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 gave me the confidence to know that hard work could pay off in law school. During the first semester, law students often hear the cliche, Study smarter, not harder. Unfortunately, nobody really tells us what that means. Law Preview gave an actual playbook to success. If a student follows Don’s schedule and stays consistent during their first semester, they will succeed. The first semester of law school will test your abilities as a student both mentally and emotionally. Therefore, gaining the knowledge and confidence to know what success in law school requires makes taking the class worth it."
John C., University of Southern California School of Law, 2022
"Law Preview gave me my first insights as to how my life would be as a law student. Because I was guided on the amount of studying and work I needed to execute, I could first focus on orientation. I felt prepared for taking tests and my study schedule was set before classes even started, so the only real worry I had was studying my course curriculum. I felt at ease entering law school and throughout my first semester. I finished my 1L year with a 3.66 GPA and a spot on the Hofstra Law Review and Moot Court Board."
Rebecca H., Hofstra University School of Law, Class of 2022
"A year after completing the Law Preview program I am an articles-editor on my school’s Law Review, an extern with the enforcement branch of a federal agency, and sitting pretty with a GPA I’m too polite to share. I am confident that I wouldn’t have accomplished all of those things if it wasn’t for the instruction I received during my week of Law Preview."
Raimund S., American University, Washington College of Law, 2022
"Having come from an atypical background for a law student, I had very little idea what to expect from law school, other than its general difficulty. Law Preview gave me solid expectations and the tools (especially the calendar) to maintain a high level of focus, productivity, and time management that allowed me to succeed. I have no doubt Law Preview led to my high GPA and my placement in what is historically the 10% of the class during an incredibly competitive year. I would (and have) recommended Law Preview to any prospective law student."
Sam N., Boston University School of Law, Class of 2024
"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
"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
"Law Preview gave me the background of legal education that I didn’t learn right away at law school. It gave me a head start and made me feel confident in knowing what to expect by showing me the big picture of legal education. I probably would have felt very lost my first few weeks at school if it weren’t for my experience at Law Preview."
Katie P., University of St. Thomas School of Law, Class of 2011
"Law Preview gave me a realistic idea of how much work would be required to achieve high grades in law school. I found the introduction to the first-year course work to be extremely beneficial and found myself ahead of some colleagues who did not experience Law Preview."
Carrie D., UIC, John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Class of 2012
"I came in feeling comfident in my ability to brief cases and Barbri taught me how to read cases. The learning curve was still very steep, but I went in feeling like I had already dipped my toes in over the summer before plunging in head first. Many of the cases we covered in Barbri were also covered in my class, which was very helpful too."
Anonymous, University of Michigan Law School, Class of 2022
"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
"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
"I honestly believe that without Law Preview, I would not have finished my 1L year in the Top 6% of my class. I was able to hit the ground running while most of my classmates were just trying to not be overwhelmed. The head start Law Preview provides allowed me to earn the highest grade in two classes and a spot on my school’s Law Review."
Caleb T., New England School of Law, Class of 2022
"It gave me the confidence to approach each class with an open mind and a solid foundation to start with."
Darryl B., New York Law School, Class of 2022
"Law preview helped me hit the ground running with regards to my study schedule and outlining. It also gave me an edge on what to look for when reading a case. I finished my first semester with a 3.628 and an A in our 4 credit Torts class!"
Anonymous, Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, Class of 2019
"Overall, Law Preview took away much of the anxiety other students typically experience in their first year. With an overview of the first year courses, there weren’t that many surprises. Law Preview also helped me develop a sensible schedule to tackle the heavy workload for the first year. Additionally, the portion of the course on taking law school exams was especially helpful. While I knew what to expect, and I could plan accordingly, many other students had no idea what a law school exam was like or how to prepare. I feel like Law Preview gave me an advantage, particularly in the first semester."
Jason E., Texas Tech University School of Law, Class of 2013
"As a first-generation law student, I had no idea what to expect from law school. I knew about cold calling and I knew vaguely that classes would be competitive. However, I did not know what exams were like, what day-to-day classes and studying would look like, how I should structure my semester, what classes would be taught, or what mattered for my resume (i.e. Journal). Law Preview taught me everything I needed and more to feel comfortable starting law school and not like a fish out of water. Had I not taken Law Preview, I would have felt incredibly uncomfortable starting school, hearing others talk about briefing cases and outlines for classes and Law Review. It was all a foreign language to me, before. At the end of my 1L year I earned Dean’s List Honors and was invited to serve on the Law Review. The biggest asset you can have going into 1L year is confidence and a sense of comfort. Law Preview gave me exactly that."
Summer Z., Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, Class of 2022
"Without Law Preview, I would have had no clue what to expect from my first semester. Instead, I felt a step ahead of all the other students. I had a plan of action to attack all the work, and I knew what the professors were looking for in classes. The price paid for Law Preview paid off. I ended up in the top ten percent of my class after the first semester with A’s in three out of my five classes."
Anonymous, University of Kansas School of Law, Class of 2011
"Law Preview was very instrumental in enabling me to be successful in my first year of law school. Not only did the course help prepare me for the rigors of the 1L curriculum, but it gave me a level of confidence walking into my first law school class that many of my peers did not acquire until well into the semester. While nothing can completely prepare you for the amount of hard work that it will take to out perform many of the other success driven people that will be sitting next to you in your law school classes, Law Preview comes pretty close. I finished my first year of law school ranked #10 (Top 5%) in my class, and I just received an invitation to become a member of my school’s law review. There is no doubt in my mind that attending the Law Preview course was a significant factor in helping me to achieve these results. Law Preview’s exam taking strategies, success tactics, and course overviews were all invaluable aids to me throughout my 1L year."
Antonio A., Texas A&M University School of Law (formerly Texas Wesleyan University School of Law), Class of 2012
"Law Preview really helped put into perspective what the first semester of law school would be like. The substantive overview of each core first year class really prevented me from feeling lost or overwhelmed, the study calendar helped me know when and how to study, and the materials on exam writing are absolutely invaluable. Law Preview is the difference between drowning and succeeding your first semester."
Amelia D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law, Class of 2012
"It was great. Definitely helped first semester. But it’s a two part game. I’ll let you know how this all went after second semester."
Anonymous, University of Maine School of Law, Class of 2022
"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
"Helped me understand what i was in for, what was expected of me, how to best outline and when to start in the semester so I got it done early. [3.68 GPA after first semester]."
Anonymous, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Yeshiva University, Class of 2023
"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
"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
"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 prepared me to excel in my first semester. I have my undergraduate degree in nursing. Nursing school and law school are nothing alike. Had I not completed the Law Preview course I know I would have spent the first 8 to 10 weeks figuring out what was going on and trying to understand what the professors were talking about. Knowing in advance what a case brief was, how to complete one, how to immediately begin outlining each of my classes, and other basics of how material is presented in law school helped me tremendously. I felt much more confident in myself and my grades were definitely higher than what they would have been without Law Preview."
Natalia S., Mitchell Hamline School of Law, Class of 2022
"I was out of school for several years before returning to law school. Law Preview helped me get back into the student mindset and helped prepare me for what to expect in the law school classroom."
Anonymous, Yale Law School, Class of 2012
"The Law Preview course was one of the most helpful resources I could have asked for in starting this journey. As I took Law Preview over the summer, I thought the content was very helpful in introducing me to law school culture, managing my expectations of timing and capacity, and encouraging me to complete all outstanding to-dos prior to starting. However, I had assumed my Orientation at UChicago would be somewhat duplicative to the course. I was surprised and subsequently so grateful when I realized Law Preview’s orientation was eons ahead of that UChicago’s orientation and was on an entirely different playing field. I’m on Week 4 of classes and I could not say enough how much Law Preview has been a game changer. I am briefing all my cases, using the strict schedule to ensure I feel balanced, and continuing to rely on BARBRI resources to supplement outlining and class prep. Somehow, I’m also finding time to connect with professors during and outside office hours, utilize university resources and attempt virtual networking with classmates. I was prepared to walk into law school feeling a little like I was punching above my weight, but Law Preview has left me feeling empowered and like I have a leg up on most of my classmates."
Kristen P., University of Chicago Law School, Class of 2023
"Law Preview taught me the habits that I used to succeed during my first semester of law school. Had it not been for the class, I would not have understood the importance of briefing cases, integrating my notes from class with my initial notes, and outlining, and how these practices impact performance on the final exam. Because I knew how imperative it was to discipline myself into practicing these strategies on a daily basis, I was able to stick to an efficient schedule that ultimately produced successful results."
Monica C. Georgetown University Law Center, Class of 2021
"Law Preview was critical in giving me the strategic advantages that allowed me to excel during the 1L year. Many of my colleagues did not realize the correct pacing and preparation schedule until it was far too late. I appreciated Don’s realistic and blunt advice about the difficulties you will face during the first year. Law school is about hard work and proper preparation, and Law Preview made this unambiguously clear through the Strategies for Academic Success sessions, as well as the experience of preparing for the mini-courses at Law Preview. . . . Last, and maybe most important, I left Law Preview excited to start school. When the year began I was able to step through the doors with the confidence of having an explicit and detailed plan about what was going to happen. Carrying through with the Law Preview schedule allowed me to go into exams confident, relatively stress-free, and somewhat rested. While this it was not a particularly fun experience to go through finals, I know that my experience was far better than most. [Ranked top 1% after first year]."
Anonymous, Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington, Class of 2011