1L Exam Mistakes--Don't Get Bulldozed
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 12:06 pm
Folks are in the thick of exam season and the time couldn't be better to point out a few mistakes that 1Ls can easily slip into:
1. Using Outlines Improperly - An outline is a quick reference guide that is useful in the unfortunate event of a memory lapse. Outlines should be remembered cold. An outline is not a crutch that will lead you to an "A"--plan accordingly. Spending too long flipping through an outline during an exam--usually anything more than 10 minutes total--will probably get you bulldozed on the curve.
2. Spending too much Time on Small Issues - It's good to know everything about a doctrine from its underlying rationale to its application in various scenarios. But when the horse is dead, there is no way to beat more points out of it. Recognize small issues, gather the points available and move on to the bigger issues. Failing to do so will probably get you bulldozed on the curve.
3. Downplaying the Need for Speed - Quickness and accuracy are pre-reqs to good grades. This goes for in-class and take-home exams. No need to type 100+ words per minute--a brisk pace should do it. But typing miserably slow or, even worse, handwriting exams will probably get you bulldozed on the curve.
Anything else? Chime in!
1. Using Outlines Improperly - An outline is a quick reference guide that is useful in the unfortunate event of a memory lapse. Outlines should be remembered cold. An outline is not a crutch that will lead you to an "A"--plan accordingly. Spending too long flipping through an outline during an exam--usually anything more than 10 minutes total--will probably get you bulldozed on the curve.
2. Spending too much Time on Small Issues - It's good to know everything about a doctrine from its underlying rationale to its application in various scenarios. But when the horse is dead, there is no way to beat more points out of it. Recognize small issues, gather the points available and move on to the bigger issues. Failing to do so will probably get you bulldozed on the curve.
3. Downplaying the Need for Speed - Quickness and accuracy are pre-reqs to good grades. This goes for in-class and take-home exams. No need to type 100+ words per minute--a brisk pace should do it. But typing miserably slow or, even worse, handwriting exams will probably get you bulldozed on the curve.
Anything else? Chime in!