"My first encounter with this exam took place in February
2000. In preparation, I signed up with one of the big bar review courses and
even temporarily relocated so that I could attend live lectures in Manhattan and
video lectures at satellite locations in NY and NJ. The course was pricey and my
concerns that 6 weeks would not be adequate preparation time for a foreign
trained attorney were met with reassurances. I felt like I was on a never ending
rollercoaster ride. Getting to the various lecture sites was time consuming and
stressful. I was overwhelmed by a boatload of materials and even though I was
doing 14 hour days, I was still short on time. At the end of the day, I was not
successful, although I had given it my all and even studied on the eve of the
millennium. Needless to say, I was traumatized by the experience and so
devastated by my low score that I put the exam on the back burner for 8 years.
On my next attempt, I decided to go with an online based course where, apart
from emailing in 5 essays to a mentor and doing MBE questions online, you were
basically left to your own devices. There were no lectures per se and so I was
responsible for making up my own notes and my own schedule which took many
hours. My notes were like works of art, highlighted, annotated and in
alphabetical order by topic. I had flash cards in different colors. I made up
crazy mnemonics. You name it, I did it. A similar kind of zeal went into making
my schedule. Every minute right up till the day of the exam was accounted for
which meant that any unplanned event threw the whole thing off and I was
constantly tweaking things. In short, I did many things that I later learned
were counterproductive according to the methods employed by Mr. Mumey’s course.
Having said that, my substantive knowledge improved considerably and this was
reflected in an exam score which was much higher but still not high enough to
pass. Ultimately, I was hampered by poor technique since I had not done enough
practice under timed conditions.
Despite this second disappointment, I decided to take the very next exam. I also
decided that I needed help and guidance and to that end started scouring the web
for information. That’s when I found the Celebration Bar Review Course’s web
site. I called Mr. Mumey and was impressed by his personal touch. He actually
answers his phone, and returns calls and emails promptly. He was sympathetic to
my plight but straight forward and focused on the task at hand and to my
surprise there were no high pressure sales tactics. Celebration’s passing
averages seemed very high and I remained skeptical until I noticed that the
testimonials on the website included the bar exam takers actual email addresses.
I wondered if this unique course that I’d never heard of could be the miracle I
needed.
After praying and consulting with my top adviser, Mom, I settled on the email
mentored course since I am fairly disciplined and had to work with a limited
budget. My advice is to assess yourself honestly when choosing from among the
various course options available at Celebration. If you conclude that you are
someone who needs extra supervision, then I would encourage you to take the
fully mentored course in which Mr. Mumey acts as a personal coach for the
duration of your exam study. What I liked about the course right from the onset
is that everything you have to do to pass is laid out in a schedule that is
provided for you. It was simply a matter of buckling up, doing the work and
checking off assignments as I went along which gave me a tremendous sense of
accomplishment. In terms of materials, the readings and lectures are concise and
manageable. I mastered the Celebration approach to essay writing and submitted
well over 10 essays to Joanne, my email mentor who was knowledgeable and most
importantly honest and constructive in her criticism.
Mr. Mumey’s methods might seem unconventional but I am proof that they work. Do
things his way. Take that leap of faith. There is nothing more heartbreaking
than failing an exam because of poor technique. The Celebration Bar Review
Course approach will give you the edge that you need to get maximum points in
all areas of the New York Bar Exam. After completing all of my assignments which
included reading, listening to prepared lectures, writing essays and MPTs and
completing hundreds of MBE question under timed conditions, I was ready.
In February 2009, I headed into the exam confident, well rested and secure in
the knowledge that I knew enough to pass and that I would have enough time to
finish. Mumey’s personal touch and exceptional service continued long after the
exam was done. Four days before the results came out, I received an email alert
from him and so on the day in question, I was composed and psychologically
ready. My hands were literally shaking as I opened the email. One word came into
focus, “CONGRATULATIONS”.
I will always be grateful to the team at the Celebration Bar Review Course
because I could not have passed without their expertise and guidance. I
recommend this course unequivocally."
Foreign Trained Attorney, Passed NY Feb 2009
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