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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"It drilled into me the fact that grades are the most important thing the first semester–otherwise, I would have been lured into all kinds of activities that were advertised by the school. I’m so glad I didn’t–truly, grades are the only things employers seem to care about when it comes to the first semester. I also appreciated Don Macaulay’s lectures–they were super entertaining and all the study skills he shared came in very handy to me. I have a young child, so I didn’t quite ever do 12 hours a day, but I probably did study 8-10 hours every day because Don scared me into believing I wouldn’t be successful without spending those kinds of hours. And he was right! [4.3 GPA after the first semester]."
Anonymous, Santa Clara University School of Law, Class of 2023
"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
"The program definitely made the transition smoother going into law school. the briefs I had before helped and doing the work for the week at Law Preview gave me a taste as to what to expect so there were no surprises. Knowing how to study and take tests were also essential."
Stephen K., Emory University School of Law, Class of 2011
"Taking Law Preview not only gave me a great introduction to the basic first year law courses, it also gave me a realistic perspective of the kind of work that is required to finish in the top 10% of my class. I was able to land a job with a large firm after my first year and am currently preparing myself for a very successful career in law."
Kevin K., University of Akron School of Law, Class of 2011
"Law Preview helped give me the tools I needed to succeed the first semester with much less stress than most of my classmates. I knew so much about the processes and procedures of law school before going in which gave me confidence and peace. I didn’t have to spend valuable time learning how to brief or read cases. Admittedly, I didn’t end up following the reading or study schedule exactly and still did very well! [3.79 GPA after the first semester]."
Anonymous, Chicago-Kent College of Law—Illinois Institute of Technology, Class of 2024
"I think it helped me be better prepared for my classes and how to study for finals."
Anonymous, University of Southern California Law School, Class of 2022
"I went into my 1L year with my eyes wide open. I knew, like most students, that I needed to work really hard. However, I also knew how to read through a case book, how to prepare for class and how to pick out the most important stuff for my outline. I believe this helped me to use my study time effectively and this preparation paid big dividends. I ended up in the Top 5% of my 1L class and was invited onto the Houston Journal of International Law."
Jessie M., University of Houston Law Center, Class of 2022
"I am SO thankful I took Law Preview the summer before beginning law school. While I liked to think I had an idea of what to expect, the Law Preview courses prepared me to hit the ground running from day 1. The materials and professors were all top quality and with the help of the lectures and study suggestions I was able to earn three A+ my first semester and rank in the top 5% of my class."
Anonymous, South Texas College of Law Houston, Class of 2023
"The calendar was incredibly helpful and disturbingly accurate. The study schedule was useful in that it was an extreme to shoot for that kept me the right amount of ahead on my work. Reading some of the major cases before starting the class got me in the perfect mindset for reading. It was a head start that was greatly appreciated. The different perspectives on those cases provided by the professors also gave me some insightful ideas that I totally passed off as my own thoughts in class."
John O., American University, Washington College of Law, Class of 2022
"Law Preview made me feel comfortable walking into my first day of law school and knowing that I had a distinct advantage over my fellow classmates. Instead of spending valuable time figuring out how I was supposed to approach my courses, I was already assessing the material in a way that prepared me most effectively for exams."
Anonymous, Pepperdine University School of Law, Class of 2013
"It made me feel much more prepared for virtual law school. I went into the semester understanding exactly what I needed to do."
Franklin H., Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington, Class of 2023
"Law Preview got me ready to hit the ground running. Prior to taking Law Preview, I did not know how to do law school. In the course, I learned the methods I need to use everyday to be successful. I heard many people say they wasted time doing useless things first semester, thanks to Law Preview I avoided this."
Madison L., Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, 2022
"Great preparation for what to expect and the level of effort required for As."
Courtney G., University of Colorado Law School, Class of 2024
"Law preview provided me with the right mindset to approach day one of law school. I had an attack plan and knew what pitfalls to avoid because of the Law Preview course! [4.05 GPA after first semester]."
Anonymous, University of California, Hastings College of the Law, Class of 2023
"The course allowed me to enter the semester with greater confidence in my preparation than I would have had otherwise."
Homer L., Georgetown University Law Center, 2022
"Law Preview gave me the techniques that have allowed me to be successful my first year."
Anonymous, SMU Dedman School of Law, Class of 2021
"My GPA was a 3.78— 3 A’s, 1 B. I believe Law Preview gave me a head start. I was more comfortable in the learning process than many of my classmates."
Anonymous, University of Arizona James E. Rogers College 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
"Law Preview gave me the tools to exceed in my first semester, and heavily reduced my anxiety going into law school. From day one I felt like I had an edge that many other student did not, and received honors grades with a GPA of 3.33! I highly recommend this course to any 0L!"
Samantha J., Marquette University School of Law, Class of 2023
"Law preview provided me with the right mindset to approach day one of law school. I had an attack plan and knew what pitfalls to avoid because of the Law Preview course! [4.05 GPA after the first semester]."
Anonymous, University of Caliornia Hastings College of the Law, Class of 2023
"Don, I just wanted to thank you for starting the Law Preview course. I truly feel confident going into my first year at Georgetown Law. The advice and encouragement you gave me has relieved much of the anxiety and mystique around the law school process. No matter how my grades turn out, I at least know that I am mentally ready for the challenge. The overview Law Preview provides is second to none and I can’t wait to give you an update in the years to come! Please feel free to give my name to any potential students of Law Preview. THANKS AGAIN!"
Jeb W., Georgetown University Law Center, Class of 2004
"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
"Dear Don, I hope you are doing well. I wanted to thank you so much for all of your guidance and encouragement last semester. I am proud to report that I received 4 Hs and will be working as a 1L summer associate at [an AmLaw Top 5 firm] in New York this summer. I am so grateful to you and Barbri for helping me achieve these goals!"
Anonymous, Havard Law School, Class of 2024
"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
"I attended the Houston seminar at University of Houston in July 2010. I think the product you offer is excellent. Law Preview provided me with an advantage over my peers in a fair academic way. I would recommend taking the six day class to anyone entering law school. The class provided a foundation that allowed me to find clarity in the pile of case law assigned. The week before my Law Preview class, I read the entire prep book. I did not understand much of what I read, but I went though the exercise. I struggled to interpret the class discussions, but managed to stay focused. The six day work load was a serious grind, like a law school boot camp. While it may have been difficult, the course gave me exactly what I wanted out of it. It gave me a vision of what was to come. I was able to brace myself for impact and ride the turbulent wave through the first semester finish line. Even though preparation is key to success, hard work through out the semester is an essential element as well. My goal for this semester is to study more efficiently, to work smarter not harder. By finals in the fall, I was losing stamina. The work load started to wear me down and I may have wandered into the forest losing myself in the trees. In the end, I still managed to finish in a good place. This semester I have a new and improved game plan, but it is important to note that my original game plan came from Law Preview. Without this original game plan, I would have been lost in the trees from day one. Now, as my peers are wandering to a clearing, I am already crossing the field."
Lucas C., South Texas College of Law Houston, Class of 2013
"My school does not provide student rankings until the end of the first year. However, my current GPA (with 4 of 5 grades reported) is a 3.78/4.00. Law Preview certainly helped me achieve sucess in my first semester of law school. Probably the biggest benefit for me was that it made me feel comfortable with the material right from the start. It helped me keep my fears to a minimum and so I was able to learn and participate in class right from the start. Many of the cases we covered in Law Preview were cases that we covered in my classes. Having previous exposure to these cases made the transition a lot easier for me. While overall, the substantive law that I learned at Law Preview did not give me an edge, I was able to pick up what my professors were discussing more easily because it was not the first time that I had seen the material. It is an expensive program, but I think that it is worth it."
Melissa C., Roger Williams University School of Law, Class of 2013
"Law Preview helped me tremendously with my law school experience, especially the writing class. I felt more confident and prepared when I began."
Scott G., Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 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
"I am not ranked because I have yet to meet the credit hour threshold for being ranked (I am a part-time student). However, in 3 classes, I’ve managed to secure an A- in legal research and writing, an A- in civil procedure, and a B+ in contracts, amounting to a 3.556 GPA. The most important aspect I could say that I learned from Law Preview is how to brief and to ALWAYS brief your cases. . . . [T]he general discussions about law school (studying strategies, time management, success strategies, etc.) were invaluable."
Robert W., Charleston School of Law, Class of 2011
"I do not think I will ever be able to know how much Law Preview has helped me. It was by far the best investment I could have ever asked for. I would recommend it to anyone that is going to law school. I continue to step back and think, wow, I wonder where I would be without that class. It was just very eye opening and helpful in my first semester. I enjoyed the non-scary professors as a mini-icebreaker to the class. I also found all the tips very helpful. I may not remember all the terms that we discussed or went over, but I am familiar with the topics and this helps tremendously to get my arms around each class. Thanks again"
Lauren H., Nova Southeastern UniversityShepard Broad Law Center, Class of 2011