Barbri vs. Kaplan for bar prep?

[Salamon26]

Which one is considered the "better" course? Is Kaplan Bar prep regarded in the same light as Kaplan LSAT prep? (Not too great?)

[mschef]

I didn't take Kaplan for LSAT, but I have a lot of friends who did both Kaplan and BarBri for last July's bar exam.  The verdict, at least in IL, is that BarBri didn't prepare people adequately for the state-specific portion, which is pretty ridiculous seeing as the state portion has always been BarBri's bread and butter.

I heard that Kaplan is doing full service in some places now, and from what I heard, it sounds okay.  For one thing, it's cheaper to do it online than to go to lectures, and BarBri makes you pay more to listen to lectures on an old iPod that you have to give back.  BarBri also makes you pay extra for more graded essays, and I heard that Kaplan has unlimited grading.  I think Kaplan has a money back guarantee, too.

I took the MPRE over the summer (just found out I passed!) and I did both the free Kaplan course and the BarBri course that you had to have paid $250 to take, and I liked Kaplan better because it had a lot of practice questions.  BarBri gives you a book and a "computer option" which is really all the same questions from the book, but on the computer.  I thought that was pretty lame.

[TheDudeMan]

Which one is considered the "better" course? Is Kaplan Bar prep regarded in the same light as Kaplan LSAT prep? (Not too great?)

BarBri has been the Bar powerhouse since the beginning of time..... 

[Matthies]

I was pretty happy with the BarBri class (although I have not found out if I pased yet). I was not that impressed with the PMBR class though.

[michaelmclees]

Took BarBri.  Passed.

I think it matters less what course you take and more how you study.  My strategy was to get together a group of 2 other guys and study every weekday as a group.  We were diligent.  On the weekends, we spent at least 3 hours a day doing individual study.  We all passed.  Do that; you'll pass whether you go Kaplan or BarBri.

[jsb221]

Considering it is the bar, I am not going to gamble with someone who is new to full bar review. BarBri for me. 40+ years experience versus what, one in some states and absolutely zilch in others.

[SASS]

I am doing Barbri right now.  The way I see it is if you stick with their schedule, you'll pass. Plus, I really like their outlines the best, so it is about preference for me. I have been pretty happy with it.  I don't have any experience with Kaplan though.

[nealric]

For one thing, it's cheaper to do it online than to go to lectures, and BarBri makes you pay more to listen to lectures on an old iPod that you have to give back. 

I realize this is an old thread, but Barbri does not charge for online lectures any more. It just charges extra for iphone/ipod touch access (and you can use your own).

[BikePilot]

I'm doing barbri now and am really unimpressed with the materials, lectures and pretty much everything about it.  I looked at Kaplan and liked their materials better, but their national coverage is even worse than AT&T's cell coverage (i.e. they don't do my state).  If I were spending my own $$$ I think I'd just buy books somewhere rather than doing barbri. 

[1johnson]

Not impressed with BarBri.  The distinctions for my state STINK and are even showing law that was superseded 5 and six years ago. 
http://legalfee.blogspot.com/2010/07/barbris-most-up-to-date-materials-for.html