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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"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 really helped me to find grounding and my bearings before starting law school. My first semester was far more challenging than anything else I have ever done, so knowing what was coming helped me greatly, and having earned a 4.0 has already set up up with great opportunities and a lot less stress! Thank you, Law Preview!"
Anonymous, Northwestern University School of Law, Class of 2021
"You owe it to yourself to protect your $100-200K investment in law school by taking Law Preview. Law Preview taught me how to study and take exams successfully, how to budget my time effectively, as well as a general overview of my core IL courses. More than anything, Law Preview gave me the confidence to know what to expect in law school the very first day I started. I finished my first year of law school near the top of my class, which allowed me to earn much-needed scholarship money as well as several summer associate offers from BigLaw firms. I truly believe Law Preview was a big part of my success during the first-year and I would recommend it to anyone going to any law school."
Omar O., University of Texas School of Law, Class of 2011
"Law Preview was the ‘Dummies Guide to Law School’ that I really needed. While the classes themselves helped give me a brief substantive overview, it was the organizational and study skills that I really appreciated. I was always prepared for class with the 2 day ahead approach but more importantly I was prepared for my exams because I had been studying all along and using the best study tools out there. Don kept telling us that everyone in our classes were going to know the exact same law going into the exam, but what was going to separate us from the rest of them was that we were going to know how to apply it because we hadn’t just been memorizing. Instead, we had been learning it, working with it, and wrestling with it from week one because of all the skills and techniques we learned from Law Preview."
Emily H., New England School of Law, Class of 2013
"Looking back after the conclusion of my 1L, I owe much, if not most, of my success to the skills and strategies I learned during Law Preview. The learning curve in law school is very steep, and Law Preview allowed me to enter school immediately prepared; knowing what I had to do to succeed. Following Law Preview’s steps throughout the year, I finished in the top 5% of my class, was admitted to my school’s Law Review and landed a summer associate position at one of the world’s most prestigious law firms. I can’t thank Law Preview enough and think it is an invaluable experience every incoming law student should take part in."
Terrence O., Boston College Law School, 2019
"It definitely made me feel more confident and aware of what was going to be expected of me in terms of workload over the course of the semester. I ended up getting the best exam in two of my doctrinals, and felt like it was in large part to the 2-day ahead reading schedule we learned in Barbri. I was never behind and felt equipped to tackle the semester with the tools I had learned! [3.97 GPA after the first semester]"
Anonymous, Northwestern University School of Law, Class of 2023
"Law Preview made me much more prepared for law school. The specific subject lessons were nice, but it was the overall lessons about preparedness and what to expect that helped me to not be blindsided when I got here. I can definitely say that the program paid off because after my first year I am ranked #15 out of 500 students in my class."
Michael S., University of Miami School of Law, Class of 2012
"I’m writing to thank you for the Law Preview course I took last summer. I was barely admitted into the school via wait list, and I had absolutely no studying skills before I attended Law Preview. Law Preview gave me an outstanding overview which helped me formed my study plans, so I knew exactly what to do, when to do them, and how to do them. What helped me the most was your lecture on the right attitude to go into law school with; I was able to maintain positive the entire semester even though at times it was frustrating and many things seemed to go wrong. Now I have an above 4.0 GPA: 2xA+,2xA, 1xA- after first semester, which puts me at about top 1-2%. Thanks again, couldn’t have done it without you."
Anonymous, South Texas College of Law Houston, Class of 2011
"I was able to begin law school with a basic familiarity of many topics and of the particular vernacular used in law school. Unfortunately for many of my classmates they were tossed into the deep end and told to swim."
Anonymous, University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2023
"I just wanted to thank you guys for the program – as an evening student I was already extremely nervous to tackle classes on top of everything else in life, but I went into my first year focused, ready to analyze and brief cases in a way that I wouldn’t have figured out on my own until halfway through the year. A good chunk of cases we read was stuff we’d already covered during the program! Following that great calendar that was sent out to us, I outlined early and was taking practice tests when everyone else was just starting to prepare to outline . . . and now at the end of my first year, I’ve got a 4.09 GPA and I’m ranked first in my class. You turned a difficult journey into a smooth one and I wanted to thank you!"
Anonymous, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, Class of 2011
"My school does not rank students, so I don’t know my percentile. But I am very pleased with my grades–almost all As. I know that Law Preview was particularly helpful in getting me into the right mindset from the very beginning. I already had a framework for each course, and it made it easier for me to see the big picture from day 1. This is where I feel I excelled past my classmates–my ability to understand the material thematically. I did not spend my first weeks struggling over minute, unnecessary details, or teaching myself the components of a brief, as others did."
Anonymous, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Class of 2011
"Latham & Watkins’ genuine commitment to diversity, inclusion, and excellence has had a tremendous impact on both my academic and professional career. In 2019, Latham gave me a scholarship to attend Law Preview prior to entering Stanford Law School — a truly unique opportunity that gave me the foresight to succeed in my first year of law school. The program armed me with the key concepts of the first-year curriculum and taught me how to prepare for classes and exams early, efficiently, and effectively. Based on my academic achievements, not only was I invited to join the Stanford Law Review, but I also joined Latham as a 1L Summer Associate and received an offer to return next summer (as well as Latham’s 2L Diversity Scholarship). I will be forever grateful that Latham invested ~$1000 in my academic success prior to starting law school — their initial investment in me has paid dividends. Law Preview clearly had a significant impact on my success at Stanford Law School. If law school were karate, Don Macaulay would be the Mr. Miyagi of the legal community."
Daniel K., Stanford Law School, Class of 2023 (President of the Stanford Law Review)
"Helped prepare me in a way that I didn’t even know I needed. There’s no way to be 100% prepared for law school, but Barbri gets you as close as you can possible get."
Anonymous, Temple University School of Law, Class of 2022
"Law Preview helped me feel confident in class, and sure that I knew what I was in for. I do not think I could have achieved an A+ in my contracts class without the help of law preview. Because I knew how to prepare and study for law school before I arrived I was well prepared to take the final that was 100% of my grade."
Anonyomous, University of New Hampshire School of Law, 2022
"Law Preview did just that- gave me a preview of my first year law school classes. Because of LP, I started the school year feeling better prepared, which in turn made me more confident. LP taught me the skills I needed to succeed in my first year. The study calendar which LP recommended was most helpful even if it was incredibly regimented because it made me stay on top of my studies."
Grace S., Golden Gate University School of Law, Class of 2013
"Law Preview was very helpful. I heavily relied on Don’s advice concerning my study schedule, not sweating over a summer internship, and also exam tactics. It was also helpful having the overview of courses. Law Preview gave me an idea of what to expect and confidence . . . I think it was a perfect program. I was skeptical about spending $1,000 on it, but it turned out to be worth every penny."
Stephen W., New York Law School, Class of 2011
"Law Preview prepared me for what I should expect with law school in regards to course load, outlining, type of people that will surround you, and how professors teach. ‘Law school’ sounds intimidating, but like with anything you do in life, to be successful you must prepare yourself. Law Preview is almost necessary, because why would you put your heart into something for three years, and not use a source like Law Preview to put you a step ahead of your peers? Law Preview should be considered an essential step to the Law School process if you want to be ahead of the competition, or help with the stress that comes with law school."
Ryan B., University of Baltimore School of Law, Class of 2013
"The most important thing about Law Preview, and this was something Don mentioned in passing in one of the videos, is the preliminary exposure to the material. There is no way to learn all of a doctrinal class in one sitting or even one week. But being exposed to the materials before law school allows them to be more easily understood the second, third, and fourth time your professors say it, you read it, or practice it on an exam. This made the biggest difference because I was already able to connect different lessons from my classes before my classmates which made the big picture easy to understand and outlines easy to create. As a result, I got the third-highest grade in my contracts course and ended with an overall GPA well above median at my school. [3.63 GPA after the first semester]."
Anonymous, Duke University School of Law, Class of 2024
"Law Preview helped ease my anxiety tremendously. I walked into class knowing how to case brief, using many of the same cases I’d see later in my textbooks. It prepared me for the workload, helped me set realistic expectations, and it really was a preview of what my 1L experience would be like. At the end of this first semester, my GPA is 3.87 on a 4.0 scale and I know Law Preview helped me hit the ground running!"
Samir C., Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Class of 2023
"Law Preview gave me the perspective I needed to hit the ground running and reach my goals. While my classmates were still trying to figure out what was happening, I was well into my outlines. At the end of the semester I knew how to use the outlines to write excellent exams because I knew what to expect."
Janet L., University of North Carolina School of Law, Class of 2021
"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
"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
"Law Preview helped me create a plan to manage my time and stay on top of my work load. I especially thought that Law Preview’s recommendation of outlining each Sunday was particularly helpful and not something I would have thought of."
Anonymous, Rutgers University School of Law, Class of 2013
"Law Preview not only gave me a head start into the substantive material of first year courses but also study skills, timelines, and personal expectations that my classmates spent weeks trying to figure out at the beginning of the semester."
Lauren Z., New York Law School, Class of 2022
"I felt as best prepared as I possibly could have been for my first year. I knew what I needed to do to be successful and feel proud of my performance and efforts. It was helpful starting law school with an idea of how to read cases and knowing I needed to outline my courses well before exams. My school does not have rankings, but I know I am towards the top of my class."
Anonymous, CCity University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, Class of 2013
"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
"I felt more prepared because I knew what to expect. I think the class made me feel more confident in my ability to meet the challenges of law school. I would definitely recommend the class to any incoming law student!"
Anonymous, Columbia University Law School, Class of 2013
"Before starting law school I had no idea what a case brief was or what to expect in law school. After taking the Law Preview course all of my anxieties were gone and I was confident that I could excel in law school. The recommended reading and outlining schedule helped me organize my time (which is one of the hardest things to master during your 1L year) and the e-mail reminders throughout the year gave me the guidance I needed to put my best foot forward in law school. Furthermore, the hornbooks I received from the program helped me master my 1L classes. My high grades from 1L year were undoubtedly influenced by my experience in the Law Preview course and I would definitely recommend that prospective law students take this course."
Camilla G., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 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
"The Chicago Law Preview course prepared me how to study right and stay on track during my first year. Finishing my 1L year in the top 10% of my class was something I could not have done without working hard and following the guidelines given to me in the Law Preview course. Now, going into my 2L year, I have a foundation of great grades and am confident I will be able to get the job I want after graduation."
Chris E., Michigan State University Detroit College of Law, Class of 2012