There are many factors to consider when deciding which bar review course you would like to take. In an effort to help students with this decision, a Colorado Law research assistant undertook efforts to establish facts regarding cost, style, and resources of the top three most commonly used commercial review companies. The information was obtained through company websites, communications with company representatives, and interviews with recent bar takers. This chart is meant to provide a broad overview. Students are encouraged to verify any information they find important with the company they choose.
| 听 | BARBRI | Kaplan | Themis |
| Base Cost | Listed Price: $2,995. Includes the cost of materials.
$25 materials shipping fee. Some students have gotten this fee waived. |
Listed Price: $2,745 for Live; $2,495 for On-Demand.
Books require a deposit of $275, which is refunded once they are turned back in after the exam. $25 shipping fee. |
Listed Price: $1,695. Includes the cost of materials.
$25 shipping fee. Themis sends fewer materials compared to other prep companies because most of their content is designed for online access. |
| Promotions |
Discounts and deals vary. One recent deal was a $1,000 discount (bringing total price to $,1995) with $500 down payment. The cost of the course is negotiable. May offer credit for non-refundable deposits paid to other prep companies. |
Discounts and deals vary. One recent deal was a $500 rebate after the bar exam. Discounts are available for members of law journals. The cost of the course is negotiable. May offer credit for non-refundable deposits paid to other prep companies. |
$100 discounts for military, Law Student Division of the ABA, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, and the Military Spouse J.D. Network. Public interest sector employees making less than $60k pay $1,195. If a student paid a deposit with another company, Themis will credit it up to $250.听 |
| Pass Rate | 89% overall pass rate at Colorado Law for the July 2014 bar exam. 听100% of people at Colorado Law passed the July 2014 exam when they completed at least 75% of the course. | Between 82% - 84% overall pass rate at Colorado Law for the July 2014 bar exam. 100% of people at Colorado Law passed the July 2014 exam when they completed at least 90% of the course.听 | 93% overall Colorado pass rate for the July 2014 exam for first-time takers who completed at least 75% of the course.听 |
| Retake Policies | First-time bar takers may repeat the same course once for the same state the next time a course is offered without paying additional tuition, regardless of how much of the course was completed.
"Alumni tuition" (those who take a BARBRI bar review course in a second state or repeat a course more than once in the same state) is available for up to 5 years. Alumni tuition is currently listed at $2,595. |
Tuition-free courses are available for first-time bar takers who attended at least 90% of live or online lectures, and completed all of the assigned multiple choice questions, simulated exams, quizzes, required practice essays and personalized homework.
If a student did not reach 90%, they still may be able to obtain a discounted rate. |
First-time bar takers who sat for the exam and did not pass may repeat the course for the next administration of the same bar exam at no cost.
No minimum amount of course completion is required. |
| Lecture Delivery | Lectures are available online or in person. Students may attend live lectures in Denver which streams to a classroom in Boulder.
There is limited opportunity to ask questions during lectures, but students may reach the lecturer via phone after class. Lectures may be accessed through a mobile phone app. |
Live: Attend class at Denver Law, watch it live-streamed at Colorado Law, or live-stream from home. If you watch the live-stream, you can submit questions electronically. Not all questions will be answered. Students have access to all On-Demand videos.
On-Demand: Pre-recorded videos available online. Most of the course may be accessed through an iPhone app. Videos have speed up and slow down features (1.5X or 2X). |
Lectures are delivered exclusively online.
Lectures are provided in about 20-minute increments followed by assessment questions. Multiple speeds are available for viewing lectures (1.5X or 2X). |
| Day to Day | Lectures run for 4 鈥� 5 hours per day, 5 days per week. As you listen to the lecture, you fill in the blanks in the outlines for that subject area. Each professor has taken the bar in the state that you are studying for. After the lecture, many people study 4-6 more hours a day (some people take weekends off, some people spread it out more). The three main steps are (1) prepare for class, (2) attend class, and (3) review after class. | Lectures run for 4 鈥� 5 hours per day, 5 days per week. As you listen to the lecture, you fill in the blanks in the outlines for that subject area. You then spend another 2 鈥� 3 hours on practice MBE questions/essays.
Note that while the Kaplan course for the July 2015 exam starts May 26th, there is a 6 day orientation prior to that which will cover how to use the program and deal with test anxiety. |
The schedule is designed for students to study for from about 8am 鈥� 5pm M-F, with review on weekends. That being said, students may decide to study for longer M鈥揊 and take weekends off.
Videos are watched along with a fill-in-the-blank outline. Once the video is finished, the user is asked to answer assessment questions. |
| Flexibility of Program | The Personalized Study Plan tracks your progress against everyone else taking BARBRI for your state and lets you know where you should be and by when to stay on track with your studies.
It also identifies areas of strengths and weaknesses and generates personalized homework to address weaknesses. |
The strengths & weaknesses guide is updated based on practice questions answered, and is broken down into sub-subjects.
Your daily regimen will include assignments that gradually become tailored to improve your weakest areas. |
Students may start exam prep as early as March for the July exam. The Directed Study schedule begins 8 鈥� 10 weeks before the bar exam. myProgress tracker keeps track of the assignments completed, and reveals progress relative to set goals and to peers. Directed Study offers the most structure, providing students with a list of tasks to complete each day. If the student misses a day, the dynamic calendar will re-orient the student's schedule. Flex Study allows the student to skip around. Students can switch between Directed and Flex Study mode. Students who appear to be falling behind will receive a call from their Adviser. 听 Every student is called at least twice, and in-person meetings with Advisers are available. |
| Essay Feedback | Immediate feedback through "essay architect," which tells you what you need to do to maximize your points.
Three graded essays are incorporated into the schedule. Students who want more than three graded essays can request. Feedback is provided by practicing lawyers. |
Unlimited access to personalized essay feedback by some one who has taken听the Colorado bar exam. Graded essays are returned within a maximum of 7 business days, with the average closer听to 2鈥�3 business days. There are also sample answers for all essays. Essays are equipped with a unique identifier which students can use to see what questions other students had about the听same essay. Alternatively, students can submit a request to talk with Academic听Support. | Unlimited essay grading available. The听course has 8 assigned graded essays.听Feedback is provided in ~48听business hours. Each student will have a听personal Attorney Adviser who grades听all submitted essays and will work with听the student to improve their writing听for the exam. The Personal Attorney Advisor also provides test taking tips, study strategies, information about the bar exam, and practical so听lutions to common essay writing errors in a weekly broadcast message. |
| Simulated Exams | One, simulated, full-day MBE;听results are compared to all other BARBRI course participants in the US. | One, full-day simulated MBE which reveals how many other students chose the听same answers that you chose. There are also two full practice exams the听week before the actual exam. | Simulated MBE at the halfway point and two weeks before the exam. |