Hi so im currently in the process of trying to find a suitable SQE provider. im currently thinking BPP is a good option as they offer the LLM SQE 1 & 2 as well as option for funding. however a lot of people have good reviews about Barbri who do just the SQE and The College of Legal Practice who do the LLM sqe 1 and 2... Does anyone have any recommendations.
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SQE & LLM SQE opinions?
- Thread starter Hazzyb786
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- Sep 9, 2024
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I do not know a lot about this as I have not yet completed the SQE. However, I have tagged @Jessica Booker and @Ram Sabaratnam here, as they will likely know more about the topic.
Jessica Booker
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- Aug 1, 2019
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I don’t have any recommendations as I haven’t experienced any of the courses. However, I think it is important to factor in the following decisions when choosing a provider though:
Do you want a qualification or just a prep course? If the qualification, is passing the SQE a necessary part of receiving the qualification? Some LLM courses you will not graduate from until you have passed the SQE.
Do you want to learn more than the SQE or just prep for the SQE? If the former, then a Level 6 or 7 course (degree or postgraduate level course) is likely to have other modules attached to it and provide you a wider range of learning.
Do you need to consider student finance/grants? If so, only an LLM course is going to provide you with those opportunities.
Are you studying alongside other major commitments such as working? If so, choosing a more self paced learning course may be more appropriate.
Have you got the funds to also cover the SQE assessments, as well as the course fees? Factoring this into what courses you can afford is important. I don’t think it is worthwhile starting a SQE prep course if you are not expecting to sit the SQE examinations within that academic year.
Also research carefully into the providers’ SQE pass rates (although take with a slight pinch of salt as they can be easily manipulated), and also factors like access to tutors, question bank sizes and practice/mock materials.
Do you want a qualification or just a prep course? If the qualification, is passing the SQE a necessary part of receiving the qualification? Some LLM courses you will not graduate from until you have passed the SQE.
Do you want to learn more than the SQE or just prep for the SQE? If the former, then a Level 6 or 7 course (degree or postgraduate level course) is likely to have other modules attached to it and provide you a wider range of learning.
Do you need to consider student finance/grants? If so, only an LLM course is going to provide you with those opportunities.
Are you studying alongside other major commitments such as working? If so, choosing a more self paced learning course may be more appropriate.
Have you got the funds to also cover the SQE assessments, as well as the course fees? Factoring this into what courses you can afford is important. I don’t think it is worthwhile starting a SQE prep course if you are not expecting to sit the SQE examinations within that academic year.
Also research carefully into the providers’ SQE pass rates (although take with a slight pinch of salt as they can be easily manipulated), and also factors like access to tutors, question bank sizes and practice/mock materials.
- Sep 7, 2024
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Hi @Hazzyb786
Just wanted to follow up on the excellent questions posed by @Jessica Booker. I would seriously consider these before making any specific decision.
As Jess mentioned, one key thing to consider is whether you're looking for a full qualification (like an LLM) or simply a prep course to help you pass the SQE. I've met many candidates who've successfully completed the SQE with BARBRI, though it sometimes required significantly more self-directed study. Moreover, if you’re being sponsored by a firm, bear in mind that some firms will often require you to take certain modules as part of the LLM. These are usually selected to ensure you’re prepared for the practice areas the firm focuses on, so there may be less flexibility in how you structure your studies. If your priority is getting SQE-ready as efficiently as possible, then a focused prep course (e.g. BARBRI) may be a better fit.
Funding is also a big factor. If you’re relying on student finance or grants, bear in mind that these are usually only available for LLM courses. I've also met several candidates who could not afford the SQE assessment fees (and these aren’t included in course costs), so make sure you’ll be able to afford both the course and the exams. It may not be worth starting a prep course unless you’re reasonably sure you’ll be able to sit the exams within the same academic year. I can attest that it's really easy to forget the content before you get to the assessment if you don't sit the exam during the time frame set by the course provider.
Lastly, I can't agree enough with Jess' point about checking each provider’s SQE pass rates, as well as how they support students. More specifically, if you're not sponsored, I would highly recommend reaching out to students who were in a similar position to gauge their own experiences. I've met non-sponsored students who had varying experiences at BARBRI, BPP, ULaw, and so forth. For myself, it was really important to have access to tutors and an extensive question bank that came close to the SRA's own style of questions.
Hope that helps and happy to chat more if you'd like!
Just wanted to follow up on the excellent questions posed by @Jessica Booker. I would seriously consider these before making any specific decision.
As Jess mentioned, one key thing to consider is whether you're looking for a full qualification (like an LLM) or simply a prep course to help you pass the SQE. I've met many candidates who've successfully completed the SQE with BARBRI, though it sometimes required significantly more self-directed study. Moreover, if you’re being sponsored by a firm, bear in mind that some firms will often require you to take certain modules as part of the LLM. These are usually selected to ensure you’re prepared for the practice areas the firm focuses on, so there may be less flexibility in how you structure your studies. If your priority is getting SQE-ready as efficiently as possible, then a focused prep course (e.g. BARBRI) may be a better fit.
Funding is also a big factor. If you’re relying on student finance or grants, bear in mind that these are usually only available for LLM courses. I've also met several candidates who could not afford the SQE assessment fees (and these aren’t included in course costs), so make sure you’ll be able to afford both the course and the exams. It may not be worth starting a prep course unless you’re reasonably sure you’ll be able to sit the exams within the same academic year. I can attest that it's really easy to forget the content before you get to the assessment if you don't sit the exam during the time frame set by the course provider.
Lastly, I can't agree enough with Jess' point about checking each provider’s SQE pass rates, as well as how they support students. More specifically, if you're not sponsored, I would highly recommend reaching out to students who were in a similar position to gauge their own experiences. I've met non-sponsored students who had varying experiences at BARBRI, BPP, ULaw, and so forth. For myself, it was really important to have access to tutors and an extensive question bank that came close to the SRA's own style of questions.
Hope that helps and happy to chat more if you'd like!
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