hard days when I felt I was ready to quit.
I should also add that their outlines are the best I have ever seen. I had taken Kaplan the first time and I remember feeling lost through their long-winded online lectures, trying to fill in their confusing outlines. My experience was nothing like that with JD Advising’s outlines. They’re succinct yet precise, and written in plain English, with plenty of examples to highlight the concepts explained.
I passed the bar exam on my second try because of the decision I made to call Ashley and the help and support she and Meagan provided me. I would recommend their services to anyone trying to study “smart” for the bar exam. They do their research and know what’s heavily tested and provide their students with all the tools they need to pass the bar. And even more importantly, they care about every single one of their students (which is something you just can’t say about commercial courses, whose lectures are taped across the country).
Thank you so much Meagan and Ashley. You’re amazing!!
Thank you so much to JD Advising! After sitting for the Alabama bar exam twice and coming up short I made the decision to change the way I studied on the third attempt. Thankfully, I found JD Advising through a web search. I contacted Ashley via email and she answered all of my questions and after hearing her plan and what they had to offer, I had a renewed hope that it may be possible to pass this after all. Ashley worked with my budget and we created a specialized plan to focus on my weakest subjects. The one-on-one study sessions with Ambika were amazing! Having the ability to ask questions and focus on my weaker topics increased my confidence and increased my score! The outlines were the best I have ever used. They are focused on what you need to know! They are thorough, but not impossible! My score increased by 12 points after using JD Advising outlines and working with Ambika! The more telling fact is that the subjects that I studied with JD Advising were my highest scoring subjects of all my MBE subjects! I truly believe that I passed because I studied with JD Advising. My only regret is that I did not use them on the first attempt! Thanks so much to Ambika! I couldn’t have done it without you!
While studying for the July bar, I knew that using a traditional bar prep course wasn’t working for me, but I was afraid to deviate from the course because everyone I knew told me that sticking with it was the only way to pass. I could tell that the long video lectures and the practice homework problems weren’t helping me, and I was so focused on keeping up with the course that I wasn’t truly learning the material. My biggest concern with retaking the bar in February was that I didn’t have enough time: if I couldn’t pass the bar when all I did was study in the summer, how on earth could I pass it while I was working full time? Meagan taught me how to study smarter. The outlines and one-on-one tutoring sessions were more targeted than the bar prep course lectures, and instead of being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information, the information started to click. Meagan helped me plan out each week so I could make the most of the few hours a day I had to study. She was also a key source of emotional support: I would have days where I felt incredibly anxious and overwhelmed by the process, but I could always email Meagan if I needed to vent and she would help me regain my focus. I was amazed at how quickly I saw improvement in practice problems and essay questions (which Meagan reviewed and graded for me every week), but I was even more amazed at how much better it felt to actually be studying the material instead of struggling to keep up with the workload. I walked into the February bar feeling much calmer and much more prepared, and that is because I was so much better prepared! I knew some of my essay questions were 9s or 10s because Meagan and I had reviewed the topics in depth. I knew my MBE score was much higher because the questions on the exam were similar to the previously released MBE questions I practiced with. Without Meagan and Ashley guiding me through the process, I would not have felt nearly as comfortable and prepared. I am so glad I chose their tutoring program for February. Meagan and Ashley are passionate about helping students pass the bar exam, and that passion helped ultimately drive me to success on the February 2017 exam.
I absolutely cannot thank everyone at JD Advising enough for arming and empowering me to walk in and conquer the February 2017 bar exam. When I reached out to Ashley, I had just found out that I had failed the July 2016 Illinois bar exam…by 8 points. For months, all I could envision was the 258 that received. I needed a 266. I was absolutely devastated and could not even fathom studying for this monster of an exam again (and by myself this time since all my friends had passed and moved on with life). Ashley was so positive and encouraging and I knew from our first conversation that I wanted to work with her and her team to redeem myself after such a traumatic experience.
The first time I took the exam, I took a big box bar review course, but throughout the process I just KNEW things weren’t clicking. I finished about 93% of the course and still felt unprepared. However, when I worked with Ambika as my JD Advising tutor, she was so down to earth, knowledgable and encouraging. My biggest hurdle was conquering the MBE. For some reason I really struggled with multiple choice questions. But the outlines JD Advising provided were succinct, straight to the point, and extremely user friendly. I appreciated the charts, practice problems, colored text, and frequency of topics tested listed in the back. These outlines in addition to Ambika’s suggestion to use Adaptibar, which used only real previously released bar exam questions, made a world of a difference in my scores. I saw steady improvement and finally started thinking like the examiners like Ambika encouraged me to. Although I only had a couple of one-on-one sessions, Ambika checked in on me and promptly responded to each and every email up until the exam in February. After working with JD Advising, I finally felt like this exam was not only doable, but that I WOULD pass without a doubt. It can be emotionally scarring failing the bar exam, but having a support team of knowledgable and caring individuals like Ashley and Ambika can really remove the sting. I continue to recommend the program to anyone I know who is preparing to take the bar exam. It was one of the best investments I have ever made.
I reached out to JD Advising a few weeks from test day. I was enrolled in a Barbri class and was freaking out as I felt extremely overwhelmed with the amount of material Babri was throwing at me. I thought that a private tutor might at minimum help put my mind at ease, and so I did some research and contacted a few companies/private tutors. At first, the cost of private tutoring was a bit of a deterrent but I felt that I had a lot to lose, including a job contingent upon passing the bar, and the benefit of gaining an edge to pass the exam on my first try greatly outweighed the financial cost of doing so.
The team at JD advising soon put any doubts I had regarding private tutoring to rest. Ashley got back to me within ten minutes of my first email, immediately narrowing down what exactly I needed help with. She then set me up with Meagan, and together we created a custom study plan which worked so well that I abandoned Barbri completely with just over 50% of the course completed. I started off with one session on one MBE subject and liked it so much that I ended up taking sessions for all of the MBE subjects with Megan. Meagan was a fantastic tutor and I credit much of my bar exam success to her. I loved the way my custom study plan allowed me to brush briefly over areas I felt comfortable while also able to slow down and focus on areas I had more trouble with. Everything was done at a pace that was comfortable to me, and unlike Barbri there was no rushing through sessions. JD Advising also supplied fantastic outlines that were simple, straightforward, and easy to understand. On top of that, the outlines highlighted how often certain topics were tested on the bar exam which allowed me to focus on highly tested areas within the subject.
In the end, Meagan was a mentor and a friend in addition to a tutor. She not only helped me study for the exam, but was there to offer both personal and professional advice that put me in the right mindset to take the exam, which is itself a mental game. I would wholeheartedly recommend JD Advising to anyone; had I known about them earlier, I would have never registered for Barbri in the first place. Thanks to JD Advising, I did pass the bar on my first attempt and I currently recommend them to all of my friends, both those taking the exam for the first time as well as those repeating the exam.
Words are not enough to express my sincere Gratitude to JD Advising for my success on the July 2016 Michigan bar exam. Ashely, Meagan and Tish helped me realize my dream after 3 long difficult years. Like most, I enrolled in barbri my first year of law school. Barbri and the other commercial bar reviewers pride themselves in success, but I beg to differ. The barbri method may work for some but for me it was a complete waste of my time and money. I felt lost in every online lecture, and learned nothing from those thick text books. I failed the bar on my first try with a 109. I went on to fail 2 more exams using the barbri method.
As a repeated bar exam taker, I would say the journey is much tougher than a first timer. I suffered from depression, lost opportunities and financial hardships.
When I looked up Ashley online and read about her services, I immediately had hope of finally passing. Ashley reviewed my past exams and was clear about what I needed to do to pass. She was very passionate about helping me and making sure my 4th time would be my last time. After extensive private tutoring, my scores increased by 20points on my 4th try. I missed the passing score by 7points. Despite being disappointed, I was happy about my significant 20 point jump. This gave me hope to go for it for it again and get those 7 points on my 5th try. Ashley and Meagan each worked with me and gave me so much attention. They helped me work through my weakest area, the MBE. We talked over every problem in detail and they each trained me to master the MBE. As a result, I PASSED the July 2016 exam with a 20point increase on my MBE and a 15point increase on the essay portion. I could go on and on about the magic that is JD Advising. If your preparing to take the bar for the 1st time or 5th time, I highly recommend you DONT hesitate to call Ashley. Trust me when I say it’s worth every penny!!! She and her staff will give you the detailed attention you need. They are passionate about helping everyone pass. Ashley and Meagan were always available to answer questions 24/hrs 7 days a week. Do not waste your precious time or money with commercial bar review courses. You will regret it. Call or email JD Advising now. I promise you won’t regret it. As a result, My dreams for becoming an attorney have been realized.
Thank you Ashley and the JD Advising team.
The first time I took the bar exam was the most defeated I have ever felt in my life. Working with the Barbri review course should have put me in a position to succeed, however, it put in a position to ultimately fail. The theory behind this commercial review course is that if you complete 75% of the work you should be able to pass the State bar. The problem with this theory is that you attempt to just complete as much work as possible and end up settling for quantity. You begin to tell yourself it is better to do more work rather than to understand the material. With this approach, I spent my evenings listening to three hour lectures that in no way were beneficial to passing the state bar. Further, the process of studying with Barbri is so flawed because it does not hone in strongly enough on your essay writing. Simply writing 20 – 25 essays for the bar exam is not enough practice in become comfortable with the 20 minute 15 around treachery that is the essay portion of the state bar.
The result, a 115 on the state bar of Michigan. My essays were a 113 and the MBE was a 117. I wanted to give up. There was no way to pull my essay score up. I studied 91% of Barbri, how on earth could I pull a score up when I “studied” so much material. The solution, Ashley Heidemenn; the result, a 153 on the essay portion of the bar exam the, which was a 40-point curved score increase.
Ashley Heidemenn and Meagan Jaborri live for this test and for that they drew out a stronger idea of what is tested on the state bar. The two have covered so much Michigan based essay testing concepts that it is virtually impossible to not pull up your essays by 15 – 20 points. The review course they created draws out a curriculum that has you write up to 90 essays timed and untimed. What makes this so beneficial is that Ashley and her staff grades and critiques every answer, and every paragraph. Working under Meagan and having her critique every essay I wrote eventually got me into the habit of writing a very strong essay in 20 minutes. That is what you pay for! You pay for Ashley and Meagan to grade these essays so that you can learn how to write it perfectly on game day. Barbri grades under 10 essays for you. Grading ten essays is simply not enough to habitually come into a twenty minute “point picker upper” performance.
From a performance perspective, it does not make sense to go anywhere else. A 20 percent increase on the essay portion of the bar is proof enough. Having a team of individuals critiquing your work for two months puts you into the strongest position to pass bar.
Further, working with Ashley and Meagan pulled my MBE score up 11 points. The curriculum given to you assigns actual passed MBE questions. The edge here is that you come into a habit of answering concepts the examiners have tested on versus commercial review course created questions. While the 11-point increase was not as wonderful as the 40-point essay increase, it still was a factor in ultimately accomplishing the lifelong goal set by me as a child; ATTORNEY!
Between the Essay and MBE average score I pulled my overall score up from a 115 to a 140; a 25-point increase. Thank you to Ashley and everyone who helped me!
I graduated from law school in 2014 and took, as most of my friends did, a commercial bar review course. I ended up failing my first bar exam with a score of 117. Being discouraged I took a year and half off from the bar examination until contacting Ashley at JD Advising LLC. It’s worth noting that I have a rather extreme case of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), and generally have a difficult time becoming interested in bland subjects like real property and civil procedure. Her program is tirelessly planned and can be modified based on the needs of her current student. While JD Advising offers different program structures based upon each individual, Ashley and I decided that I would benefit the most studying in one-on-one sessions. After working with Ashley and retaking the bar exam I raised my score from a 117 to a 150.
Studying for the Bar Exam is one of the most miserable and challenging journeys I have gone through; however, Ashley helped me build the confidence to walk into the testing room knowing I would pass. Ashley’s outlines are thorough, succinct, and visually pleasing. Even for a person, as mentioned before with extreme ADHD, Ashley’s course materials were not overwhelming. Ashley, and the rest of the JD Advising team were amazing, by the end of the studying process I didn’t just have a bar exam tutor, I had a friend.
I simply cannot say enough about JD advising. Ashley and Meagan and the rest of the team were all unbelievable. While I spent most of my time with Ashley, the entire team was personally invested in helping me pass the bar exam. I firmly believe that without Ashley and the JD Advising team, there would have been no way I would have earned 33 more points on my second and final exam.
I would recommend the services JD Advising offers to anyone, if you are willing to do what she instructs and put the work in, she will put the work in as well, and YOU WILL pass the Bar Examination.
Thank you Ashley and the JD Advising team!
The absolute worst feeling in the whole wide world is failing the bar exam. Spending three years in law school with everyone telling you that you must take Barbri or Kaplan in order to pass the bar exam was all that I knew but looking back now it was my biggest mistake.
I wish I had known what I know now and I want other people to know this: there are other options, better options, then Barbri or Kaplan and that better option is Ashley! The reason I failed the bar exam on the first try was for many reasons but mainly Barbri does not give you the individualized attention that you really need to succeed and they do not focus on what is really tested. Going to Ashley changed the way I thought about the bar exam. Her outlines that she provides you with are concise and to the point. She tells you what has been tested in years pass and how often it has been tested. This allowed me to really focus on those specific topics instead of the thousands of topics that Barbri tells you that you need to know that have never even been tested!!
Ashley created individualized study plans for me each week. She assigned me readings, multiple choice, and essays each week. I would send her my essays (sometimes even more than she assigned me) and I would get a detailed response of what I did right and what I did wrong immediately. On top of that she taught me how to self grade my essays. This allowed me to learn from my mistakes and not make the same mistakes again. My essay scores increased significantly and I scored 7’s or higher on 13/15 of my essays (getting the highest scores on my worst topics!). I increased my essay score by a total of 21 points and my MBE score by a total of 10 points!
Ashley was available 24/7 to answer all of my questions, listen to my worries, and a shoulder to lean on when I doubted myself. I honestly and truly believe that if it wasn’t for her I would not have passed the bar exam. I would not have increased my score by 16 total points. She is honestly fantastic and I would recommend her over any bar prep class.
There are very few moments in my life where I can, without a doubt, say, “that was one of the best decisions I have ever made.” Hiring Ashley as a Michigan Bar Exam tutor is definitely a top “best decision I’ve ever made” moment. Ashley was a great resource to have. I took the Michigan Bar Exam in February 2015 – It was my first time taking any Bar Exam. In order to cover my bases, I also paid for Barbri classes. About one month into Barbri, I noticed that the information I was receiving was not helping me excel in my essay writing or MBE selection. I stopped using their materials, and focused solely on the information and feedback I was receiving from Ashley. It paid off big time! Ashley got me writing essays in under 18 minutes per question, and helped me identify what main issues the graders were looking for. Additionally, as I sat down in the bar exam, 8/15 essay topics were never even addressed by Barbri. Most students wait until they have failed the first time to try a tutor out – My advice is to USE HER FIRST. If she can help me pass on the first go-around, she definitely can do the same for you!
Ashley was more than a tutor. She served as therapist in times of doubt, and a friend when you needed to hear the truth about your weaknesses. Because of her I passed the Bar on the first try. The best decision you can ever make when preparing for the Michigan Bar Exam is to hire Ashley – your stresses and anxiety will be diminished greatly. I cannot recommend her enough, and have sung her praises innumerable times; even before receiving my score!
I took the bar exam for the first time in July of 2014, and used a Kaplan “in-class” course to prepare. I unfortunately did not pass. I contacted Ashley soon after receiving my results, and while I was of course initially disappointed with myself for failing, she immediately instilled confidence in me with her enthusiasm and knowledge.
During the Kaplan course, I assumed I knew the material because I filled out the outlines and did the practice questions each day. However, during practice exams and during the real thing, it became abundantly clear I only had a cursory understanding of the topics, and had no real plan of action for the multiple choice section. The emphasis seemed to be quantity rather than quality, and I felt that I did not have enough time to review and actually learn the topics.
Ashley provided me with the structure and attention to detail that I needed to succeed. Her outlines are clear, well-organized, and specifically highlight frequently tested topics within the subjects. Unlike the Kaplan course, Ashley ensured I fully understood each topic before moving on, through multiple essays and in person review. We did not move on from topics until I had memorized them. She was available through e-mail and phone whenever a question arose, and her support and honesty never waned. Moreover, Ashley reviewed and graded practice essays throughout the week, providing in-depth analysis for my strengths and weaknesses.
I am positive I would not have passed without Ashley’s help. I was close the first time, but her guidance and attention gave me the push I needed. Her methods for both the MBE and essay portions made the bar exam far less daunting. I cannot recommend Ashley highly enough.
Studying for the Michigan Bar Exam was intimidating for me, especially taking it for the first time. I made wanted to be extra careful and paid for one of the bar study courses, but ultimately found it to be lacking. Thankfully, Ashley was there and offered much more than anyone else could. She was so helpful in everything that she did and somehow always managed to make me a priority. I would have never passed on my first attempt if it weren’t for her unique insights into how the Michigan Bar Exam is administered. She knows all of the tricks and tips to help you not only study, but really understand and be prepared for the great undertaking that is the bar exam. I would highly recommend her to anyone who is studying for the Michigan Bar Exam. You honestly will not find a better resource than her.
As a high-achieving law student from a top 30 school, failing the Michigan Bar Exam was a devastating and unexpected blow. Faced with studying all over again but this time while working full time with a two-hour daily commute, I was not sure that I would be successful.
Then I called Ashley. She was immediately encouraging, and sincerely so. Rather than just take my money, she carefully evaluated whether we would work well together and whether she could be helpful. Concerned about customizing my study experience, Ashley asked detailed questions about how I had studied for the bar exam previously and what might have gone wrong.
I have never met anyone who knows as much about the bar exam as Ashley does. She has studied all the previous administrations, and has edited her materials to reflect what is actually tested. Her materials are clear, concise, and well-organized. She is also always available to answer questions, and patient enough to go through an area of confusion as many times as necessary.
Ashley is invested in her students’ success and truly cares about their learning. No matter your situation – whether a first-time taker or a repeat taker, whether a recent graduate or a full-time worker – Ashley will tailor your study plan to suit your needs. She will be there for you when you need answers or support.
Ultimately, it was my responsibility to do the work necessary to pass the exam – but thanks to Ashley’s dedication, I was successful the second time. My score jumped 17 points, including a 19-point essay score increase. I could not have done it without her and I highly recommend Ashley as a tutor. Forgo the generic national bar prep courses and invest your time and money in a study plan that will give you the best chance of passing an increasingly difficult bar exam.
I was a second time taker of the Michigan Bar Exam in February, 2015. While working with Ashley, she was incredibly flexible with my work/study schedule and provided me with the skills to improve my score by 21 POINTS! Her program is specially tailored to the Michigan Bar Exam, and unlike other commercial bar prep classes, she gave me exactly what I needed to be successful on this grueling exam, without the extra “fluff” found in other materials. I would encourage anyone who is studying for the Michigan Bar Exam to work with Ashley as I am certain that without her course, I wouldn’t have obtained the passing score that I did. The bar exam (in any state) has its tricks and nuances that sometimes may be the difference between passing and failing if not well-covered during your preparation. Ashley’s course not only points out your deficiencies, but focuses on strengthening them so by the time the exam dates roll around, you are confident and encounter far less surprises. Thanks, Ashley!
It is interesting how something you do by chance can have a profound effect on your life without you realizing it at the time.
I was searching for some information about the Michigan Bar, and stumbled upon Ashley’s website. Intrigued, I read through her site and wrote down her name and number. This was almost a year before I planned on taking the bar exam.
When I neared graduation and was contemplating a plan of attack for the bar, I contacted Ashley and met her in person. It took me about 5 minutes to decide that she was my best hope for passing the bar on my first attempt.
After the first lesson, I knew my decision was right; she was able to assess my strengths and weaknesses, and then plot a course I could follow to success. It was a lot of work—essays were always my weak point in school, but with her help, I was able learn to write essays that could get me the points I needed. She also helped me gain the skills to confidently answer MBE questions, where before I felt that many of my answers were just wild guesses. The difference is in knowing how to confidently pick the best answer by knowing the law.
In the end it paid off. I passed the bar exam on my first try. Yes I put in the work, everyone has to do that, but Ashley made the difference!
I’m glad I took the time to save her name and number, and remembered to call her.
Ashley was one of the most supportive people I have met. As a bar exam repeater, I found myself confused, sad and lost. She was always willing to answer my many questions and would email back very quickly. When it came down to studying for the bar exam again, I knew I could count on her expertise. Her review course was concise and clear. The information she provided was essential to my success in the essay portion on the exam. I followed her advice in formatting and structure and increased by essay score enough for me to pass the bar exam. Her review course gave me peace of mind and the confidence I needed to know, that I could pass. Her passion, kindness and knowledge are immense.
The difference between Ashley’s bar prep course and all other bar prep companies is in the structure of the programs themselves. One way to describe my experience is by comparing it to purchasing a suit. When you are contemplating purchasing a new suit, you essentially have two options: you can purchase one from a department store based on your size or you can purchase one from a specialty store and tailor it to your body.
All other bar prep companies are your general department stores – they provide you with a suit, but the suit isn’t tailored and, therefore, it isn’t flattering. However, the specialty store provides you with a tailored suit that flatters your body exactly where you want it.
Ashley’s tutoring is equivalent to a tailored suit. She focuses on your weaknesses and helps make them your strengths. She answers all questions, grades any essays and ensures that you understand the subjects extremely well. Above all, her outlines are exactly on point. If you speak to anyone studying for the bar, their number one complaint is that they don’t have enough time to finish everything and as a result, fall behind. This results in subjects being skipped and questions left incomplete. When time is limited, a focused outline is exactly what you need to cover all of the tested topics. If I had continued to study the outlines my bar prep company assigned me to, I would have never been able to get through all twenty-six topics. Instead, I made a conscious decision to stop following the schedule set by my bar prep company and followed Ashley’s tailored plan for me. After receiving my score, I am so glad that I did.
In addition to seeing my score, the confidence I gained while studying with Ashley made my entire bar-taking experience infinitely better. Prior to taking the exam, I felt calm, confident and ready. I knew exactly which points I wanted to address and how much time I had to do it. I had established techniques to quickly answer each question and cover all of the necessary points. The knowledge and confidence I gained from studying with Ashley helped alleviate any anxiety I had prior to the exam, and allowed me to focus on what needed to be done. It was truly the best investment I could make towards preparing for the bar.
You don’t know what the best study habits, material, or practice is to prepare for the BAR exam, until it is too late. As for me, being a second time taker, it was even trickier because I did not know exactly what I did right or what I did wrong the first time. Working with Ashley helped me get the extra 14 points I needed for a passing score. Between her explanations of the law and her study material, I was able to pass. She helped me the whole way with her comprehensive study plan. She always had an upbeat attitude and was always accessible. I can honestly say Ashley was the deciding factor to my successful BAR preparation.
Ashley is amazing! I could not have passed the bar without her. She kept me organized, focused, and motivated throughout the studying process. What I found most helpful were the weekly schedule she created because it was the only way I could have gotten through all of the material. Her outlines were a lifesaver— she did all of the work for me so all I had to do was focus on studying the material rather than organizing the massive amount of material barbri provides. She was prompt at responding to emails, phone calls, and texts. I was a second time taker and my score went up by 18 points.
Ps– In addition to being brilliant, Ashley is also incredibly nice! I looked forward to our sessions every week.
Ashley was an integral part in my success with the February 2014 bar exam. I had a very unique situation, being that not only was I a second time taker, but also had waited a year and a half to retake, was working full time, and was unable to take any time off to study. Ashley took the time to meet with me, assess my strengths and weaknesses, and tailor a program that fit my crazy schedule. Ashley’s incredible knowledge of the law and the bar exam itself give her a unique ability to create success for any situation. Her strategy kept me on track, held me accountable, and let me know on a regular basis where I stood and where I needed to improve. My second attempt was more than just successful, I increased my score by 17 points and passed with flying colors.
Ashley was nothing short of a life-saver. She was everything I thought a tutor should have been and MORE. Ashley held my hand and taught me how I learned best. She then tailored her lessons and extra activities to me based on my learning style. If I did not understand something, she made sure to break it down for me in a different way until I did have a solid understanding. Ashley constantly tested me on the material to be sure I was digesting it correctly. She never left me alone to my own devices and understanding. She was available morning, noon and night and ALWAYS called or emailed right back. As a second-time taker with more than a year and a half in between my two exams, I was terrified and very skeptical of my chances for success. Ashley not only gave me the confidence I needed during preparation, but more importantly she helped me increase my essay score by 17 points. On top of her amazing skills, she’s a sweet and lovely person whom anybody would be lucky to have as a friend and tutor
REPEAT TAKER – NOW PASSED!
Imagine failing the bar exam over and over again despite having taken a commercial bar prep course. Imagine having to hide from your law school friends, colleagues and all those in the legal world. Imagine having to live in the shadows all because you didn’t pass the bar. Well…that was me until I was blessed enough to meet Ashley Heidemann. She taught me how to think, how to study the right way with the right material and how to actively believe in myself. She worked with me, in person, according to a perfectly designed study schedule, provided me with phone and email support and never hesitated to warn me about the dangers of thinking, “I know that topic, I don’t need to review it.”
Ashley’s tailor-made tutoring method and easy to understand study notes taught me specifically what I needed to know to pass this exam. She was there for me every step of the way, and believed in my success so much that I began to believe in myself too. She not only tested me on the MBE subjects, but made sure that I understood the importance and grading scale significance of the essay material as well. We worked together to ensure that I had a solid understanding of the material needed to pass this exam and she was ALWAYS available for anything that I needed. I found her to be one of the nicest and most intelligent people I have ever met. She has an extensive knowledge of the law and has a special way of explaining complex legal principles that makes them easy to understand.
After studying with Ashley, I am proud to say that I passed with a much higher score and my life has changed in ways I had never imagined. If passing the bar and becoming an Attorney is really what you want to do with your life, invest in yourself and contact Ashley to find out if she will help you.
I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience with Ashley. The most difficult part about taking the bar exam a second time was rebuilding the endurance and motivation that pushed me to the finish line the first time around. With Ashley’s help, I had a study program that was tailored to my individual needs, and I was able to stay focused to the end. My study plan had structure and was a complete change from the way I had studied in the past–which is what I needed to help me pass. Without Ashley, I would have repeated the same mistakes I made on my first time around. Ashley was a major part of my success and gave me the strength and confidence that I needed to succeed. I highly recommend Ashley to anyone taking the Michigan bar exam.
After taking the bar exam 3 times and failing, I was losing all hope of ever becoming a lawyer. When it came to taking the exam for the fourth time, I was determined that it was going to be my final time to take it. I did not go at it alone. I retained the services of Ashley. Ashley is brilliant beyond her years. Ashley has a love for the law that becomes contagious to the student. She is an outstanding person, a brilliant lawyer, and a phenomenal tutor. Ashley assesses you as a student by finding your strong points and your weak points and building on both so that when you get to the exam you feel like you have mastered the law. Ashley empowers you as a student because she wants you to learn the law not only for the exam but for your practice.
Ashley is very flexible with scheduling sessions. She will bend over backwards to meet your individual needs for this exam. I cannot stress enough about how much easier studying is with Ashley. Ashley provides you with specific techniques to tackle the exam. You are guaranteed a high score if you follow her tips. She provides you with a study schedule that is specifically targeted to your strengths and weaknesses. You need to do the work to see the end result, the end result being that you pass this exam. And you will if Ashley is your tutor. When I found out that I had passed I felt that i could get through anything. I was and still am grateful for Ashley’s help and services. I could not have done it without her. There is no better feeling than conquering something that you feel will never come through for you. The day I found out that I passed was a day I truly will never forget and I owe it all to Ashley.
For more information on private bar exam tutoring, check out our private bar exam tutoring page!