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.
"Law Preview kept me on course while my classmates seemed confused."
Joshua W., University of Arkansas Little Rock William H. Bowen School 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
"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 helped me make a very intimidating experience a little less daunting. Throughout the semester, I recognized many concepts and cases that were studied in the program. My understanding of, and ability to think about, legal issues were dramatically enhanced by the background I acquired through Law Preview. I am thankful for how the program helped me feel more confident going into my first semester of law school."
Eduardo K., Syracuse University College of Law, Class of 2024
"I attended Law Preview at the University of Pennsylvania Law School last summer. At the end of my first year I am ranked 3rd in my class, a member of both the Law Review and Moot Court team, have a summer job for a federal judge, and a job this fall for my legal writing teacher as a student instructor. Law Preview did an excellent job of providing me with all the tools I needed to survive — and excel — in my first year. They helped provide a ground basis for all my core classes, taught me how to take a law school exam and most importantly helped me develop a study schedule that allowed me to study efficiently, without having to pull one all-nighter. I would highly recommend Law Preview to anyone because the information they provide cannot be found anywhere else and it will help prepare you so you can actually enjoy your first year of law school."
Anonymous, Cleveland State University, Cleveland Marshall College of Law, Class of 2012
"I was prepared for the first few weeks of classes and I know what to expect from class. The biggest advantage was that I knew how to outline. The study guides recommended by Law Preview are truly the best ones and I used them a lot. Don Macaulay is wonderful! He is so helpful even after the course is over!"
Anonymous, Duquesne University School of Law, Class of 2012
"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
"I think Law Preview really helped give a foundation to what was going on. First semester was a little overwhelming, but it would have been a lot more so if LP hadn’t warmed me up to briefing, some of the material, research, and what to expect."
Jared M., University of Nevada Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law, Class of 2011
"It certainly worked well for my GPA! [3.72 GPA after the first semester]"
Anonymous, American University, Washington College of Law, 2023
"The week long course provided by Law Preview allowed me a glimpse into the world of being a first year law student. I knew ahead of time who I needed to talk to, when to buy books, what resources to look for, EXACTLY what to expect from class, and how to approach exam preparation."
Douglas H., University of North Carolina School of Law, Class of 2011
"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 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
"Hi Don, I just wanted to let you know I finished strong my first semester. Dean’s List, a 3.4 GPA — all A’s and B’s. Law Preview gave me the confidence I needed going in. I knew what to expect and had a huge advantage because of that. Than you so very much!"
Gayle B., Florida A&M University School of Law, Class of 2013
"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 comfortable with the course material and had a good idea about what the semester workload would look like thanks to the Barbri Law Preview."
Christina O., University of Texas Law School, Class of 2022
"Law Preview got me in the mindset to hit the ground running and keep the eye on the big picture."
Anonymous, Fordham University Law School, Class of 2024
"Law Preview boosted my confidence going into my 1L year. By the time the first day of classes rolled around, I felt like I already had a big picture idea of each core subject. At the end of 1L, I was invited to serve as an Editor of the Yale Law Journal and as a Submissions Editor of the Yale Journal on Regulation."
Kristin S. Yale Law School, Class of 2022
"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
"My school believes in maintaining a non-competitive environment and does not rank, however I will say that Law Preview was very helpful. Although I was not ranked in my class, I received 3 A-‘s for the semester and I am among the top 25 students in my year."
Anonymous, City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, Class of 2012
"Felt much more comfortable about what was going to be coming at me than I would have been otherwise."
Anonymous, New England School of Law, Class of 2022
"The first semester in law school picks up pretty quickly. Law Preview helped me to be prepared in regards to outlining and case briefing. I feel that this left me less overwhelmed than others."
Derya L., Fordham University School of Law, Class of 2021
"Law Preview was tremendous in helping me shoot out of the gate strong. From the first day I walked on campus I had a plan and a purpose thanks to LP. In addition to the organizational and structural advantages I had thanks to the schedule and preparation materials, I left LP with a sense of confidence. Law Preview really helped be demystify the law, in breaking it down into something practical and manageable. I also believe that the long hours during the program set my expectations for the amount of time and effort I needed to be successful, which led to a smooth and natural transition into the real thing. I would recommend this program to anyone who is entering law school, especially in this market where grades are EVERYTHING. [Ranked 5 out of 339]."
Anonymous, St. Mary’s University School of Law, Class of 2012 (transferred to SMU Dedman School of Law)
"Law Preview gave me a wonderful and literal preview of the doctrines, precedents and methods to expect in law school, bolstering and reigniting my passion for Law as an institution-and further dissuaded me of any fears I may have had about the horrors of 1L. The pace was somewhat grueling, but, well worth it-a good way to prepare for the grind of law school. . . . Special thanks to Professor Martin Flaherty and Professor Alexandra Lahav for Con. Law and Civ. Pro."
Joseph S., New York Law School, Class of 2012
"I went into law school knowing how to brief cases, knowing the language of the law and knowing the subject matter that was being presented. That was all extremely beneficial to me; however, the best thing about Law Preview is that I met my best friend and a familiar face in my law school section. He and I have helped each other through the semester, formed a study group with other students and relied on our Law Preview materials to help along the way. I was thankful for the experience and the people I met."
Beka P., SMU Dedman School of Law, Class of 2011
"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 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
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Looking back as I finish my 3L year, I wholeheartedly believe that Law Preview is the best antidote to the curse of assumed knowledge. Getting a primer on important doctrinal subjects in digestible but focused sessions—and being introduced to the Socratic method in a realistic but low-stakes environment—was exactly what I needed to prepare for my 1L year. Law Preview taught me concepts that soon become central to my life as a law student: how to brief, what an outline looks like, how to write an exam, and what a tort (disappointingly, not the dessert) is. And, as someone who had not known the ins and outs of law journals before Law Preview, I can confidently say that the program helped earn my spot on the Stanford Law Review. I honestly can’t imagine delving into my 1L year without having participated in the program. Beyond the academic head start, Law Preview helped me build a strong professional network. I met other law students committed to success headed to my school and schools across the country. I got a taste of several different first-rate professors’ teaching styles. And I became a part of the larger Law Preview network: I finally had folks in my corner. If I had to boil it down, Law Preview helped me start out on the right foot. Law school is intimidating. Maybe you can’t change whether you were born into a family of lawyers or whether you’ve spent years working as a paralegal, but you can change how prepared you feel to start. The key to that, in my experience, is Law Preview. If starting over, I would choose Law Preview again every time.
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Kat G., Stanford Law School, Class of 2021
"Thanks for your tips, advice, and class. It gave me the tremendous advantage of foresight, the knowledge of how to prepare for my first year, and the grave consequences of the alternative."
Chris W., New York Law School, Class of 2013
"I was able to achieve a 3.9 GPA during my first semester, and I was even asked to serve as a TA by one of my professors. I believe that my Law Preview course definitely contributed to my academic success so far, and I plan to continue applying Law Preview strategies for the rest of my law school career. I think the most important thing that helped me was being consistent about working hard throughout the semester. Law Preview’s email reminders and tips throughout the fall semester really helped keep me on track."
Anonymous, Columbia University Law School, 2019
"When I entered my first year of law school at The University of Florida School of Law, I was very happy with that opportunity. Although I was an ‘average’ student going in, I ended up doing very well — finishing in the top 2% of my 1L class. The success I enjoyed as a 1L at Florida allowed me to transfer to Harvard Law School, and that’s something that was certainly not an option I had prior to starting school. I definitely think that Law Preview was one of the reasons I did so well my first year. Law Preview gave me a process to follow and an understanding about how to study and absorb the material I’d be learning. In addition, the law professors who teach with Law Preview provided me with an overview of each of my 1L classes, so I had a good understanding about the material I’d cover throughout the year. Finally, learning how to take a law school exam and walk through Law Preview’s exam-taking strategies with a law professor from a top law school was a great opportunity and something that I truly appreciated; I was able to use these strategies many times throughout the first year of law school. I would recommend the Law Preview program to anyone — whether you are planning to go to a small regional school or a large national one. No matter what law school you attend, how well you do during your first year is going to dictate the job opportunities you’ll have in the end, which is why I think this program is really for anybody."
Mike P., University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law, Class of 2011 (transferred to Harvard Law School)