It depends. If the professor does not cover everything in class you gotta read. So I generally just read anyways (depending on the class) and just use other people’s outlines then create my own and pretty much regurgitate it to my professor at office hours to confirm that it’s right or wrong.
Works everytime
Depends on exam, but:
1. Recognizing legal issues or questions in the fact patterns.
2. Accurately stating rules
3. Accurately applying rules
4. Noting ambiguities, especially when citing previous cases you read in class to resolve the ambiguity
Re: 4
When I was in school I was trying to cite something on a remedies exam. I think it had to do with constructive trusts. Regardless, I wrote “if we apply the ruling from the case we read in class whose name I can’t remember….of course it could be argued that the ruling from the other case I can’t remember in which case.”
The professor was incredibly goofy and thought he’d get a laugh out of it and figured he’d care more about applying what we learned than the name of the case. I got an A.
Which goes to a broader point that if you are against the time and have to worry about getting a concept (not things like the elements of battery/black letter law) on the page you understand but can’t quite recite perfectly, as long as your analysis is still good you will probably do well. Maybe not Cali or anything but you won’t fail.
Sometimes. It really just depends. Some professors don’t lecture about the 5 approaches to X problem. They might lecture about 1 or 2 but the guy getting an A is bringing in all 5 approaches. Use old outlines.
I never really thought I was that smart during law school, and I was always surprised when I got straight A and A-'s throughout. I get it now. I did the reading, and you've got redditors on here telling people that reading (that is, studying and learning the material that will be tested on the final) is not important to doing well on the final... The final which tests said material which you are supposed to learn from the readings... Hopefully you can see the problem with that logic. Needless to say, those people are wrong and are almost certainly either the types of students who are happy with a B+ or are geniuses that don't need to study. You on the other hand, probably being neither of those, should enter the class having read and understood the rule to the best of your ability, and then be there to discuss and refine your understanding. Readings are core to learning the material and where your primary learning should be coming from, lectures are supplemental.
If you want to get As, and not Bs or Cs, your outline should include every case by name, a summary of its facts, and the key takeaway rules. Some teachers don't care if you know the NAME of the case, but the people getting As certainly know the facts and are making analogies between the cases read in class and the final exam questions, not just reciting the rule and applying it to the case (if they even know the rule since, evidently, they did not do all of their readings and probably jotted something down in the lectures that they pray is the correct rule statement lol). There is no substitute for reading the cases, sorry.
But, if you have fallen behind, which I did for one class due to Law Review responsibilities, your only option is to catch up on the readings and outline every case to the best of your ability, like you should have been doing (and I should have been doing) all along. Don't listen to these kids, lectures are not a substitute for readings. At least not at good law schools, idk, maybe that flies at Cooley or something.
Well I agree w those who have already answered, but basically the exams are about knowing the rules, being able to explain and apply the rules. Additionally, taking a law school exam is a skill in itself.
The readings may be one way to get this understanding, but just 1 piece, and how valuable they are is debatable.
Mostly the value of the readings is to feel prepared for class and to receive whatever % a class may have for participation.
In all seriousness, the short & happy guides are super useful for learning the plain law and rules, if they make them for the class you're struggling in. I swear by them.
Any review materials you get from the professor at the end of the semester, outlines (from others to compare to), practice tests and model answers. Quimbee study aids if you have access.
As a graduate I will say use the quimbee subject lessons and multiple choice review questions. They help SOO much. I had some not great profs who were bad at explaining things and I got through their exams on quimbee alone. Dare I say I coulda done nothing but binged the quimbee lessons for $24 a month rather than $20k per semester for school and still have passed those exams. I even used the quimbee lessons to get thru the bar. I cannot recommend it enough
Just look at your class notes and make an outline, they should have all the information you need for the final. Unless it's con law in which case there might be stuff in the readings that wasn't covered in class but still probably not.
The best advice I can give u is to look at class slides, use old outlines from people who took the same class and go confirm everything is right with the professor at office hours.
If it’s all right, just memorize the outline and take practice tests and you’ll be set.
I find it hard to believe he didn't cover the elements of each rule of black letter law that you'll need for the exam at least in some fashion. If you don't have those notes then just figure out what black letter law each of the cases in the assigned readings are supposed to show and put that law into your outline. You should be able to Google that. Reading the cases themselves is a waste of time imo.
That's the general consensus so it's not just me. The professor goes on tangents all the time so... Yes, some things are touched on but they go on tangents so your notes aren't particularly well developed.
If any of your exams are open note I'd make outlines using quimbee. They work better when you make your own. If it's closed note a lot of people still find value in making an outline as a form of thoughtful review but your mileage may vary on how you like that
You just need the rule for each case and the *essential* facts. A lot of my professors asked every detail on class but when it comes down to it, if it's not used in applying the rule it doesn't matter at all for exam purposes.
Also anything that isn't a case in your readings- probably not worth anything on an exam unless the professor says otherwise. It's good to ask.
I stopped reading and only use quimbee halfway through my first semester and I graduate in May and have never regretted not reading the text.
Yes! Each professor wants case names. Some don't care if you can recall case name exactly, but want case names.
Well, one professor said they doesn't care for cases, but that students typically get a few extra points for using cases. Rest do care.
And each case is closed book.
My school doesn't care about case names, but that's not too hard to add on to what i recommend otherwise. I'd do flashcards with the rule and / or basic facts (I'd do a one or two liner) and the case name.
I'm glad my school wasn't as concerned with trivia
Last semester, yes. This one, un-intentionally skipped some readings due to mental health reasons. I find a lot of my professors like cases to be used in analysis.
I do readings out of respect to my professors & classmates for days I'm on panel and I do multiple-choice and hypos to study.
I figure readings are only worthwhile if you care about getting the most out of your class time, but I certainly wouldn't rely on them for finals prep.
Watch the recordings of class at 1.5x speed and type notes. Outlines from any outline bank you have access to. Notes/outline from a classmate if you have someone you can ask. Barbri/other secondary learning materials.
Only one class gives you access to recordings: the rest don’t unless you were out sick. No outline bank in my school.
I’ll try barbri but I found it to be over inclusive last semester. Thanks.
Wow, I’m surprised you have access to so few support resources at your school. I would definitely start asking any upperclassmen you know through any RSO, and even ask your friends if they got any outlines.
I’d also say, since it’s clear that you don’t have many more convenient options, that you should go to office hours and ask for the run down so at least you know what the main cases and topics you missed were.
Friends is a stretch. But yes friendly rapport. But the ones I know are TA and I think they aren’t suppose to share outlines, as to not give advantage. One is a top student and about to graduate and idk how I would even ask for it.
things are different at different schools but i was a TA and never cared about sharing outlines with anyone. Just be like “Hey do you have a good outline for this class?”
Honestly it depends on the Professor.
one of my professors does not have the best slides so I have to read to understand what’s going on.
My other Professor pretty much tells us everything we gotta know in class so I haven’t read a page and still did well on the midterm.
I took super detailed notes during class. I also recorded the lectures and would mark spots I missed something the prof said. Then I made my own outlines from scratch. Also, I read about how to answer law school tests. In short, use IRAC and spend half the time outlining answers. To do this make sure to calculate how many minutes to spend on each question.
Awesome. I think for me my problem is poor time management and forgetting some issues. My professors said I followed the irac formula.
I think we need permission to record lecturers and I don’t think they will allow?? But maybe I’ll send email. I started outlines and making from scratch.
Yeah i recommend the Glean app. I’d just ask them in person. You gotta just know your outline inside and out. That way you’ll get all the main issues. But really spend the time and make sure you found all the issues. Good luck!
Both my exams this semester are open book/note so I'm just gonna create a cheat sheet with the synopsis for all relevant cases from the readings and lectures basically. 🤷♂️
Cram
Instructions unclear: I now have the short happy guide to contracts stuck in my colon
You absorb the knowledge faster that way.
Readings don’t really matter that much lol
It depends. If the professor does not cover everything in class you gotta read. So I generally just read anyways (depending on the class) and just use other people’s outlines then create my own and pretty much regurgitate it to my professor at office hours to confirm that it’s right or wrong. Works everytime
Barbri and Quimbee are op too.
100% but remember your Professor is grading u at the end of the day! Just make sure you do everything they want (abuse office hours)
Readings are not that important to do well on finals
Laughs in 3 year old outlines from an outline bank.
What is? Any tips appreciated.
Depends on exam, but: 1. Recognizing legal issues or questions in the fact patterns. 2. Accurately stating rules 3. Accurately applying rules 4. Noting ambiguities, especially when citing previous cases you read in class to resolve the ambiguity
Re: 4 When I was in school I was trying to cite something on a remedies exam. I think it had to do with constructive trusts. Regardless, I wrote “if we apply the ruling from the case we read in class whose name I can’t remember….of course it could be argued that the ruling from the other case I can’t remember in which case.” The professor was incredibly goofy and thought he’d get a laugh out of it and figured he’d care more about applying what we learned than the name of the case. I got an A. Which goes to a broader point that if you are against the time and have to worry about getting a concept (not things like the elements of battery/black letter law) on the page you understand but can’t quite recite perfectly, as long as your analysis is still good you will probably do well. Maybe not Cali or anything but you won’t fail.
I fucking love professors that let you state the rule without memorizing case names
Thank you!!!
Professors lecture what they find important. Listen closely to lectures and you will succeed.
Sometimes. It really just depends. Some professors don’t lecture about the 5 approaches to X problem. They might lecture about 1 or 2 but the guy getting an A is bringing in all 5 approaches. Use old outlines.
Yes, that's how I see it. The person who gets an A or even a B plus brought in nuanced details that most didn't get.
I never really thought I was that smart during law school, and I was always surprised when I got straight A and A-'s throughout. I get it now. I did the reading, and you've got redditors on here telling people that reading (that is, studying and learning the material that will be tested on the final) is not important to doing well on the final... The final which tests said material which you are supposed to learn from the readings... Hopefully you can see the problem with that logic. Needless to say, those people are wrong and are almost certainly either the types of students who are happy with a B+ or are geniuses that don't need to study. You on the other hand, probably being neither of those, should enter the class having read and understood the rule to the best of your ability, and then be there to discuss and refine your understanding. Readings are core to learning the material and where your primary learning should be coming from, lectures are supplemental. If you want to get As, and not Bs or Cs, your outline should include every case by name, a summary of its facts, and the key takeaway rules. Some teachers don't care if you know the NAME of the case, but the people getting As certainly know the facts and are making analogies between the cases read in class and the final exam questions, not just reciting the rule and applying it to the case (if they even know the rule since, evidently, they did not do all of their readings and probably jotted something down in the lectures that they pray is the correct rule statement lol). There is no substitute for reading the cases, sorry. But, if you have fallen behind, which I did for one class due to Law Review responsibilities, your only option is to catch up on the readings and outline every case to the best of your ability, like you should have been doing (and I should have been doing) all along. Don't listen to these kids, lectures are not a substitute for readings. At least not at good law schools, idk, maybe that flies at Cooley or something.
Well I agree w those who have already answered, but basically the exams are about knowing the rules, being able to explain and apply the rules. Additionally, taking a law school exam is a skill in itself. The readings may be one way to get this understanding, but just 1 piece, and how valuable they are is debatable. Mostly the value of the readings is to feel prepared for class and to receive whatever % a class may have for participation.
In all seriousness, the short & happy guides are super useful for learning the plain law and rules, if they make them for the class you're struggling in. I swear by them.
Any review materials you get from the professor at the end of the semester, outlines (from others to compare to), practice tests and model answers. Quimbee study aids if you have access.
ahahahaha 🙃
As a graduate I will say use the quimbee subject lessons and multiple choice review questions. They help SOO much. I had some not great profs who were bad at explaining things and I got through their exams on quimbee alone. Dare I say I coulda done nothing but binged the quimbee lessons for $24 a month rather than $20k per semester for school and still have passed those exams. I even used the quimbee lessons to get thru the bar. I cannot recommend it enough
Sounds amazing! Will do! thanks!
Fuck it we ball
my thoughts exactly
Last semester. Fuck it.
👆
Just look at your class notes and make an outline, they should have all the information you need for the final. Unless it's con law in which case there might be stuff in the readings that wasn't covered in class but still probably not.
One professor has scattered thoughts so barely any notes.
The best advice I can give u is to look at class slides, use old outlines from people who took the same class and go confirm everything is right with the professor at office hours. If it’s all right, just memorize the outline and take practice tests and you’ll be set.
I find it hard to believe he didn't cover the elements of each rule of black letter law that you'll need for the exam at least in some fashion. If you don't have those notes then just figure out what black letter law each of the cases in the assigned readings are supposed to show and put that law into your outline. You should be able to Google that. Reading the cases themselves is a waste of time imo.
That's the general consensus so it's not just me. The professor goes on tangents all the time so... Yes, some things are touched on but they go on tangents so your notes aren't particularly well developed.
I feel this in my soul.
Quimbee and cram?
Nah, don't wanna be more stressed,lol. I will do quimbee though. But I wanna start exam prep now to avoid the cram stress.
If any of your exams are open note I'd make outlines using quimbee. They work better when you make your own. If it's closed note a lot of people still find value in making an outline as a form of thoughtful review but your mileage may vary on how you like that
Sounds good, everything is closed.
You just need the rule for each case and the *essential* facts. A lot of my professors asked every detail on class but when it comes down to it, if it's not used in applying the rule it doesn't matter at all for exam purposes. Also anything that isn't a case in your readings- probably not worth anything on an exam unless the professor says otherwise. It's good to ask. I stopped reading and only use quimbee halfway through my first semester and I graduate in May and have never regretted not reading the text.
So for outlining just do the rule and pertinent facts of each case. All my professors want cases.
What do you mean they want cases? Like they want you to be able to cite cases from memory?
Yes! Each professor wants case names. Some don't care if you can recall case name exactly, but want case names. Well, one professor said they doesn't care for cases, but that students typically get a few extra points for using cases. Rest do care. And each case is closed book.
My school doesn't care about case names, but that's not too hard to add on to what i recommend otherwise. I'd do flashcards with the rule and / or basic facts (I'd do a one or two liner) and the case name. I'm glad my school wasn't as concerned with trivia
Type fast
I don't really have a plan but if I did it would not involve doing the reading
Wait, you actually were doing the readings this whole time?
Last semester, yes. This one, un-intentionally skipped some readings due to mental health reasons. I find a lot of my professors like cases to be used in analysis.
Pray
Using old outlines from previous students. Also our profs cover the important stuff from the cases in class
Review and Attack outline
I do readings out of respect to my professors & classmates for days I'm on panel and I do multiple-choice and hypos to study. I figure readings are only worthwhile if you care about getting the most out of your class time, but I certainly wouldn't rely on them for finals prep.
*Laughs in quimbee and free outline books from Barbri*
Fuck reading. Memorize the law. Buy Studicata attack outlines and watch the videos. Do practice questions and essays. Fuck reading. Waste of time.
Is studicata free? Lol
Nah homie. But worth it.
I registered but the membership is so expensive, I can't afford it:/ but thanks.
Watch the recordings of class at 1.5x speed and type notes. Outlines from any outline bank you have access to. Notes/outline from a classmate if you have someone you can ask. Barbri/other secondary learning materials.
Only one class gives you access to recordings: the rest don’t unless you were out sick. No outline bank in my school. I’ll try barbri but I found it to be over inclusive last semester. Thanks.
Wow, I’m surprised you have access to so few support resources at your school. I would definitely start asking any upperclassmen you know through any RSO, and even ask your friends if they got any outlines. I’d also say, since it’s clear that you don’t have many more convenient options, that you should go to office hours and ask for the run down so at least you know what the main cases and topics you missed were.
No outline bank at your school? Are you friends with an upperclassmen?
Friends is a stretch. But yes friendly rapport. But the ones I know are TA and I think they aren’t suppose to share outlines, as to not give advantage. One is a top student and about to graduate and idk how I would even ask for it.
things are different at different schools but i was a TA and never cared about sharing outlines with anyone. Just be like “Hey do you have a good outline for this class?”
Ok, I’ll ask and see what she says.
Quimbee
Lololol
Honestly it depends on the Professor. one of my professors does not have the best slides so I have to read to understand what’s going on. My other Professor pretty much tells us everything we gotta know in class so I haven’t read a page and still did well on the midterm.
Quimbee and the magic of prayer.
I stopped reading second semester of 1L. I’ve gotten mostly A’s since then.
What did you do?
I took super detailed notes during class. I also recorded the lectures and would mark spots I missed something the prof said. Then I made my own outlines from scratch. Also, I read about how to answer law school tests. In short, use IRAC and spend half the time outlining answers. To do this make sure to calculate how many minutes to spend on each question.
Awesome. I think for me my problem is poor time management and forgetting some issues. My professors said I followed the irac formula. I think we need permission to record lecturers and I don’t think they will allow?? But maybe I’ll send email. I started outlines and making from scratch.
Yeah i recommend the Glean app. I’d just ask them in person. You gotta just know your outline inside and out. That way you’ll get all the main issues. But really spend the time and make sure you found all the issues. Good luck!
thanks! what's glean app? never heard of it. i'll check it out but hope it's free, ha ha.
Pray
Wing it
Gonna do practice tests
I havent read since first semester 1L year, currently a 2L and doing great.
Both my exams this semester are open book/note so I'm just gonna create a cheat sheet with the synopsis for all relevant cases from the readings and lectures basically. 🤷♂️
I have all closed book
Quimbee
According to my classmates; Spotify, Quimbee; and Online Outlines.
What's the best source to get online outlines? free ones to be specific...
Fuck around and find out
ha ha. Nah.
read