Law Preview reviews

Our alums explain how Law Preview has helped thousands of incoming 1Ls become top law students

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.

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"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
"University of Miami doesn’t rank the 1L class until after the Spring Semester. However, I received a 3.75/4.0, which I was very pleased with. I definitely believe that attending Law Preview had a lot to do with my success. Law Preview taught me that is was necessary to put in more hours than I could have ever imagined. Without knowing that it takes that type of effort to do well I may have never put in the extra time, because I did not see all my peers spending that much time on a day to day basis. At times it did feel as if the tips from Law Preview created another source of stress, because it was hard to keep up with the Law Preview schedule. However, when it was all said and done I have to contribute a large portion of my success to what I learned at Law Preview."
Anonymous, University of Miami School of Law, Class of 2011
"I was in the New York Law Preview class last year, and I just wanted to say thank you. I received grades and my rank [#1] within the last month, and I am 100% sure that it was the methods and reassurance that I received from the program that helped me so significantly throughout the school year. Not only did I do extremely well in my first year, I also earned an opportunity to be a summer associate at King & Spalding — the firm that offered me a full-tuition scholarship for the program. I will forever sing the praises of this program."
Valecia B., Howard University School of Law, Class of 2017
"Law Preview really helped to acclimatize me to law school and put me on the right track to performing very well on my first-semester law school exams. [4.0 GPA after the first semester]"
Anonymous, New York University School of Law, Class of 2024
"Law Preview really helped me to understand how to take notes in class and study for finals, which was very different from my undergraduate study methods. As a first-generation student, I had no idea how law school worked or what kinds of things I should get involved in, so Law Preview was immensely helpful."
Anonymous, Yale Law School, Class of 2023
"Law Preview was great for two reasons. First, the classes were a good way to get my feet wet. There was enough content that I did not feel blind walking into any of my classes, but not so much that I felt I would not remember it. The overview style was perfect because it pierced the veil of the opaquely named Property, Contracts, and Torts. Second, and more importantly, the scheduled approach to the semester and the exam-taking techniques were highly effective. I wasted no time in trying to figure out what my approach would be. My grades were just a validation that it worked and that I should repeat exactly what I did last semester, which was exactly what Law Preview spelled out. I am very grateful that I am not in a position where my approach last semester did not work and I am left trying out another untested approach. This is, of course, thanks to Law Preview."
Thomas G., Washington University School of Law (St. Louis), Class of 2023
"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
"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
"Law Preview was a great way to get ahead of the curve and understand the basics before arriving for my first day of classes. It was especially helpful in understanding how to prepare for class and participate in class discussions as to get the most out of class. I am very proud of the grades I achieved as a result of my hard work in Law Preview and throughout the fall semester. I would recommend Law Preview to all incoming 1Ls!"
Shelby H., University of California, Hastings College of Law, Class of 2024
"Your class helped me feel prepared for my first semester. Thanks a million"
Emmet P., UIC, John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Class of 2013
"Law Preview (LP) gave me the confidence I needed to handle the pressure of the first semester of law school. Using LP’s schedule and techniques for reading and briefing cases made the workload completely managable and the weekly review sessions were critical to retaining the knowledge accumulated throughout the semester."
Anonymous, University of Oklahoma College of Law, Class of 2011
"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
"Law Preview made me feel comfortable walking into my first day of law school and knowing that I had a distinct advantage over my fellow classmates. Instead of spending valuable time figuring out how I was supposed to approach my courses, I was already assessing the material in a way that prepared me most effectively for exams."
Anonymous, Pepperdine University School of Law, Class of 2013
"I was really pleased with how Law Preview prepped me for my first semester! I knew exactly what I needed to do to prepare for classes, what to focus on in taking class notes, and how I should prepare for exams. While my peers struggled and floundered in the first few months trying to figure out how to read a case or write a brief, I was confident that I knew what to look for and it made it much easier to get more out of class from the very start and finish the semester strong. Also, the schedule suggested in terms of outline preparation really worked for me and gave me enough time to complete the outlines, consolidate them, and use them on practice tests. This familiarity with my outline in a test-like setting made all the difference in the world."
Anonymous, Georgetown University Law Center, Class of 2011
"Law Preview let me know what to realistically expect from law school. It was shocking to hear the amount of time required to excel in law school. But after hearing from many professors during law preview, I knew what to expect from day 1 which helped me stay ahead and prevent me from getting behind."
Anonymous, American University, Washington College of Law, 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 suggestions were really helpful about how to spend breaks and prepare for midterms and finals. The calendar was really useful to see how to spend my time. It was a good feeling to know walking in to school that I had seen some of the cases before and knew how to brief a case."
Jessica R., Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, Class of 2011
"The most beneficial part of Law Preview is that it prepared me by telling me what to expect and providing a great schedule. By sticking to the schedule, I never fell behind or felt completely overwhelmed. Because I briefed every case for all my classes I was always prepared. Law Preview’s advice about starting outlines early was probably the best advice because I was done with them by Thanksgiving when other students were just starting or way behind. That way, I had plenty of time to study my outlines before finals, which is probably why I did very well my first semester."
Anonymous, DePaul University College of Law, Class of 2011
"Law Preview impacted my study schedule and the daily hours I committed to each day – this was the biggest impact. I understood the dedication I needed to give and held myself to that high standard. Additionally, my GPA was the highest I ever achieved in a single undergrad semester, I attribute this to Law Preview’s frank and direct teaching on how to dedicate myself to achieve success."
Mary M., American University, Washington College of Law, Class of 2023
"Law Preview prepared me for what was coming and gave me good strategies for success."
Gabriel M., Charleston School of Law, Class of 2024
"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 gave me the confidence and the tool set to hit the ground running during the first semester. While other students were falling behind on the readings, not studying smartly, and fearing the inevitable Socratic exchange, I was confidently working (instead of struggling) through the semester. When finals arrived, I knew how to study, what to study, and had a great overall plan to arrive in a good spot at the end of the semester. I’m glad I took Law Preview before beginning my law school career. I would have been lost without it."
Dustin L., Southwestern Law School, Class of 2011
"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 has given me a firm foundation as to how I should approach my classes to do well. After attending LP, I was able to formulate an attack plan for law school such that when school actually started, I felt better prepared."
Anonymous, University of Chicago Law School, Class of 2022
"It made scheduling and not getting overwhelmed so much easier. [3.6 GPA after the first semester]."
Anonymous, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Yeshiva University, Class of 2022
"In addition to providing a great overview of each of my first-year classes, Law Preview gave me the confidence to believe that law school success is an achievable goal while eliminating fear of the unknown."
Jhanice D., Seton Hall University School of Law, Class of 2002
"Law Preview gave me the techniques that have allowed me to be successful my first year. [3.95 GPA after 1L year]."
Anonymous, SMU Dedman School of Law, 2022
"I would absolutely suggest Law Preview to any student about to enter law school, especially if you are looking to end your 1L year at the top of your class. When all of my classmates were confused on how to study for class, prepare outlines, or write exam answers, Law Preview was my guide. I felt comfortable and prepared going into exam time, and without Law Preview, I know this could NOT have been possible. Law Preview gave me a huge advantage over other students in my class. Further, I was able to have in-depth analysis and discussions with professors about our case material since I had already encountered it during Law Preview. I owe my successful 1L year, and a shot at transferring to a top-25 law school, to Don and the distinguished professors at the program. Law Preview is the best preparation any student could do before entering law school. Thank you!!! [Ranked #4 out of 126 students after the 1L year]."
Anonymous, Northern Illinois University College of Law, Class of 2013
"Law Preview was awesome! I learned how to prepare for class, study for exams, and take exams. The semester calendar was invaluable."
Anonymous, Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Class of 2011
"It was nice to have some of the fundamental cases under my belt for each class. The rigor of the class also helped prepare me for the workload I faced when I arrived at law school."
Anonymous, William & Mary Law School, Class of 2013