Personal attention.
Expert instruction.
The live, small group California bar exam
review course that works.

The Small Group California Bar Review Course...we're different

At Personal Bar Prep, we believe that learning happens when students directly interact with the material. The “big box” California bar review courses put students in front of lectures, most of them pre-recorded, for weeks on end and the research on test preparation just doesn’t support this method. When you’re preparing to take the toughest bar exam in the country, you want to study smart because there’s a lot of complex material to cover in a short period of time.

You want a tested approach to your bar review that makes sense.

There’s another way. A better way. An effective approach involves practicing, working hard, engaging directly with the bar exam essays, the MBEs, the performance tests…and then talking about your answers with others. It also involves getting meaningful feedback and having your questions answered. Because you will definitely have questions. If you’re a bar exam repeat taker, you know that.

Personal Bar Prep is not like any other bar review course you’re going to find. We don’t rely on bells and whistles to make up for interaction with an actual person. We actually teach.

Our small group California bar review course centers on twice-weekly intensive, interactive small group workshops, conducted online using Zoom. During these sessions, you’ll work closely with your instructor, experienced bar exam tutor Jay Chavkin, in a small group setting going over essays, MBEs and learning strategies in a structured, supportive learning environment.
You’ll attend 7 MBE workshops, each one in an interactive Zoom session. Jay will go over MBE practice tests, discussing why the right answers are correct and wrong answers are incorrect. These sessions will address all the best practices for answering MBE questions.
You’ll also attend live online lectures focused on just what you need to know for the bar exam. These are condensed lectures, filled with real-life examples, and our students are always welcome to ask questions.
Our performance test workshop will thoroughly prepare you to conquer this portion of the exam.
During the course, you’ll write many practice essays and exams that regularly receive grades and plenty of thoughtful feedback from our graders.
Perhaps best of all, you can call, text or email your instructor at any time with questions or just to get some words of support. We keep our enrollment low so we get to know all of our students. You’ll never find yourself alone as you face this challenge.
Finally, we provide everything you’ll need to learn the law, prepare for the exam and practice. All books, outlines, MBE questions for practice, a set of physical flashcards, a detailed schedule to guide your study, unlimited graded essays—it’s all included.

Nothing is left to chance. Everything is student-centered and relies on proven teaching and learning practices. Personal Bar Prep has been preparing students to pass the California bar exam for 28 years and we can help you, too.

We've Helped Students Reach Their Goal For Over 27 Years

Passing the bar exam isn't easy. No great achievement is.

My students are determined. They don't quit. Many of them face enormous odds that threaten their dreams, but they just don't quit.

Every bar exam, I'm excited to see my students overcome obstacles of all kinds and walk into the exam with confidence.

Nothing is more thrilling than the calls on the night of bar exam results from my students excited that they passed, some of them after multiple attempts before.

I love telling my students that they are a statistic of one. Ignore the rest. You can do this.

Jay Chavkin

Founder and Owner

Our Learning-By-Doing Approach Works

Personal Bar Prep focuses on practice and feedback. We believe teaching matters. And we know that engaging with the material leads to real learning.

You will write bar exam essays and answer MBE questions weekly for homework then discuss your work in workshops with your instructor. Practice essays you turn in will be returned quickly with thoughtful feedback. The hard work will pay off when you go into the exam with confidence.

Live Online Lectures

Lectures at Personal Bar Prep are fully live on Zoom. They cover only what you need to know for the bar exam. And unlike purely computer-based bar review courses, you'll be able to ask questions and directly engage with both your instructor and the material.

Twice-Weekly Small Group Workshops

Twice a week, you'll meet with your instructor in a small group. In these groups, you'll discuss bar essays you've written in depth and tackle every subject covered on the bar exam week by week. These sessions are highly interactive. You'll also have your questions about the law answered.

MBE Workshops

The MBEs are 50% of your score so we focus heavily on this part of the exam. You'll attend regular MBE workshops to go over practice tests and homework questions, discussing why the right answer is correct and the others are incorrect. You'll also learn strategies for answering questions.

All Classes Live and Online

Studying at home doesn't have to mean recorded lectures and self-study. Our bar review course is held live online using Zoom and includes interactive lectures, essay-writing, MBE and PT workshops. Meeting online with Personal Bar Prep maximizes study time without sacrificing live class time with your instructor.

Don't Just Take Our Word For It...

The small classes, I think, are what really helped me pass. The groups were great because they were small and intimate enough so that I felt comfortable asking whatever questions I had. Jay also made himself available for any additional questions that we might not have covered during the group discussion.

Nina Hawkinson

University of La Verne School of Law

I am a foreign attorney and I passed Feb 2019 bar exam with Jay Chavkin's help. Jay feels your pain. He does not give you a formula that is supposed to work for everybody. He works with you based on your individual needs and weaknesses. That's what makes his program different from other bar reviews.

Ana Takmanesh

Foreign-Educated Attorney - Iran

Jay's knowledge of the California bar exam is first-rate, he cares deeply about his students, is constantly available outside of class by phone and email, and is an excellent teacher. You're in exceedingly competent and thoughtful hands with Jay.

Salvador Perez

Stanford Law School

Some Common Questions...

When does your course start and how long does it last?

We are currently enrolling students for the July 2023 bar review course. The course will begin in mid-May and will run until mid-July. Our course is completely live and all meetings are held on Zoom. Please call for details.

Do you include materials and a schedule?

All necessary materials are sent to you by mail when you enroll and pay your deposit. You will receive:

a small group workbook
a practice essay book with over 150 actual bar essays and sample answers
a complete and concise outline book
a full set of MBE & California subject flashcards

In addition, we also send our students digital copies of:

all of our books
1000’s of MBE questions–you will never run out of questions to practice
a complete set of rule statements for every subject on the bar exam
a list of bar exam mnemonics to assist your memorization of the rules of law

We give our students a detailed study schedule that guides them through their essay writing assignments, MBE questions and practice performance tests. It has built-in flexibility that allows for work, family and personal health differences.

Can I take your course and work full-time?

Absolutely. We work with many students who work full-time and they’re successful. We do all we can to provide flexibility by offering lectures on weekends and small group workshop sessions at night. While practice is the key to success, we help students prioritize their tasks so those with limited time can maximize those precious hours.

Do you offer private tutoring?

Yes, our business actually began as a private tutoring service and quickly developed into a small group centered bar review course. Jay Chavkin has been a bar exam tutor since 1995 working with students in intensive online sessions. He also offers private tutoring sessions to students enrolled in the bar review course who want extra attention at a discounted rate. Click here for more information.

Do you have a payment plan or discounts?

We offer a payment plan that breaks your tuition into three payments after your deposit. We also take payment by all credit cards, Venmo, Zelle and PayPal. We offer group discounts and a discount for members of the military and veterans. Please inquire for details.

We are the original personal small group bar review course.
We've helped 1000's of students pass the California bar exam
and we can help you, too.

Because our bar prep course is small, space is limited. Don’t delay.

Contact us today so we can talk about your specific challenges and how we can get you on track towards realizing your dreams.

Personal attention.
Expert instruction.
The live, small group California bar exam
review course that works.

The Small Group California Bar Review Course...we're different

We've Helped Students Reach Their Goal For Over 27 Years

Passing the bar exam isn't easy. No great achievement is.