Law Preview reviews

Our alums explain how Law Preview has helped thousands of incoming 1Ls become top law students

Our students thrive

Since 1998, BARBRI Law Preview has been helping students find success in law schools across the country. Consistently, they attribute their law school success to Law Preview and the important difference it made for them during their first year and beyond.

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"The most helpful aspects of Law Preview were time management, exam preparation, and the importance of the weekly review that you recommend. [4.0 GPA after the first semester.]"
Anonymous, New York Law School, Class of 2024
"Law Preview gave me everything I needed to succeed academically during 1L and throughout law school. Because of this academic foundation, I was able to work in large firms both 1L and 2L summer (which led to post-graduate employment), and interview for judicial clerkships. The legal research and writing aspect of Law Preview helped me to become a journal board member and to publish an article. It was also amazing to have a network of other Law Preview students to connect with at the early stages. Looking back, my law school experience gave me everything I could have hoped for personally and professionally and it’s all thanks to Law Preview. Thank you Don for creating this amazing program!"
Jo G., Washington University School of Law, Class of 2021
"I know that the skills Law Preview taught me made my first semester of law school successful and manageable. As you are well aware, law school is a unique and stressful environment, a mystery to those who have not experienced it. Law Preview demystified it for me. As a result, I knew how much time I should spend studying and when, what I should focus on, and how I should balance my classwork with other obligations. I did not have to waste precious hours acquiring this knowledge by trial and error. Additionally, Law Preview’s engaging professors introduced me to the substantive material I would encounter in my courses and made me excited about what I would learn in law school. Through its courses Law Preview gives incoming law students the tools they need to succeed in their first year and beyond."
Frances K., Mitchell Hamline School of Law (formerly William Mitchell College of Law), Class of 2013
"As a recipient of a scholarship to attend Law Preview, I was so grateful to have this resource available to me before starting law school. Once I started classes, it was so great to recognize a case that had already been explained to me, and to be able to see the big picture from day one. Attending Law Preview also helped me to demystify so many of the new terms that come with starting law school, from “briefs” to “write-ons” and more. It made me feel more confident starting off, and allowed me to focus on the right parts of each daily class and each course as a whole. [3.7 GPA after first semester]."
Anonymous, University of Southern California School of Law, Class of 2023
"If I hadn’t taken this course I would have been absolutely railroaded by my classes."
Matt E., Stanford Law School, Class of 2021
"Law Preview gave me exactly what its name implies, a preview of what to expect at law school."
Charles W., Florida State University College of Law, Class of 2011
"Law Preview taught me to engage the law in the text, rather than just sorting through it to find answers for the Socratic method. Overall I enjoyed and benefited from your program–all of the advice was spot on."
Anonymous, University of Cincinnati College of Law, Class of 2012
"Law Preview was a great experience that certainly helped me excel in my first semester. My law school does not rank students but I am thrilled (and surprised!) to report I got an A in two out of my three classes – an honor that only goes to the top 5-10% of the class. Law Preview helped me achieve such success by introducing me to the core, fundamental doctrines and important cases that frequently appeared on my final exams."
Anonymous, Columbia University Law School, Class of 2011
"Law Preview did introduce me to course material and case briefing. Clearly, I did a nice job on my exams and have a good GPA. I think following the Law Preview schedule certainly helped."
Matthew S., Washington University School of Law (St. Louis), Class of 2011
"I felt that it prepared me to know what was coming at me in the fall semester. I had a good understanding of the timelines and the dates that I needed to schedule for myself in order to be successful in my first semester."
Anonymous, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, Class of 2021
"I am happy to report that I just received my last grade and have an overall GPA of 4.15 at Albany Law! Better than I could have even dreamed of (and pretty good for having 2 small kids!). I just wanted to say thank you- the info I received in law preview was a huge part of knowing how to study and what to do to get where I wanted to be. I just wanted to say thank you- the info I received in law preview was a huge part of knowing how to study and what to do to get where I wanted to be."
Paige F., Albany Law School of Union University, 2021
"I felt more prepared walking into my first day of law school knowing I had spent a week being introduced to the conditions and demands of law school. Law school was not as overwhelming as I believe it would have been, if not for Law Preview."
Ashliegh F., Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Class of 2022
"It was fabulous, and really realistic about how much was needed for certain placements in class rank. If I followed their advice to the letter I think I could have made the top percent."
Taylor B., Boston College Law School, Class of 2012
"Good overview of course topics, however Law Preview most importantly provided a great intro. to the homework and readings that you will face. It was friendly introduction to the Socratic method, and a great confidence boost going into the semester."
Jascha C., New York University School of Law, Class of 2012
"Law preview helped me to know what to expect starting law school. The studying methods were especially helpful. I used the suggested final exam study schedule and would not have done as well without that knowledge."
Megan S., University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law, Class of 2023
"I strongly believe my Law Preview experience allowed me to go into law school feeling familiar with the central topics of each doctrinal class. Having this feeling of familiarity, it allowed me to not stress. Not only that, I was able to manage my time extremely well due to the tips we learned during Law Preview. I took on other responsibilities during the first semester, but because I was able to balance them all in addition to school, I was able to finish the semester with Honors in all three of the fall doctrinal classes. Thank you, Law Preview!"
Anonymous, Northeastern University School of Law, 2021
"I can’t explain how much I believe this program helped me. Because of my experience at Law Preview, I came into my first term feeling comfortable with the material and hit the ground running. As I met more and more students, I realized that I was so much more ahead of them in terms of preparedness. I followed the schedule that the Law Preview suggested and I felt that its flow helped me to do my daily work, study on the weekends and to manage my time effectively. Many of my friends would come to me seeking advice or help with their briefs because they saw how streamlined my own process was. As the term went on I began to realize week after week how much the program really helped. And as I came into week ten I did not feel as stressed as most students. While they were spending late nights in the library trying to catch up and write their outlines; I was simply reviewing and developing strategies on how to attack my exams. I felt that the study tips and suggestions they gave at the Law Preview not only helped with learning content, but managing the stress of first term. Not that I wasn’t stressed, but I was substantially less freaked out/emotional than many other students. I would highly recommend this program to anyone interested in going to law school. To put it quite plain, I would call home and tell my parents all the time how thankful I was that I made the decision to attend the Law Preview. [Ranked 51 out of 325]."
Anonymous, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Class of 2012
"University of Miami doesn’t rank the 1L class until after the Spring Semester. However, I received a 3.75/4.0, which I was very pleased with. I definitely believe that attending Law Preview had a lot to do with my success. Law Preview taught me that is was necessary to put in more hours than I could have ever imagined. Without knowing that it takes that type of effort to do well I may have never put in the extra time, because I did not see all my peers spending that much time on a day to day basis. At times it did feel as if the tips from Law Preview created another source of stress, because it was hard to keep up with the Law Preview schedule. However, when it was all said and done I have to contribute a large portion of my success to what I learned at Law Preview."
Anonymous, University of Miami School of Law, Class of 2011
"As an international student, it helped me to become acquainted with the methods of learning, taking accurate notes and briefing cases, which proved to be essential to every class I have taken and do obtain great grades. I’m proud to report that after my 1L year I was invited to join the CUNY Law Review."
Nelly O., City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, Class of 2022
"Law Preview on demand was a great choice for me as an evening law student working full time. I wasn’t able to take off for a week of in-person Law Preview, but I could fit On-Demand into my schedule. Law Preview helped me go into my first year of law school with confidence by teaching the basics of the core 1L subjects, case briefing, and what to expect from my professors. I even spoke with Don Macaulay over the phone and he helped me figure out how to structure my study schedule around work and other commitments for the first semester. All of this preparation helped me come out of my first semester with an A average. Overall, I couldn’t be happier that I decided on Law Preview!"
Samantha K., University of Maryland School of Law, Class of 2022
"I’m not sure of my final class rank, but my GPA is 3.73. I’m so pleased with the outcome, and I feel Law Preview had a huge impact on my accomplishments. I knew exactly what to expect and when to expect it. The practice at case briefing was particularly valuable and having an opportunity to experience the Socratic method helped tremendously when I was called to perform for the FIRST case on the FIRST day of Contracts. Finally, having an overview of all the classes gave me great confidence that I would not get lost during the first semester. I referred back to my Preview notes as I was preparing for midterms and finals for extra pearls that helped me to excel on exams. All the Instructors at your course were OUTSTANDING. And what a pleasure to be taught by Professor Farnsworth himself! Thanks so much. I would take the course again in a heartbeat."
Anonymous, Western State University College of Law, Class of 2013
"I am a 1L at UCI Law, I was a student in Law Preview for the online session last year. Guess what? First-semester 1L grades finally posted, and I got a 3.93!!! I really think my time in the Law Preview course was integral to my success. Thanks again for creating such a unique program!"
Patrick R., University of California, Irvine School of Law, Class of 2022
"I will forever be thankful to Law Preview for my first year of law school success. I was prepared and calm the first day of school. I followed the calendar, posted the checklist in my room and just went from there. I was in the top 5% after the first semester and in the top 2% after the full year. I don’t think I would have this much success without Law Preview. I especially enjoyed the emails throughout the year that I received from Don…they kept me motivated and on the right track. Thank you so much Law Preview!"
Kamilla M., Florida Coastal School of Law, Class of 2013
"The best thing I got out of Law Preview was the practical advice. Part of being successful in any situation is strategy – learning how to maneuver within the circumstances. Law Preview was a great strategy resource. Law School is a foreign world, and knowing what to expect before you ever get there is a huge asset. Most people are totally baffled and have no idea what to do, but I felt a little more confident and had a game plan when I went in. I also really appreciated having some idea of how to approach my exams during the first semester. I got A’s in all my substantive classes, including the high grade in Contracts that was 15% above the second highest score. Thanks for everything! [Ranked #5 out of 266 after first semester]."
Anonymous, University of Houston Law Center, Class of 2013
"The study schedule set out was exactly what I needed, and something nobody else was doing. By finishing the reading early, I was able to better prepare my outlines well in advance of exams. Knowing how to brief on day one put me on the fast track to the top of my class. I am the recipient of the Highest Grade distinction in Law Skills, and received A, A, B+, B+."
Madelaine K., University of Richmond School of Law, Class of 2011
"Law Preview provided me an outstanding overview of my 1L curriculum and allowed me to grasp the big picture of each course far earlier than I would have otherwise. The professors were really helpful and covered some of the most fundamental and hard to grasp topics in 1L courses, which I really appreciated when they came up the second time around and I was already well-prepared to deal with them. Thanks to Law Preview’s overview, from the moment that classes started I knew how to manage my time, which proved invaluable when reading period began and I was ready to invoke Law Preview’s exam preparation strategies right on schedule. By having a firm background on the basics, I was also able to make time to get a head start on the 1L summer job hunt, which allowed me to secure a position with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York, my first choice job. I would definitely recommend this class to any incoming law student! Thank you for an outstanding class."
Corey B., Harvard Law School, Class of 2013
"Law Preview was a great introductory class. I could feel the law school environment in advance and can be more prepared than others. The 1L mastery classes were super helpful during the semester as well. I used the video mainly for review purposes, and it really helped me understand the whole structure of each course and prepare my outlines. [3.75 GPA and Top 15% after the first semester]"
Anonymous, George Washington University Law School, Class of 2023
"Law Preview laid the foundation for my study routine. Coupled with Barbri Mastery, I tried to adhere as closely as possible to Don’s schedule for reading, briefing, etc. Demystifying 1L was immensely helpful and I encountered many of the cases I read during Law Preview. It goes without saying that reading cases in advance is tremendously beneficial. Moreover, having a concrete process for briefing allowed me to hit the ground running for the first semester."
Anonymous, Georgetown University Law Center, Class of 2024
"At the beginning of school, Law Preview helped me feel comfortable in my classes because the cases we brief in Law Preview were almost all used in class. Having already briefed those cases and pinpointed the relevant law helped considerably at first. However, probably the biggest benefits of Law Preview were large scale. Having some idea of how and what to outline is important, and I didn’t find myself horribly behind when November rolled around like many people."
Anonymous, University of Oregon School of Law, Class of 2012
"Law Preview made all the difference for me. As a first generation law student, I wasn’t sure what to expect in law school. Law Preview took away all that fear and set me up for success – I earned a 3.93 GPA during my 1L year!"
Josh V., University of Texas School of Law, Class of 2022 (transferred to Harvard Law School)