Assessing Your Answers to Practice Exams Forum

[carsondalywashere]

Let's assume (1) the professor will not go over a practice exam answer with you and (2) there are no model answers. Is comparing your answer with your peers the only other viable method for assessing your answer? Are there other methods I'm not thinking of?

[carsondalywashere]

Bump

[runinthefront]

Basically, yes. Which is why having a study group or an upperclassman mentor who’s able and willing to review your PTs can really help set you over the top in terms of exam writing.

[omd3117]

Even though a professor might not be willing to go over a sample answer, you should still ask them what they prefer to see on exams. For example, in torts - my professor wanted essentially a really long running checklist of everything even if you could tell from the outset there wouldn't be liability because there was very clearly no duty. However, other professors won't want you spending time on issues that clearly have no substance to it. So I think, first start there.

As for the no model answer or no feedback from the professor, I would say your best bet really is to get one or two more friends to go over the fact pattern. However, if you are like minded be sure to go through and discuss things that perhaps both of you didn't catch that you think your professor would want to see on an exam. I used to look up sample exam answers online to specific 1L question, but I think this isn't the best way to go because they'll often focus their answers on what they taught in class. So I'd try to stay away from this as much as possible b/c they'll start to skew your practice exam answers as well.

Asking friends can be awkward - especially during 1L b/c you view them as your competition or whatever, but really this is the best approach.

[LawSchoolAlum]

I'd ask an upperclassman who made a good grade in the class to review the practice answer. Going though it with peers/a study group is good too. Looking back, my best grades in law school were when I did this.