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.
"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
"It was nice to have a preview of the cases that we would read as 1Ls. I had a good idea of what to expect as a first year student before classes started. Every advantage is needed to be successful. You MUST hit the ground running. There are people who have been paralegals, federal investigators, etc. in law school, who have experience others may lack. Law Preview was instrumental in not starting at a disadvantage."
Chris B., Rutgers University School of Law, Class of 2011
"Last summer I was fortunate to receive a Law Preview Scholarship. The experience was particularly useful to me as a first generation law student. The class introduced me not only to doctrinal material from the first-year curriculum but it also exposed me to the law school nuances no one had told me about, like the Socratic method, briefing cases, and accessing prior exams as study aids. The benefits of being a Law Preview alum are numerous. I am still in contact with some of the students I met during the class. I also have access to Barbri webinars, which provide information on useful skills for the first year of law school and beyond, and the Job Network, which grants access to many of the law firm partners BARBRI has."
Carla L., Harvard Law School, 2020
"If it wasn’t for Law Preview my first semester would have been disastrous. It was a bear, but because of Law Preview, I was able to feel comfortable in the knowledge that I was prepared. And it worked! My first semester ended with a 3.80 GPA."
Ameena L., Mitchell-Hamline School of Law, Class of 2024
"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
"It helped me understand the rigor and intensity of the environment. I came in with a strong sense of urgency which helped me stay on pace."
Anna H., University of Miami School of Law, Class of 2023
"Law Preview gave me a good grasp on the different fields of law studied during the first year of law school. It also introduced me to famous cases and how to brief them, which gave me a monumental step up over my colleagues. [Ranked 10 out of 160]."
Anonymous, Florida International University School of Law, Class of 2012
"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
"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
"Since I just received my grades from the first semester yesterday, I do not know what I’m ranked yet, but I did get 3 As and 1 A-!! Law Preview definitely made a huge impression on my law school experience. The most important thing I took out of it was how much Don stressed to us that the 1st year matters the most. I always had that in the back of my mind at all times and that is what kept me going and striving to succeed. While everyone around me I felt complained about how hard it was and basically wanted to give up, I just kept remembering what Don said every day that once you get through the 1st year, the rest is easy! It also made me not want to settle for anything less than a 4.0 and so that’s what I worked toward and I’m extremely pleased that I have no regrets about the effort I put in because I did everything I could have possibly done. . . . I also benefitted from Law Preview in that it stressed the importance of taking note of the things professors said in class that other students would think were trivial because those actually can matter the most and always find their way on the exam. For example, my torts professor mentioned one small detail in class that a certain case (that we were required to look up on our own time) might be on the exam, and I was SO happy i took the time to do that because the facts and issue in that case were EXACTLY the same on the exam and worth 20 essay pts! I really liked all the professors that came and lectured at law preview as well. My favorite was Jody Kraus who taught us Contracts because although he was intimidating at first, that definitely prepared me for some of the professors I had last semester! (I also really appreciated Don telling us to make sure we were well-prepared for that lecture!) Whenever I was called on to recite in class I just kept thinking how Jody told us that even if you’re not sure what you’re talking about, SOUND confident, and that helped a lot. . . . I also really found the schedule Law Preview laid out for us very helpful because I think a lot of people go into law school not knowing what the average time commitment is and I just kept thinking 9 hrs a day and would try to aim for that! In the beginning of school, I was trying to do my homework for class the night before and then I realized that on the schedule we were given it said to do the assignments 2 nights in advance and that definitely was helpful!! Much less stressful that way. . . . More than anything, thank you Law Preview for being my motivation to strive for a 4.0 and constantly remind myself how important the first year grades are!"
Chirstina G., Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Class of 2012
"I’m not sure what my rank is. My school only ranks 1Ls at the end of the academic year. My grades after first semester were: A in Contracts, A in Crim Law and A- in Torts. The top 10% gets A’s and the next 15% get A-‘s. . . . I am very happy that I attended Law Preview for the following reasons: practice reading and briefing cases; having some briefs already written at the beginning of law school; knowing what some of the seminal cases are about in each subject area; getting it beaten into my head that I need to actually brief all the cases (which I did); doing the reading two days ahead so I never got behind, even if something came up; learning about reporter names, how to tell where a case is from, research strategies; having the confidence at the beginning of the semester that I knew what I was doing . . . Being in Law Preview was really exciting because it confirmed for me that I find the law interesting and that law school was the right decision for me. Also, having confidence at the beginning of the semester is a huge advantage. Even if by the end of the semester it seemed like everyone else was comfortable with the material, etc., I still think I benefited by being calmer/more confident right from the beginning."
Anonymous, Case Western Reserve 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 gave me the ultimate ‘heads up’ that I needed for law school. Don and all of the distinguished Professors tell you what nobody else will. During orientation and for several weeks after the semester began, it seemed everyone was running around without much of a clue of what was going on. Because of Law Preview, I already knew what I needed to do in order to focus solely on the important aspects of my courses. Law Preview pays off through every aspect of the first semester, and even beyond. I had my outlines complete by the time others were just learning how to get the most out of briefing a case. A small number of the students in my section even began to withdraw from classes during this time. Law Preview emphasizes methods that will help you stick through attrition. After the exams, many of the students were very worried about the grades they received. This was clearly the first time the others encountered receiving what they considered such low grades. Law Preview discusses this, so I was already prepared. . . . Law Preview clearly gives you the tools needed to cut through the confusion. They get down to brass tacks by clearly illustrating what we did and did not need to worry about."
Daniel S., Mitchell Hamline School of Law (formerly William Mitchell College of Law), Class of 2012
"It improved my preparation and gave me more overall understanding as a first-generation lawyer/student."
Aaron Y., American University, Washington College of Law, Class of 2022
"After a personal crisis during the middle of finals, my grades still came back the way I wanted them to because Law Preview had me studying throughout the semester, so I already had the knowledge I needed, and the loss of some study time did not cripple me."
Anonymous, Dickinson School of Law , Class of 2022
"Law Preview is an intense one-week course that gives you a real sense of what 1L looks like: It asks you to read fifty pages a day, make case outlines, and get prepared to be called on by instructors who are experienced professors from great law schools. I felt a lot of pressure when taking the course, but that is exactly 1L, isn’t it? Looking back, I cannot imagine what my law school journey would be like if I did not take the course. The study methods taught in the course helped me get good grades in 1L, and those grades played a crucial role in my applications for 1L and 2L summer internships. All start from that ‘painful’ yet amazingly productive week, so I cannot say enough how impactful it is to my law school journey and my legal career."
Han S., University of Washington School of Law, Class of 2022
"The program placed a lot of the important legal concepts and doctrines in my mind early in the semester. This helped shape and sharpen my thinking for my first year courses."
Jeffrey F., George Mason University School of Law, Class of 2011
"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 didn’t really know what I was getting into during my summer before law school. I read blog posts about case briefs and torts class but everything seemed daunting. Law Preview was a significant reason why I was able to be in the top 1-15% of my class. I am extremely glad I enrolled and I would highly recommend it for incoming law students."
Anonymous, George Washington Univ. School of Law, Class of 2024
"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 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 was better prepared for what to expect during my first semester of law school. Others were much more stressed; I knew what was important to focus my attention on, instead of getting caught up with all the minute details in every case. Finding old exams, outlines from upper-levels, and utilizing study aids when I needed them, helped me so much. With a 3 year old at home, the preparation and knowledge that Law Preview gave me was (and is) invaluable!! . . . Law Preview lowered my level of anxiety at the beginning of the school year. Many of my fellow students were stressed and overwhelmed right from the start. Law Preview gave me the tools I needed to balance school with my responsibilities as a mom. . . . I haven’t received my rank yet, but I do know that I made dean’s list! Thanks Law Preview!"
Elise L., University of Cincinnati College of Law, Class of 2011
"Law Preview provided me with an overview of how 1st year grades impact future employment and suggested strategies and techniques that helped me perform at my individual best. The substantive overview of 1st year courses provided invaluable context on what to expect prior to arriving in class. I referenced my notes from Law Preview frequently to remind myself of big picture concepts."
Josh H., Belmont University School of Law, 2019
"I would definitely recommend Law Preview to any incoming 1L. I found the subject lessons to be extremely helpful and many of the cases in the Law Preview book were also in most of the school casebooks. I also benefited greatly from the advice Law Preview gives about how to brief, study, and manage time. The continuing emails I received from Don were also very helpful and encouraging. I believe the program is very worth taking. After my first semester I earned a 3.75/4.0 GPA."
Anna K., University of Miami School of Law, Class of 2013
"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 was completely responsible for my ability to hit the ground running fall semester of my 1L year. I knew how to brief a case, how to approach outlining, and what to expect from exams. Armed with my study calendar, I jumped into my first year nervous but prepared. I think my 4.28 GPA was significantly helped by attending Law Preview and utilizing the tools it gave me. Shout-out to Don Macaulay, an MVP mentor who provides pre- and post-Law Preview guidance throughout your 1L year and beyond."
Susan P., Pepperdine University School of Law, Class of 2023 (transferred to Harvard Law School)
"Law Preview gave me both an introduction and an overview of all my first year courses that proved a strong foundation for the success I achieved."
David P., Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Class of 2021
"It made me more confident in the material and briefing in the beginning, and the review videos were a great review for the final. I definitely tried to work to the BARBRI time schedule as well to devote that many hours to school work."
Anonymous, Boston University School of Law, Class of 2024
"Definitely took the edge away. Law Preview helps you to understand the substantive law, but that is not truly its purpose. I feel like it takes the anxiety and the struggle away from the first year of law school. [Ranked top 10% after first semester]."
Anonymous, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, Class of 2012
"Law Preview expels the mystery that lies behind the first-year of law school. The program effectively highlights what it takes to navigate your first-year with success and confidence. LP revealed to me that success in law school depends greatly on your approach. The tips and tools that I gleaned through my time in this program were invaluable in that they gave me a how to navigate the first-year of law school that many of my peers were not as fortunate to have. I firmly believe that anyone who utilizes the LP approach and puts in the time and effort will find themselves at the top of their class and perhaps most importantly, find the law school experience to be enjoyable and satisfying."
Matthew G., Thomas Jefferson School of Law, Class of 2013