1L of a Blog Series: Conquering Your Final Exams

Welcome to law school! This is a biweekly series with tips and tricks for success in law school. We’ll cover things like time management, outlining, preparing for exams, and more! Although this series covers skills and tricks that might be new to 1Ls, I hope that every member of the law school community can find something helpful here.

Law school final exams are not just a test of knowledge – they’re a test of strategy. Your exams will focus on applying legal principles to hypothetical scenarios, making how you prepare the key to acing them. Here are a few study strategies to help you succeed:

1. Understand the Exam Format

Every professor has their own style, and it’s critical that you understand what each of your professors is looking for in your exam answer. If available, analyze past exams. Have they been multiple choice, short answer, or essay-based? Knowing the format will help you tailor your preparation and focus your efforts on where they’ll have the most impact.

2. Master the Material

Understanding the law is non-negotiable. You have been building the foundation of your understanding all semester, but now is the time to fine-tune your approach. Focus your efforts on outlining and summarizing the material. As you better understand the material, you should also create checklists or attack outlines to memorize key issues and make sure you don’t miss anything on the exam.

3. Memorization Strategically

Even if you have an open-book exam, you need to know the rules and elements by heart. However, rote memorization is not enough. You should also focus on understanding and memorizing how rules interact with one another. Try out different memorization tricks like mnemonics, flashcards, and repetition for particularly tricky rules.

4. Practice, Practice, Practice!

Practice is the key to acing your exams. You should do as many representative practice problems as you can, focusing on materials provided by your professor. In addition to better understanding the material, practice problems are where you hone your approach. When you first look at a problem, are you immediately directing your attention to the call of the question? Doing so can often help “prime” your brain with the legal rules and principles that you’ll need. Then, you can dive into the facts with the correct law at the front of your mind. Additionally, when you practice writing essays, practice using the IRAC method. Professors value clarity and a logical analysis, and every practice essay is an opportunity to improve your exam writing. If possible, you should also seek feedback from your professors, TAs, ASP professionals, and/or classmates.

5. Prioritize the Professor’s Preferences

Every professor emphasizes difference things. Pay close attention to class discussions and any hints they drop about the exam. Examine sample answers they’ve provided for trends that might suggest their preferences. Then, tailor your studying to align with what they find most important.

6. Hone Your Exam Timing

Time management is key throughout law school, but it’s particularly important on exam day. Time is your most valuable resource, so practice breaking down how much time you’ll spend on each component of the exam. For instance, if you have an essay-based exam, how much time will you allocate to issue spotting, outlining, and writing? If it’s multiple choice, do you have a sense of how much time you’ll have per question? Practice these timing strategies before the exam so they’re familiar on exam day.

7. Simulate Exam Conditions

Like practicing your timing, replicating exam day by practicing in a quiet environment with limited resources will help you get comfortable with the stress of the exam. If possible, do some practice problems in the room you’ll take your exam in to get familiar with the space. Do a full simulation by going through all the steps of approaching a problem under exam conditions.

8. Don’t Forget Self-Care

Law school exams are mentally, emotionally, and physically taxing. Prioritize your health during the stressful time by getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals, and taking breaks while studying to recharge.

Success in law school isn’t just about how much you know. It’s about how effectively you apply your knowledge. By combining thorough preparation with strategic practice, you’ll maximize your chance of success!

(Dayna Smith)