Looking at a practice exam as a 0L Forum

[Young Marino]

So I got a hold of a 1L practice contracts exam from a friend. I plan to kind of look through the exam and model answers to get a sense of what to expect. Any suggestions on how to dissect this to get a thorough understanding on how to take a LS exam?

[ph14]

So I got a hold of a 1L practice contracts exam from a friend. I plan to kind of look through the exam and model answers to get a sense of what to expect. Any suggestions on how to dissect this to get a thorough understanding on how to take a LS exam?

It probably won't help you really. Look for forks in the facts and forks in the law, and arguing for both sides. Look at organization/structure, it will probably be IRAC: issue, rule, analysis, conclusion. Then put down the practice exam and go read Open Book or Getting to Maybe.

[Young Marino]

So I got a hold of a 1L practice contracts exam from a friend. I plan to kind of look through the exam and model answers to get a sense of what to expect. Any suggestions on how to dissect this to get a thorough understanding on how to take a LS exam?

It probably won't help you really. Look for forks in the facts and forks in the law, and arguing for both sides. Look at organization/structure, it will probably be IRAC: issue, rule, analysis, conclusion. Then put down the practice exam and go read Open Book or Getting to Maybe.

I have been reading "Law School Confidential" by Miller and should be getting GTM around Christmas. What do you think of LS Confidential?

[ph14]

So I got a hold of a 1L practice contracts exam from a friend. I plan to kind of look through the exam and model answers to get a sense of what to expect. Any suggestions on how to dissect this to get a thorough understanding on how to take a LS exam?

It probably won't help you really. Look for forks in the facts and forks in the law, and arguing for both sides. Look at organization/structure, it will probably be IRAC: issue, rule, analysis, conclusion. Then put down the practice exam and go read Open Book or Getting to Maybe.

I have been reading "Law School Confidential" by Miller and should be getting GTM around Christmas. What do you think of LS Confidential?

Sorry, i'm not familiar with the book, so I can't comment on how good it is. But i'm happy to answer any other questions you might have (3L).

[Young Marino]

So I got a hold of a 1L practice contracts exam from a friend. I plan to kind of look through the exam and model answers to get a sense of what to expect. Any suggestions on how to dissect this to get a thorough understanding on how to take a LS exam?

It probably won't help you really. Look for forks in the facts and forks in the law, and arguing for both sides. Look at organization/structure, it will probably be IRAC: issue, rule, analysis, conclusion. Then put down the practice exam and go read Open Book or Getting to Maybe.

I have been reading "Law School Confidential" by Miller and should be getting GTM around Christmas. What do you think of LS Confidential?

Sorry, i'm not familiar with the book, so I can't comment on how good it is. But i'm happy to answer any other questions you might have (3L).

Cool. I'll send you a pm. Thanks!

[Cicero76]

Lol

[lawhopeful10]

So I got a hold of a 1L practice contracts exam from a friend. I plan to kind of look through the exam and model answers to get a sense of what to expect. Any suggestions on how to dissect this to get a thorough understanding on how to take a LS exam?

I'm a 1L and before I started school I read GTM and did LEEWS and other 0L prep which involved looking at practice tests and trying to spot issues and make arguments. Although we haven't taken our 1L exams yet we did have practice mid terms that I did really well on because I was really ahead on learning how to take exams. I'm sure a lot of people have caught up by finals time so I don't how big an advantage it ultimately will be but I definitely don't think it hurts to look at some exams beforehand so you know how and what you should be focusing on during the year.

[Young Marino]

So I got a hold of a 1L practice contracts exam from a friend. I plan to kind of look through the exam and model answers to get a sense of what to expect. Any suggestions on how to dissect this to get a thorough understanding on how to take a LS exam?

I'm a 1L and before I started school I read GTM and did LEEWS and other 0L prep which involved looking at practice tests and trying to spot issues and make arguments. Although we haven't taken our 1L exams yet we did have practice mid terms that I did really well on because I was really ahead on learning how to take exams. I'm sure a lot of people have caught up by finals time so I don't how big an advantage it ultimately will be but I definitely don't think it hurts to look at some exams beforehand so you know how and what you should be focusing on during the year.

Well that was kind of my aim. Did LEEWS really help that much? Isn't it kind of expensive?

[lawhopeful10]

LEEWs didn't really have anything ground breaking I thought it just kind of introduces you to the basics of arguing each side but if you read GTM and the posts on this website for how to answer law school exams then LEEWs probably won't have too much extra info for you.

[Hipster but Athletic]

You should learn contracts before you take a contracts exam. Buy the E&E

[Young Marino]

LEEWs didn't really have anything ground breaking I thought it just kind of introduces you to the basics of arguing each side but if you read GTM and the posts on this website for how to answer law school exams then LEEWs probably won't have too much extra info for you.

Okay. That's pretty much what I'm doing anyway so I will probably stick to that. Thanks!

[Ti Malice]

Lol

[A. Nony Mouse]

Lol

Yeah, law school exams really don't make any sense before you know any of the law involved. Sometimes even exams for the same class I'd taken, but taught by a different prof, didn't make much sense.

[lawhopeful10]

Lol

Yeah, law school exams really don't make any sense before you know any of the law involved. Sometimes even exams for the same class I'd taken, but taught by a different prof, didn't make much sense.

Yea I actually read the E&E and hornbooks before my first semester and then looked over tests usually using a random outline i found online. I think during the semester it was helpful since I already understood most of the concepts we learned so I didn't have to waste time on that but like everyone says about 0L prep your teacher will teach the law their own way so you might have to learn some things differently and even when that isn't the case most people will eventually learn the law anyway. But I think if you can really figure out how to take exams generally before you start you will have a leg up.

[6lehderjets]

Put down the book/test. Read GTM if you're hell bent on gunning, but what you do beyond that will be of little to no help.

Instead (1) Learn to type faster. (2) Go party and do stupid shit. Law school will have a lot of distractions. If you have gotten all your partying and tomfoolery out of your system, you will be less likely to get sucked into the high school aspect of law school.

[Young Marino]

Put down the book/test. Read GTM if you're hell bent on gunning, but what you do beyond that will be of little to no help.

Instead (1) Learn to type faster. (2) Go party and do stupid shit. Law school will have a lot of distractions. If you have gotten all your partying and tomfoolery out of your system, you will be less likely to get sucked into the high school aspect of law school.

I make it a point to go out and not remember my nights 5 days out of the week now because my idea of "partying" will be 4 beers at most on a saturday during law school

[bp shinners]

Although we haven't taken our 1L exams yet we did have practice mid terms that I did really well on because I was really ahead on learning how to take exams.

I think it might be the case that the type of person enrolling in LEEWS and looking at law school exams before law school is also the type of person that is going to be on top of stuff/ahead at law school whether or not they benefited from those programs. As others have said, I don't think there's much benefit to them.

[bp shinners]

Put down the book/test. Read GTM if you're hell bent on gunning, but what you do beyond that will be of little to no help.

Instead (1) Learn to type faster. (2) Go party and do stupid shit. Law school will have a lot of distractions. If you have gotten all your partying and tomfoolery out of your system, you will be less likely to get sucked into the high school aspect of law school.

I make it a point to go out and not remember my nights 5 days out of the week now because my idea of "partying" will be 4 beers at most on a saturday during law school

Everyone I know who knew how to put the books down and go out with friends did much better in law school than those who didn't. Anecdotal, but reducing stress definitely improves learning.

[Young Marino]

Although we haven't taken our 1L exams yet we did have practice mid terms that I did really well on because I was really ahead on learning how to take exams.

I think it might be the case that the type of person enrolling in LEEWS and looking at law school exams before law school is also the type of person that is going to be on top of stuff/ahead at law school whether or not they benefited from those programs. As others have said, I don't think there's much benefit to them.

Right. I've been doing as much research as I can through articles, forums and books so I'm hoping that my OCD when it comes to being ahead will benefit me more than anything in law school. Especially since I'm going into it with the mindset that the exam is the only thing that matters. I'm really going to put an emphasis on applying the concepts I learn to a set a facts a few times a day rather than just regurgitating everything I learned

[A. Nony Mouse]

But that's basically what everyone thinks.

[Young Marino]

But that's basically what everyone thinks.

What do you mean?

[A. Nony Mouse]

Everyone plans to do the things you're planning to do, believes that the exam is the only thing that matters, and plans to emphasize applying law to facts over regurgitation. I'm not saying these are bad things to do, just that you can't rely on those things putting you ahead of anyone else.

[Young Marino]

Everyone plans to do the things you're planning to do, believes that the exam is the only thing that matters, and plans to emphasize applying law to facts over regurgitation. I'm not saying these are bad things to do, just that you can't rely on those things putting you ahead of anyone else.

Fair point. So what would you suggest doing in terms of my mindset going into law school?

[bp shinners]

Everyone plans to do the things you're planning to do, believes that the exam is the only thing that matters, and plans to emphasize applying law to facts over regurgitation. I'm not saying these are bad things to do, just that you can't rely on those things putting you ahead of anyone else.

Fair point. So what would you suggest doing in terms of my mindset going into law school?

Treat it as a job. Get to campus ~8:30, take a lunch break, go to classes, and study until 6. Then, put the books away and relax. At crunch time, you can up it.

But don't worry too much about the form of finals/meta-gaming law school until it's time to worry about finals. That's not the first day of class.

[Young Marino]

Everyone plans to do the things you're planning to do, believes that the exam is the only thing that matters, and plans to emphasize applying law to facts over regurgitation. I'm not saying these are bad things to do, just that you can't rely on those things putting you ahead of anyone else.

Fair point. So what would you suggest doing in terms of my mindset going into law school?

Treat it as a job. Get to campus ~8:30, take a lunch break, go to classes, and study until 6. Then, put the books away and relax. At crunch time, you can up it.

But don't worry too much about the form of finals/meta-gaming law school until it's time to worry about finals. That's not the first day of class.

Good point.