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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"I felt more prepared walking into my first day of law school knowing I had spent a week being introduced to the conditions and demands of law school. Law school was not as overwhelming as I believe it would have been, if not for Law Preview."
Ashliegh F., Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Class of 2022
"The study schedule set out was exactly what I needed, and something nobody else was doing. By finishing the reading early, I was able to better prepare my outlines well in advance of exams. Knowing how to brief on day one put me on the fast track to the top of my class. I am the recipient of the Highest Grade distinction in Law Skills, and received A, A, B+, B+."
Madelaine K., University of Richmond School of Law, Class of 2011
"Perfect score on my Criminal Law midterm, 4th highest grade on Contracts final, second highest grade on my torts midterm, other grades not yet released."
Shreya S., Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law, Class of 2022
"As an older student, Law Preview provided a good overview of what to expect, both in terms of law and in terms of rejoining the academic environment. In fact, my preparation for law preview alone by briefing 40 cases over the summer allowed me to hit the ground running. The professors at law preview were so good, that even though I have enjoyed my professors during 1L, I remember them fondly and wish I could take their law classes. [Ranked top 10% after first semester]."
Anonymous, University of Baltimore School of Law, Class of 2012
"[Law Preview’s] exam techniques and study tips were helpful [ranked #20 out of 400 after first semester]."
Anonymous, University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law, Class of 2011
"Law Preview was very helpful. I heavily relied on Don’s advice concerning my study schedule, not sweating over a summer internship, and also exam tactics. It was also helpful having the overview of courses. Law Preview gave me an idea of what to expect and confidence . . . I think it was a perfect program. I was skeptical about spending $1,000 on it, but it turned out to be worth every penny."
Stephen W., New York Law School, Class of 2011
"Law Preview helped a lot. Wish I would have taken it even more seriously [3.77 GPA after the first semester]."
Anonymous, Washington University School of Law (St. Louis), Class of 2023
"As someone who had been out of school for over 4 years before starting law school, Law Preview was a great mental exercise to get me back into the swing of being a student. More importantly, it gave me a sneak peak on what my 1L readings would look like, and gave me early practice of case-briefing. In addition, I didn’t have any family members who attended law school, and not too many friends either; Barbri resources helped answer questions that I had about 1L, or gave me the footing to figure out which questions to ask in the first place. [3.65 GPA after first semester]"
Anonymous, Boston College Law School, Class of 2023
"Law Preview provided me with the confidence and routine necessary to succeed my first semester of law school. Prior to the first day of class, I was able to have set in place a reading and study schedule that kept me on top of my assignments. This allowed me to ensure I was learning the material over time and not waiting until the end of the semester to see if I had retained it along the way. Now, I find myself in a great position while applying for summer employment and have received interviews from my top firms."
Reaghan W., University of North Carolina School of Law, Class of 2023
"Law Preview helped give me tools and confidence I needed to achieve my much higher than average GPA. Without the study tools and habits, I would not have done as well as a student returning to school after six years in a journalism career."
Catherine A., Florida State University College of Law, Class of 2022
"It was absolutely worth it – it got me used to the Socratic method expected out of first semester, and the exam prep provided an invaluable insight into what to expect."
Anonymous, Seton Hall University School of Law, Class of 2022
"Law Preview helped me understand the big picture of what I was studying in class. As a first-get student, it was challenging to understand the method in which law school content is taught and having Law Preview available was extremely helpful in helping me digest and understand the important concepts."
Marlenee B., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, Class of 2023
"The best thing I got out of Law Preview was the practical advice. Part of being successful in any situation is strategy – learning how to maneuver within the circumstances. Law Preview was a great strategy resource. Law School is a foreign world, and knowing what to expect before you ever get there is a huge asset. Most people are totally baffled and have no idea what to do, but I felt a little more confident and had a game plan when I went in. I also really appreciated having some idea of how to approach my exams during the first semester. I got A’s in all my substantive classes, including the high grade in Contracts that was 15% above the second highest score. Thanks for everything! [Ranked #5 out of 266 after first semester]."
Anonymous, University of Houston Law Center, Class of 2013
"Law Preview provided an opportunity to get a helpful sneak peak of the substantive issues that were covered throughout the semester. The background information helped get me into the mindset of the topic areas in a way that I would not have gotten without the instruction. Additionally, I used the organizational strategies offered in the course to varying degrees throughout the semester. I particularly liked that the advice was still flexible enough that I could adapt it to my own method of working and studying."
Anonymous, American University, Washington College of Law, Class of 2022
"Law Preview allowed me to get a head start during my first year of law school. It was extremely helpful during midterms and finals. All of the available study aids helped me get a better understanding of each course."
Maria H., Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, Class of 2022
"Law Preview helped me have a plan before the semester started, and it paid off! I got a 4.0 and really enjoyed all my classes."
Anonymous, Boston University School of Law, Class of 2024
"I was prepared for the doctrinal exposure. I could see the forest for the trees and knew how to case brief. My class participation boosted my overall grades in part because I case brief consistently as instructed. Overall, very worthwhile experience for an educational journey where so much of the process is not explained by one’s school."
Anonymous, Brooklyn Law School, Class of 2023
"Latham & Watkins’ genuine commitment to diversity, inclusion, and excellence has had a tremendous impact on both my academic and professional career. In 2019, Latham gave me a scholarship to attend Law Preview prior to entering Stanford Law School — a truly unique opportunity that gave me the foresight to succeed in my first year of law school. The program armed me with the key concepts of the first-year curriculum and taught me how to prepare for classes and exams early, efficiently, and effectively. Based on my academic achievements, not only was I invited to join the Stanford Law Review, but I also joined Latham as a 1L Summer Associate and received an offer to return next summer (as well as Latham’s 2L Diversity Scholarship). I will be forever grateful that Latham invested ~$1000 in my academic success prior to starting law school — their initial investment in me has paid dividends. Law Preview clearly had a significant impact on my success at Stanford Law School. If law school were karate, Don Macaulay would be the Mr. Miyagi of the legal community."
Daniel K., Stanford Law School, Class of 2023 (President of the Stanford Law Review)
"Law preview was great in preparing me for the intensity that’s was the first semester of law school."
Dorothy C., Fordham University School of Law, Class of 2021
"Law Preview really gave me a head start on the subject matter as well as some helpful advice on how to navigate law school. Being not only a first-generation law student, but also a first-generation college student, I have often had to figure out higher education on my own. Having the Law Preview experience before beginning my first semester gave me peace of mind and showed me what to look out for in my 1L year and what things I needed to prioritize. This definitely got me off on the right foot and led me to achieve a 4.0 GPA my first semester."
Jared G., American University, Washington College of Law. 2019
"I felt that it prepared me to know what was coming at me in the fall semester. I had a good understanding of the timelines and the dates that I needed to schedule for myself in order to be successful in my first semester."
Anonymous, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, Class of 2021
"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
"From where I am now, it’s hard to believe I ever hesitated to do Law Preview. Because of Law Preview, I walked into my fall classes feeling familiar with the language, basic concepts, and general framework of each subject. As a result, I felt more confident about participating in class and believe I distinguished myself from day one. Aside from exposure to the material, I finished Law Preview with a concrete sense of what I needed to do on a daily and weekly basis to stay on track throughout the semester. Once on campus, I heard a lot of conflicting advice about how to prepare for class, when to start outlining, and how to approach exam prep.  While different things work for different people, I found a lot of this advice to be reactionary, not proactive, and that much of it just came too late. Law Preview will help you get your mind right and internalize a game plan well before you start orientation. While many of my classmates are now trying to figure out what went wrong with first semester grades and how they can catch up in the spring, I’m able to focus on maintaining my performance and making small adjustments to my system, which takes some of the pressure off of an already stressful time. I would not have approached my first semester of law school the way I did were it not for what I learned through Law Preview. Do yourself a favor and invest in yourself and in Law Preview, the sooner the better. [3.78 GPA after the first semester]."
Anonymous, Fordham University School of Law, Class of 2024
"The program definitely made the transition smoother going into law school. the briefs I had before helped and doing the work for the week at Law Preview gave me a taste as to what to expect so there were no surprises. Knowing how to study and take tests were also essential."
Stephen K., Emory University School of Law, Class of 2011
"My school does not rank 1L’s until the end of the year in the spring. Law Preview helped me to anticipate what each class was going to be like, as well as what law school in general would entail. The mock classes, along with their printable power-points, and the other general academic preparation materials all helped me to prepare and succeed in law school. I would recommend Law Preview to any incoming 1L without reservation."
David D., Quinnipiac University School of Law, Class of 2011
"Looking back after the conclusion of my 1L, I owe much, if not most, of my success to the skills and strategies I learned during Law Preview. The learning curve in law school is very steep, and Law Preview allowed me to enter school immediately prepared; knowing what I had to do to succeed. Following Law Preview’s steps throughout the year, I finished in the top 5% of my class, was admitted to my school’s Law Review and landed a summer associate position at one of the world’s most prestigious law firms. I can’t thank Law Preview enough and think it is an invaluable experience every incoming law student should take part in."
Terrence O., Boston College Law School, 2019
"Law Preview gave me exposure to cases that other students did not have on the first day of class. I also felt more prepared to brief and set a robust schedule."
Brittany C., Notre Dame Law School, Class of 2022
"I was able to crush my first semester of law school having knowledge of cases already discussed during the course. I felt confident and established myself early on."
Anonymous, Howard University School of Law
"If it wasn’t for Law Preview my first semester would have been disastrous. It was a bear, but because of Law Preview, I was able to feel comfortable in the knowledge that I was prepared. And it worked! My first semester ended with a 3.80 GPA."
Ameena L., Mitchell-Hamline School of Law, Class of 2024
"The instructors at the Law Preview program were right-on with their recommendations for test taking and studying. Putting to use their techniques helped me to keep on track and schedule throughout the year and when studying for finals. If nothing else, the Law Preview course gives you an accurate preview of what to expect during your first year in law school, which by itself is worth the cost of attending the program."
Kevin H., Chapman University School of Law, Class of 2011