If I could do my first semester over again... Forum

[underdawg]

hey ed did you see the admin sample answer where the prof fell asleep in the middle of writing it? good times

it went like this...

blah blah chevrronnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

awiotljwtk wioetjewlrw

wetwajo

[BradyToMoss]

I would have done exactly what I did in the second semester.

During the second semester I didn't refer to any supplements and didn't brief any cases. During the first half of the semester I did very little work outside of reading cases. During the second half of the second semester, I put a decent amount of time into outlining. Based on the syllabuses, I produced big hearty 40+ page outlines that I later distilled into 15-20 page outlines and 2 page ultra-condensed charts of the law. For the classes that involved policy, I also spent some time finding (on lexis) and outlining major policy points.

Before the exams, I did a lot of practice tests and tried to discern the best format for each professor. One professor wanted extremely mechanical answers, so I produced well organized but boring IRAC answers. Another had given us sample answers that were extremely concise and had a sort of practical tone. I mimicked this format and tone, writing what was likely one of the shortest exam answers in the class. Finally, one had emphasized in class that we should stick to the obvious stuff she was attempting to elicit with each prompt. I did precisely that, attempting to differentiate my exam on the basis of policy answers rather than breadth of legal analysis.

Result: GPA > 4.0.

I took the opposite approach of Ed as far as the materials I used to prepare (All supplements, no casebooks or assigned readings) but also had 4+ both semesters. I think the important thing is that both of us focused on the professor, referring to old exams and sample answers, and creating outlines that were well suited for the type of exam the prof would give. I also did lots of practice tests (outlining issues only, never writing them out fully), and also tried mimicking the format that old sample answers had used.

[edcrane]

hey ed did you see the admin sample answer where the prof fell asleep in the middle of writing it? good times

it went like this...

blah blah chevrronnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

awiotljwtk wioetjewlrw

wetwajo

To be fair, that accurately describes the majority of the sample answers. They were all around 1100 words, consisting of 1050 blahs and 50 chevron/c.f. brown & williamson/etc.

I carefully crafted my answer according to this proportion.

[AdCommie]

I took the opposite approach of Ed as far as the materials I used to prepare (All supplements, no casebooks or assigned readings) but also had 4+ both semesters. I think the important thing is that both of us focused on the professor, referring to old exams and sample answers, and creating outlines that were well suited for the type of exam the prof would give. I also did lots of practice tests (outlining issues only, never writing them out fully), and also tried mimicking the format that old sample answers had used.

So how do you know what outline is well suited for the exam? Are you getting good outlines from 2/3Ls? Modeling it according to the practice exams?

[steve_nash]

i would really chose carefully who i did a study group with, and when i did it. second semester, i only did them around finals time, when people were generally prepared, and with people i knew had done well the previous semester. a little clickish, true. but no point on wasting time--happened first semester.

[ls2009]

awesome thread!

[ChattelCat]

I took the opposite approach of Ed as far as the materials I used to prepare (All supplements, no casebooks or assigned readings) but also had 4+ both semesters. I think the important thing is that both of us focused on the professor, referring to old exams and sample answers, and creating outlines that were well suited for the type of exam the prof would give. I also did lots of practice tests (outlining issues only, never writing them out fully), and also tried mimicking the format that old sample answers had used.

So how do you know what outline is well suited for the exam? Are you getting good outlines from 2/3Ls? Modeling it according to the practice exams?

I think it's kind of hard to say what a "good" outline is because some of it really depends on you and what you need to remember and how you understand the material. I got outlines from 2L's and 3L's but really only used them to check my own outlines to make sure I hadn't left out anything big. I know some people on here are anti-outlining but the process of going through all of my notes and the class materials to create my own outline was really when the real learning took place for me. The outline is just that, an outline. It shouldn't be a depository for notes - it should be more of a memory tool. Then I would go back and slowly edit my outlines down until they were about 20-25 pages tops (my Civ Pro was only 16). This editing process was how I really learned them. Second semester I got one outline from someone who had CALI'd the class the year before expecting it to be a huge time saver and was sorely disappointed because, while it covered everything in the class, the way it was organized didn't really make sense so I ended up making my own anyhow.

Oh and I totally agree that focusing on the professor is absolutely the way to go. I did that from day 1 in all my classes and I think it really paid off. I didn't try mimicking the structure exam answers because only one of my professors actually had old exams available but I definitely think I'll try that next year.

[JPeavy44]

I took the opposite approach of Ed as far as the materials I used to prepare (All supplements, no casebooks or assigned readings) but also had 4+ both semesters. I think the important thing is that both of us focused on the professor, referring to old exams and sample answers, and creating outlines that were well suited for the type of exam the prof would give. I also did lots of practice tests (outlining issues only, never writing them out fully), and also tried mimicking the format that old sample answers had used.

So how do you know what outline is well suited for the exam? Are you getting good outlines from 2/3Ls? Modeling it according to the practice exams?

I think it's kind of hard to say what a "good" outline is because some of it really depends on you and what you need to remember and how you understand the material. I got outlines from 2L's and 3L's but really only used them to check my own outlines to make sure I hadn't left out anything big. I know some people on here are anti-outlining but the process of going through all of my notes and the class materials to create my own outline was really when the real learning took place for me. The outline is just that, an outline. It shouldn't be a depository for notes - it should be more of a memory tool. Then I would go back and slowly edit my outlines down until they were about 20-25 pages tops (my Civ Pro was only 16). This editing process was how I really learned them. Second semester I got one outline from someone who had CALI'd the class the year before expecting it to be a huge time saver and was sorely disappointed because, while it covered everything in the class, the way it was organized didn't really make sense so I ended up making my own anyhow.

Oh and I totally agree that focusing on the professor is absolutely the way to go. I did that from day 1 in all my classes and I think it really paid off. I didn't try mimicking the structure exam answers because only one of my professors actually had old exams available but I definitely think I'll try that next year.

So you'd have a separate thing for just your notes that you take in class n such and then throughout the semester you'd continually alter your outline from your notes?

[iagolives]

I think this should be stickied, FWIW.

[nightlight]

I think this should be stickied, FWIW.

+1

Until then...... tagged.

[OperaAttorney]

I think this should be stickied, FWIW.

+1

Until then...... tagged.

Yeppers.

[Cole S. Law]

Great info. Will return in 7 months to share with future 1Ls...pay it forward and whatnot.

[BradyToMoss]

I only made an outline for one class. All the others I used old outlines that I had gotten in the beginning or middle of the semester. Once I had a good one I would read along with that during class and edit as I felt necessary, redacting information I thought wasn't of much use, and adding something if it were a new topic or the outline lacked it and I thought it was important information (Ctrl-F becomes very useful since outlines aren't class-by-class outlines).

The one class I did an outline for was in 1st semester, and the professor was new to the school. Made my own outline because the ones from his old school I could get a hold of were crap. Making my own outline taught me the subject inside and out (probably better than I knew any other subject), and I would recommend it for all 1st semester classes.

For classes in which I used old outlines and didn't have notes of my own I always read the supplement on which I would rely before reviewing the outlines. For these classes I think the supplement taught me most of what I knew, and the outlines became tools that helped me review what I had learned and helped highlight the areas that the professor covered more closely or had a different take on the issue. I used this approach for two classes 1st semester, and all 4 second semester. It is definitely more efficient, but would probably not prepare you as well for taking a law school exam if you had not gone through the process before.

In the end, I rarely looked to the outline during an exam, and never once for most classes. I did create Table of Contents for my outlines (and a table of cases listing their page # in the outline, page # in the casebook, and the page # in my CaseBriefs book), and tabs for the major topics. This may have saved a little time, and should provide some mental comfort going into the test, knowing you have a quick back-up if you happen to blank on a certain area of the law come test time. If you prepare yourself properly, you will know the subject well enough that you wish it were a closed-book exam because you know you don't need yours. 3-4 hours seems like a long time for an exam, but law school exams are all about hitting as many points as you can and the exams have more points than you could fully cover in the allotted time, no matter how fast you think and type.

[snotrocket]

Great info. Will return in 7 months to share with future 1Ls...pay it forward and whatnot.

You keep using that phrase. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[Cole S. Law]

Great info. Will return in 7 months to share with future 1Ls...pay it forward and whatnot.

You keep using that phrase. I do not think it means what you think it means.

??? I think it does.

http://www.wikihow.com/Pay-It-Forward

[ChattelCat]

So you'd have a separate thing for just your notes that you take in class n such and then throughout the semester you'd continually alter your outline from your notes?

I used Microsoft OneNote (which is a fantastic program) so I would take notes as a read (first semester I briefed every case, second semester not so much) and then take class notes on the other side of the page in a different color. In OneNote I had separate notebooks for each subject and then the section tabs along the top I used for chapters/units and then each individual page within the notebook was usually a separate case. The nice part about OneNote is that you can organize things however they makes sense to you - the way I did it is nothing special, it just made sense to me. I thought this was far superior to having to sort through one 80 page Word document - but I know a lot of people who did it that way too.

I started outlining about halfway through the semester which seemed to be far enough into the class that I had enough of an idea of the "big picture" that I could put together a coherent and useful outline. I tried to start earlier first semester but just ended up having to re-do most of the initial portions that I had done. Also, for me a big part of outlining is really committing the information to memory for the exam so doing it too early in the semester wasn't as helpful because I basically ended up having to go over all my notes again anyhow to make sense of the earliest parts of my own outline since so much time had passed (well, okay, not really that much time, but in terms of the information overload that is first semester of law school, it seemed like ages)

Again, this is just me. Even though you probably feel pressure to have a study technique set and ready to go by day 1 (I know I tried to) but you'll have to tailor any method to you own style of learning by trial and error. I wish there was some perfect "technique" but after a year I've realized there isn't and I'm still planning on trying different things next year as well. Also please believe me when I say that there will be time first semester to figure this out. I would just go in with a lot of different ideas and be open to trying everything. (e.g. the rainbow highlighter method - some people love it, I personally don't, but I did try it)

[BradyToMoss]

^OneNote is incredible, both for law school and general organization.

[underdawg]

don't rainbow color highlight if you want to have any friends

[dotcom]

^OneNote is incredible, both for law school and general organization.

Is there a comparable program for Macs?

[AdCommie]

^OneNote is incredible, both for law school and general organization.

Is there a comparable program for Macs?

I heard Omnioutliner is pretty sweet. http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnioutliner/

[BradyToMoss]

don't rainbow color highlight if you want to have any friends

Best advice yet.

[arich24]

Broken up with the ex sooner so it wouldn't have happened the week before the final memo and finals.

Been tested for hyperglycemia before devouring a regular vanilla coke and Snickers powerbar...15 minutes before the Civ Pro exam. DUMB.

Outlined throughout the semester instead of Thanksgiving break.

Other than that, 1st semester was AWESOME!!! Met so many awesome people, partied like I was 20 (haha), and experienced snow for teh first time!

[JPeavy44]

I've read which supplements are recommended, but what about hornbooks or gilberts? I'm not sure exactly what their purpose is but I remember my tour guide at my school talking about them. Are they helpful?

[Mark71121]

I've read which supplements are recommended, but what about hornbooks or gilberts? I'm not sure exactly what their purpose is but I remember my tour guide at my school talking about them. Are they helpful?

i found the gilberts commercial outlines helpful for property and crim proc. you basically want those for classes that are heavy on black letter law.

[ChattelCat]

I've read which supplements are recommended, but what about hornbooks or gilberts? I'm not sure exactly what their purpose is but I remember my tour guide at my school talking about them. Are they helpful?

i found the gilberts commercial outlines helpful for property and crim proc. you basically want those for classes that are heavy on black letter law.

agreed. It depends on the class. Although if I had to do it all over again I probably would have only bought one commercial outline (the Gilbert's for Property because it was written by my casebook author) cause the other ones I bought I didn't even pick up - but if you can get them cheaply (a lot of 2L's at my school were selling them at the beginning of the year for $10) it can't hurt to have them on hand I suppose.