How do you study for finals? Forum

[ok2bedifferent]

Do you guys re-read the reading assignments? Just look at your notes? Do you just look at the outline you've created throughout the semester or wait 'til the end? Do you just do past exams?

[BarbellDreams]

Outlines and practice test, then supplements for parts of outline you're not crystal clear on.

[Grizz]

Outline in front of the TV, watch some "adult" videos, j/o, cry, go to sleep, and hope the next day will be better.

[Cupidity]

Throughout the semester, I read daily and pay attention in class. No outlining, review, or supplements.

Typical 4 day reading period:

Do the glannon multiple choice guide cover to cover. (Day 1)

Outline using the glannon guide, adding in case cites and specific notes from class (Day 2)

Practice exams (Day 3 & 4)

Take a practice exam before the final (Test Day)

[lsatClay]

Month before exams: Read my outline. For the parts I don't get, ask the professor, suppliments, ask friends, et al to clarify.
About a week before exams: Begin doing practice tests
Exams day: Ace the exam

[td6624]

1. make pathetically short and useless outlines
2. stare at outlines
3. look at practice tests (maybe). outline an answer if i'm in the mood and compare to a sample answer if it's available.

right now i'm typing out condensed versions of restatement provisions. for an open book test. because.................. it makes me feel like i'm accomplishing something? i don't know.

[Eco]

A month before exams, I make big outlines. Some classes I don't, depends on the class, for e.g. property I felt like that would be pointless. Throughout the month I also read E & Es and any other supplements I have. Finally, make small 10-20 page outlines that are specifically tailored for the exams. Then I take practice tests and make "how to answer this type of question" outlines.

[Bumi]

Excuse me for asking an incredibly stupid 0L question, but I can't hold it in any longer.

Regarding these outlines every single law student makes: can you use them on the final? Are finals open book/notes?

[td6624]

Excuse me for asking an incredibly stupid 0L question, but I can't hold it in any longer.

Regarding these outlines every single law student makes: can you use them on the final? Are finals open book/notes?

depends on the professor but usually you can.

also http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=5

[BarbellDreams]

Excuse me for asking an incredibly stupid 0L question, but I can't hold it in any longer.

Regarding these outlines every single law student makes: can you use them on the final? Are finals open book/notes?

7 of my 8 finals are open book this year. (I'm a 1L)

[ChattTNdt]

Excuse me for asking an incredibly stupid 0L question, but I can't hold it in any longer.

Regarding these outlines every single law student makes: can you use them on the final? Are finals open book/notes?

7 of my 8 finals are open book this year. (I'm a 1L)

To offer the other side of this, only 2 of my 10 finals were open book this year (1L), and one of those two only allowed a specific statute book, no outlines.

I study by attempting to memorize my outlines as much as possible while condensing them until they are as short as possible.

[kswiss]

Very much depends on the exam/prof.

For closed book exams, i do a really sparse outline and memorize BLL. On a purely closed book exam being able to recall the rule and spot the major issues will usually be enough to get into at least the top half of the class. After that, its just being creative in analysis. If the outline is too big or you try to shove too much stuff in your head, you'll end up getting substantive rules wrong which will cascade and cause you to lose points on the analysis.

For open book, I do a bigger outline throughout the semester, and distill it down to 10-20 pages in the last couple of weeks while reviewing / using supplements / taking practice tests. After the practice tests I'll create hybrid checklist / substantive outlines that are tailored to the type of questions the prof asks. If there are more tests available, I'll practice with the new outline and improve it. If not, I'll retake one of the old ones to make sure that my outline isn't missing anything. Then, in the days before the exam I'll usually work on memorizing the outline and creating a bare checklist and read LR articles to get a broader picture of the big topics, especially if the prof has a policy essay.

The only exception is Con law. My prof wants a lot of his arguments spit back to him, so my outline is huge with basically all of my class notes (he gives suggested notes during the lecture.) I have a meta-outline that allows me to see the class as a whole. BTW this is the first exam that I've been worried about.

Aced all my exams last semester FWIW.

[pasteurizedmilk]

1. attend 65% of classes. do no reading. take good class notes.

2. Get an old outline 10 days before the final.

3. read it and class notes. outline a few practice tests. take final.

(2L)