Barbri vs Kaplan Bar Prep Side-by-Side Comparison

Barbri and Kaplan are some of the first names that appear when looking for a bar review course. Both are popular and have helped millions of people become U.S. attorneys. The two bar prep courses offer comprehensive coursework and live classes and have a history of success. 

Some differences arise when you compare Barbri vs Kaplan bar prep. Barbri offers various tools to supplement the coursework. They include flashcards, workbooks, attorney support, and many other options. 

On the other hand, Kaplan offers more in-depth material, with over 4,000 practice questions, more than Babri. A side-by-side comparison can help draw distinctions to help you choose between Kaplan or Barbri bar prep.  

Barbri Features

Barbri has been in operation for over 50 years, helping over 1 million people to become registered attorneys in the USA. The course is popular among law students since it offers a tailored, flexible study plan that suits the needs of most individuals. 

Here are some Barbri features:

• Barbri mobile app, available for Android and iOS users
• Video lectures by top law professors
• Personal Study Plan to help you keep track of your progress. It also adjusts assignments to address your weaknesses. 
• Conviser Mini Review (a more compressed review for quick study)
• Barbri AMP technology tailors MBE questions to students in real-time
• Barbri Essay Architect to help improve student’s essay-writing skills
• Specific lectures dedicated to essay writing, and students get personal feedback on the essays they submit
• You retake the course for free if you fail the bar exam 

Pros

Using Barbri to prepare for the bar exam has some advantages. These can be helpful when choosing between Barbri vs other bar prep courses. 

• Comprehensive preparation
• Customizable online learning features
• Availability in all states

Comprehensive Preparation

Barbri’s comprehensive course includes in-class video lectures, two outlines, and various study tools. Students can access video lectures anywhere from any device. There’s also a mobile app for your portable devices. 

With various workbooks, Barbri ensures candidates can access all the topics required for the bar exam. Students also get detailed feedback on essays. Exam simulations prepare the candidates for the actual exam.

Customizable Online Features

The Barbri platform has options to allow students to customize their learning experience based on their needs. The Personal Study Plan enables students to allocate time for their studies, especially when handling other responsibilities. The Essay Architect generates specific recommendations to help students improve their essay-writing skills. 

Availability in All States

Barbri is the only bar prep course that serves all states. It prepares students for the bar exam’s MBE and state section. It saves students from generating their own state outline and helps them understand the specific state laws. 

Cons

The cons of using Barbri to prepare for the bar exam include:

• The price
• Bulky study materials

Price

While it is comprehensive and provides all the material students need to pass the bar exam, Barbri is a pricey option. Students can pay up to $4,000 for the course, but the price varies by state. 

Bulky Study Materials

Comprehensive course material may ensure that students fully prepare for the bar exam. However, it can also have them feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. The different study aids, trackers, workbooks, and quizzes can affect students negatively. 

Since students can see their performance against their peers, some may panic or doubt themselves. 

What Barbri Do Better than Kaplan

There are two aspects in which Barbri performs better than Kaplan: 

Prep books

Barbri offers the most detailed and authoritative prep books for students to use in their bar exam preparation. Every student receives about 11 books. Not all books are too big, but they comprehensively cover everything you need to know. 

The books align with the online course and cover content reviews, previous cases, and more. They are ideal for people who enjoy the traditional way of studying. 

Wide Range of Study Resources

Barbri provides students with various supplemental study tools and resources. From flashcards, attorney support, mini-reviews, unlimited graded essays, and more. The diverse material can be helpful when looking for specific information. 

Kaplan Features

Kaplan is one of the bar prep courses known for its comprehensive classes with detailed lessons. Kaplan’s robust curriculum has earned the course a prestigious name, and many students have successfully used it. 

Let’s look at Kaplan’s key features. 

• 7-day preparation for the Multistate Bar Exam
• 36 days of lectures to review subjects and practice scenarios (number of days varies by state)
• A total of 4-5 days of full-length simulated exams. Reviews are also available for all the exam sections. 
• 14-day study plan for the final countdown as the bar exam approaches
• Online and in-person lectures
• Various assignments, including quizzes, multiple-choice questions, practice essays, and simulated exams
• Ask-an-Expert Support feature for people with additional questions. All questions get answered by experts. 
• The “Reports” feature on the online program shows results for all quizzes, practice essays, and tests. They help identify areas of weakness, so you can plan to improve them. 
• Conditional money-back guarantee

Pros

Studying for your bar exam with Kaplan provides several benefits. They include;

• A comprehensive course
• An organized course structure
• Flexibility
• Additional support.

Comprehensive Course

Kaplan offers comprehensive course material to ensure that candidates cover everything they need to prepare for the bar exam. The schedule includes recorded lectures, live classrooms (both in-person and online), and clear outlines. 

Kaplan provides over 4000 MBE exam-like practice questions. Digital flashcards help you grasp concepts on the go and get individual guidance on essay grading. 

The prep course ensures that students get the right quality and quantity of study material for passing the bar exam. 

Organized Course Structure

Kaplan issues a strict schedule for class attendance for online and in-person lectures. The mandatory classes ensure that students remain up-to-date with the course. Candidates must complete several tests, with questions structured to address the student’s weaknesses. 

There’s also a final review to assess if students captured all the concepts. 

Flexibility

Kaplan accommodates both online and in-person students. If you missed a lecture, you can log in later and watch it. Plus, you can use your mobile devices (both Android and iOS).

Additional Support

The Ask-an-Expert Support option ensures that everyone gets their questions answered. Academic attorneys are available for this work, and you can get more personalized coaching at an additional fee. Kaplan also provides technical support for all the test prep courses. 

Cons

Some cons you may encounter when you purchase Kaplan include:

• The price
• Workload

Price

Kaplan ranks among the most expensive bar review courses. The prices vary based on your needs and the state where you register. The Complete Bar Review Course costs around $2,200 in Hawaii and over $4,000 in New York. 

Note that Kaplan frequently offers discounts, so it’s always good to check if you qualify for a discount. 

Work Load

The comprehensive course gives students large volumes of material to study. Students may feel overwhelmed, and some may struggle with information overload. Some people prefer to work with a more compressed course. 

What Kaplan Does Better than Barbri

Kaplan performs better than Barbri in two aspects: 

• Video lectures
• Quality of prep material

Video Lectures

The standout feature of Kaplan’s video lessons is how engaging they are, featuring passionate instructors in what they do. The featured instructors include professors, judges, and attorneys, who simplify complex concepts and make them more understandable. 

The videos are also much shorter than Barbri’s, making them more digestible. 

Quality of Prep Material

Kaplan offers over 4,000 practice questions to help you figure out dynamic scenarios. Barbri, on the other hand, offers 1,750 practice questions. Kaplan tests you on more aspects of the law, so you will get to the bar exam when fully prepared.

Kaplan also provides 160 hours of live instruction, compared to Barbri’s 100 hours of lectures. And Kaplan charges much lower than Barbri, so you get more prep material at an affordable rate. 

 Barbri vs Kaplan Bar Prep Comparison Table

	Barbri	Kaplan
Base Cost	Listed price: $2,995, including cost of materials. Price varies by state. $25 shipping fees applies, but gets waived in some instances.	Listed price: Live classes $2,745; On-demand classes $2,495. Price varies by state. $275 deposit for books, refundable when you return books after the exam. $25 shipping fee applies.
Discounts	Various coupons and promo codes available. Discount rates vary.	Various promo codes and coupons available. Discount rates vary.
Lecture Delivery	Students can attend lectures in person or online. Limited opportunity to ask questions during lectures, but students can use a mobile app to reach the lecturer after class.	Live: Students can stream live classes on their devices. On-demand: Students can access pre-recorded videos online. The streaming allows for speed adjustment (1.5X or 2X). You can access on your mobile device.
Program Flexibility	The Personalized Study Plan compares your progress with everyone taking Barbri in your state. Shows you the where you should be by a particular time. Identifies your strengths and weaknesses and tailors assignments to address your weaknesses.	Practice questions form the basis for updating the strengths and weaknesses guide. Daily assignments gradually get personalized to address your weaknesses.
Essay Feedback	Essay Architect provides instant feedback on what you should do to maximize points. Practicing lawyers also provide personalized essay feedback.	Personalized essay feedback from an expert. Essays are checked, graded, and returned within a maximum of seven days (many take 2-3 days). All essays come with sample answers.
Simulated Exams	One full-day simulated MBE. Comparison of results with all candidates taking Barbri across the U.S.	One full-day simulated MBE. You see the number of students who picked the same answer as you. Two complete practice exams are also available the week before the bar exam.

Which is Better for Bar Prep, Barbri or Kaplan?

Deciding which is better between Barbri and Kaplan can be challenging, but let’s look at factors that may inform your decision. 

• Pricing: Kaplan offers a much cheaper option. While you could save $100 on Kaplan’s Complete Bar Review course, you can also get a discount of up to 50%. Such options are not available for Barbri. 
• Books: Barbri’s books are outstanding and provide everything you need for the bar exam. While Kaplan’s books are also excellent, Barbri’s are several steps ahead. The workbooks, outlines, and lecture note handbooks are all detailed and well-written. 
• User interface: Both companies have invested resources to provide exceptional user interfaces. Both are winners here. 
• Coursework quality: Kaplan’s coursework and overall curriculum take the edge. While Barbri’s study plan helps students focus on their weaknesses, Kaplan’s coursework quality is ahead. Kaplan offers over 4,000 practice questions, 160 lecture hours, and engaging video content. 

Classes: Both courses offer exceptional classes. Kaplan provides in-person and online live classes; all their videos are interesting. Barbri’s classes and videos contain helpful content for the exam, with most of them conducted by professors. The two companies tie here.