One, Two Step: Mastering Law School Finals

Hope everyone had a restful break from work/school! I know all the students are starting crunch mode as you prepare for finals. I’m a bit removed from that 

but believe me, law school finals anxiety is a feeling you never, ever forget. In fact, my first holiday as an attorney was one of my happiest because I was so thrilled to not have to worry about any exams!

You’ll get there eventually, but in the meantime you have to master your exams. I hate to say this, but preparing for your finals is a two-pronged process. The most important part of studying for law school finals is not just understanding the topic, but it’s in mastering your presentation. Many students understand the first part, but overlook the latter.

First, I want to talk about outlines.  Outlines are super useful, but if you’re like me, you may just be creating outlines without really understanding the benefits of them. First, if outlines aren’t your learning style then don’t bother with them. Hopefully, all semester you have been studying how you study and finals shouldn’t be any different. Figure out how you intake material and stick with it. Second, if you want to use outlines, then know why you’re using them. Outlines should help you understand the basics of your classes. You should absolutely compose them yourself. This is the best way for you to learn the material and break it down in a way that makes sense to you. Finding some supposed-Holy Grail outline for a tough professor that was made by another student won’t be as helpful as you creating them on your own in a way that makes sense to you and allows you to absorb the material.

Once you have a method to review the subject, the next important step that many students overlook is practicing how you present your information. You need to learn IRAC. Not just learn it, IRAC needs to become second nature in how you present your answers. We all know that law exams are about getting to maybe. It’s not about showing you know the “right” answer, it’s about showing how you got there. You’re being graded on your analysis, i.e. are you thinking like a lawyer?

We’re so overwhelmed with reviewing cases, that you overlook practicing on how you’ll present an answer. And believe it or not, how you formulate your response is what makes the difference in your grades. Professors want to see that you 1) know the standards for the course and 2) can communicate it in a way that’s concise, nuanced, and clear.  That means you need to practice writing essay answers on top of reviewing your study materials. Use the exams from previous years and after you get used to it, do some under timed conditions.

I know this seems intense and few students will admit that they’re doing this. In fact, few will do so because we either don’t have the time to study fully or don’t understand the point of final exams. There’s also the fear of being seen as doing the most, right? Law school is crazy in that we all want to be desperately seen as just naturally gifted and smart. I mean, that’s been the case for most of us for most of our academic career. But law school is different. Don’t worry about perceptions—worry about acing your exams. Put in the work and the grades will follow!