Is A Live Or On-Demand Bar Prep Course Best For You?

Is A Live Or On-Demand Bar Prep Course Best For You?

Are you looking into bar exam prep options?  There are certainly a lot of choices out there!  It is important that you select the prep that is going to help you pass the bar.  What works best for your friends might not work best for you! Before you dive into all of the options, one basic question to consider is whether you would do best with a live or on-demand bar prep course.  Each of these styles of courses has its own advantages and disadvantages.  They might be right for some but not for others.  Thus, if you can determine whether a live or on-demand bar prep course is best for you, you can narrow down your options and make this decision much less daunting.

Is A Live Or On-Demand Bar Prep Course Best For You?

If you are debating between a live or on-demand bar prep course, here are some things to consider:

Live Courses

There are actually a couple of different kinds of live courses, so maybe it’s better to think about these as either “truly live” or “sort of live” courses.  In the most authentic live courses, you will have actual live interactions with an instructor at a pre-determined time.  Some bar prep companies have live courses in specific locations where you travel to the site where an instructor will conduct class in-person.  Sometimes distance makes this impossible. However, the company may stream the class on a platform that still offers the opportunity for interaction.

Many of the larger companies have too many students to make truly live options available to everyone.  They then offer a derivative of a live course where extra locations are set up for students to watch the live class via streaming.  A location might be set up in each major law school for students to gather and watch, even though the actual live class is only in a select location.  Due to the number of people watching in each location, however, the lecture does not often allow for interaction with the instructor by those who aren’t there truly live.

The live course is good for those who need the more regimented structure of having to watch a lecture at a specific time.  Some takers need that extra push to keep them on track during bar prep.  While everyone is motivated to pass the bar, it can be hard for some to force themselves to do everything that has to be done to make passing a reality.  The requirement of showing up for a lecture at a specific time and place adds that element of structure to ensure a proper pace is kept through the program.  If you don’t trust yourself to keep up, a live course may be for you.

A second benefit, although it is limited to truly live options, is the personal interaction with an instructor and the ability to ask questions in real-time.  Some takers want the security of knowing that if a question arises at the moment, you can get it answered.  Even if you don’t have a question, sometimes it can help you to hear the questions and answers from others.  It might help solve a problem you didn’t even know you had!

In debating between live and on-demand courses, it can also help to know the disadvantages.  Live courses tend to be more expensive, and thus you have to consider your available financial resources.  Further, the schedule for live courses is not as flexible.  Lecture is the time it is scheduled for.  If you can’t make it, there often are options where you can watch recordings later.  But if you anticipate this happening often, whether it be due to work or other obligations, you are essentially completing the on-demand version of the course.  Make sure that if you choose a live option that you can actually take advantage of its benefits.

Also check with your course to see if you are allowed to ask questions or interact with the professors. Some “live” courses do not allow students to do this.

On-Demand Bar Prep Courses

The basic premise behind an on-demand course is that you can complete the entirety of the course remotely at your own pace.  Lectures are recorded and uploaded, and you can move through them as you wish.  Your course likely offers you a schedule that you should try to stick to in order to get through everything.  But if you need to shift a few things around, an on-demand course gives you the freedom to.

An on-demand course is great for those who have no doubt that they can stay on task throughout this process.  If you are good at self-motivation, then you might not need the more hands-on approach of a live course.  On-demand options are also often cheaper and so they can be useful for those with more limited resources.  Finally, you can utilize an on-demand course if you plan on starting bar prep later than most.  While we certainly don’t advocate for a late start in most cases, sometimes life happens.  An on-demand course can give you access to the same materials and quality of lecture. You can move through it quicker in order to make it through.

However, there is very little interaction with anyone in an on-demand class.  There is no opportunity at all to ask questions as the material is presented to you since you are merely watching a recording.  You also won’t have any classmates to interact with if you watch the lectures alone.  Thus, on-demand courses can be isolating and might not be right for those who are more inquisitive.  If you need to be an active participant in lecture in order to learn the material, then an on-demand class might not be best for you.

Overall, when debating between a live or on-demand bar prep course, it is critical that you understand your personal strengths, weaknesses, and learning style.  The most common option might not be what is right for you.  Don’t settle when it comes to picking a bar prep course.  This is a very important moment in your life, and thus this is a very important decision.  Make sure you make an informed one when deciding on a live or on-demand bar prep course!

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