Best Bar Exam Supplements: What to Add Beyond Your Main Course
Vrenberg · June 13, 2026
Best Bar Exam Supplements: What to Add Beyond Your Main Course
No bar prep course is perfect at everything. Barbri, Themis, and Kaplan each have strengths and gaps. The right supplement fills the gap without adding unnecessary volume to your already packed study schedule.
MBE Question Supplements
UWorld MBE QBank
The best MBE practice questions available outside of real NCBE questions. Realistic difficulty, excellent distractors, and detailed explanations that teach the law. If your course's questions feel too easy or the explanations are thin, UWorld is the fix.
AdaptiBar
Uses licensed real NCBE questions from prior exams. The questions are authentic, which is a significant advantage. The explanations are less detailed than UWorld's, but the question quality is unmatched because they are actual exam questions.
NCBE Study Aids
The NCBE sells collections of real released questions with answer explanations. Small volume but the gold standard for question quality. Use these for calibration, not as your primary practice source.
Essay Supplements
BarEssays.com / BarExamMind
Collections of past MEE questions with model answers. Useful for practice if your course does not provide enough essay questions.
State-specific past exams
For non-UBE states (California, Florida, etc.), the state bar often publishes past exam questions and selected answers. These are the best essay prep resource for state-specific exams.
Outline and Rule Supplements
Short outlines
If your course's outlines are too long, look for condensed outlines (sometimes called "attack outlines" or "one-sheets") that reduce each subject to the most frequently tested rules. Many are available for free from law school academic support offices.
Emanuel's Strategies and Tactics for the MBE
A popular supplement that organizes MBE rules by how they are tested rather than by doctrinal category. Useful for understanding the examiners' patterns.
Subject-Specific Supplements
Evidence: "Learning Evidence" by Merritt and Simmons
If Evidence is your weakest subject, this textbook explains the Federal Rules of Evidence in plain English with clear examples. More accessible than most evidence treatises.
Civil Procedure
Civ Pro is rule-dense and relatively new to the MBE. If your course's Civ Pro coverage feels thin, supplement with additional practice questions specifically in Civ Pro. UWorld and AdaptiBar both allow you to filter by subject.
Secured Transactions
Many candidates never took Secured Transactions in law school. If this is you, a focused outline plus 30-50 practice questions is enough to handle the MEE essay. Do not spend 40 hours on a subject that may not appear.
Flashcard Supplements
Critical Pass
The most popular bar exam flashcard set. Well-organized, covers the core rules, and is portable. Useful as a daily review tool.
Anki decks
Free or cheap Anki decks for bar exam topics are widely available. The spaced repetition algorithm makes Anki more efficient than physical flashcards for long-term retention.
What NOT to Supplement
Do not add a second full course
Buying Barbri AND Themis is a waste of money and time. The overlap is enormous, and trying to complete two full courses will spread your attention too thin. Pick one course and supplement specific gaps.
Do not add supplements until you know your weak areas
Start with your main course. After 2-3 weeks, your practice question performance will reveal your weak areas. Supplement those specific areas, not everything.
Do not add anything in the last two weeks
The final two weeks should be consolidation: timed practice, review of missed questions, and targeted rule memorization. Adding new material at this stage creates confusion, not clarity.
The Efficient Stack
If budget is not a concern, the optimal supplement stack for most candidates:
- Main course (Barbri, Themis, or Kaplan) for structure, outlines, and essays
- UWorld or AdaptiBar for high-quality MBE practice
- Critical Pass or Anki for daily rule review
- Vrenberg for adaptive practice that targets your specific weak rules
If budget is a concern, prioritize a question bank (UWorld or AdaptiBar) over everything else. More practice questions under timed conditions is the single highest-leverage addition to any bar prep plan.