Here is some advice for you guys of things to do that will help you (that I either heard from others or found out along the way).
1. Sign up for a 2L/3L-led study group. Early on in your 1st semester, you will have a meeting where you are told about ASP. It's a school run study program. One of the things that is offered is study groups led by 2Ls or 3Ls who did well in the class. There is usually one for every course for every section (i.e., one for Contracts 1 for section 1, and one for Contracts 1 for section 2, etc.). The groups are only 4-5 1Ls, so if you're interested, don't wait to sign up.
Each group is different but most are set up to give you advice on taking that professor's exam and doing practice problems (varies depending on the type of exam the professor gives). Although the class is specific to that course, I found that the skills I learned about taking an exam helped me in all of my other classes.
Although you can only sign up for one group each semester, you could form a group of 4 from your section and have each of you sign up for a different group.
2. Talk to your TAs. Each of you will have four TAs in your Legal Writing class. In most cases, they had the same professors as you when you were a 1L. (This is not always the case. I was in section 4 last year, but will be TAing in section 2. However, I did have a few of the same professors.) The TAs are a great resource for finding out about your professors, how to prepare for their exam, and what their exam is like. However, even when your TA didn't have your professor, they know other students who did and can find out from them and relay it to you.
3. Sign up for phi alpha delta (PAD). PAD is the group that runs the House Hunt, and is a
legal fraternity. I think it was almost $100 to sign up (just a 1-time cost), but it was very useful when it came to preparing for exams. Each semester before exams, PAD will hold an information session
for members only where they gave advice about taking exams for each professor. It was really helpful, especially if you are in sections 3 or 4 and have Walker for Civil Procedure 1. But, it was also really helpful for other classes as well.
That's all I can think of now.
PM is on the way.
), so take my advice FWIW. However, I do have a 1L SA, and will be a TA for my writing prof next year.
