Suggested Approach to Studying for Law School Exams

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Each subject area separately. Don't fall into the temptation of studying a little of each course.

Start an Outline/Summary early and keep it as up-to-date as possible. In the Fall use Thanksgiving break to bring all your outlines up-to-date. In the spring use Easter break to bring your outlines up-to-date.

If you have difficulty with a concept see your professor immediately. In fact, find a professor who you feel comfortable learning from and make a standing appointment to review some aspect of his or her course. The analytical skills you learn will be transferable to your other courses.

Develop Flashcards for each subject: include key terms, key rules and elements, standards, hypotheticals. Start doing this immediately. (Do this as you prepare and review a subject);

Go through ALL your flashcards on a subject at least every two to three weeks. Review the areas of the law you "miss".

Take 1-2 hours of hypotheticals, short answer questions, and multiple choice for each subject at least two to three weeks for each subject exams daily AND take 1-2 hours of multiple choice questions . Start doing this immediately.

Compare your answer to the model answer.

Determine which issues you missed and why (missed a fact, didn't know the law, etc.). Review the law for the issues you missed.

Make sure you used PRE-IRAC-C form in writing your answer.

At the end, of course, condense your outline to no more than 10 pages of key issues, rules, standards, tests, exceptions.

Make a one page list of key terms for each course. Don't do this until the days immediately before the exams

During the study time before exams spend ALL your time taking exams and multiple choice questions. Review areas where you are having trouble.

Study 10-12 hours per week on exam preparation activities: making a course outline, making and reviewing flashcards, writing answers to short hypotheticals.

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