How to Spend Less Time Preparing for Class and More Time Preparing for Exams
The California Desert Trial Academy meets the needs of modern law students. Those who are looking for a different approach to legal education need not look any further than the CDTA. Our four-year Juris doctorate program allows working adults of the Coachella Valley the opportunity to obtain a legal education.
As exams approach, the following equation starts to change:
24 Hours – (Hours slept + Hours attending class) = Hours available to study
When the semester (or quarter) begins, these precious and valuable hours available to study are largely utilized preparing for class. Most students prepare for class through the typical routine of familiarizing themselves with that day’s cases and subject matter, so they’ll be ready when the professor covers it in class. Reading, reviewing, and briefing cases with a focus on class readiness is the daily mantra. As a way to prevent losing pace or getting behind in a course, many students plan a study schedule where they apportion a certain number of pages of material for study by class, day, or week.
However, as exams approach, the hours available for study that are used for daily class preparation need to be reallocated and used for exam preparation. Instead of a focus on the daily material to be covered in class, the focus shifts to the entire subject, or, at least, whatever material will be tested on the final exam.
Instead of spending all available time preparing for Wednesday’s class in week eight covering mutual mistake, some of this time may be reallocated to either finishing the course outline or reviewing a certain percentage of the course outline.
Spending less time preparing for class doesn’t mean eliminating daily class preparation. Students must remain on course with each class despite shifting their focus. Perhaps condensing the brief on the mutual mistake case that you prepare for class or using a “canned brief” on the mutual mistake case can create some additional time for the bigger picture – passing the final exam. Students shouldn’t worry about being the “most prepared” in class, but the “most prepared” for exams.
Some first-year law students look negatively at commercial third-party legal study aids and outlines. These students prefer to prepare for class exclusively through personal effort based on the belief that it will yield the best results. Perhaps for them, it will. However, these study aids may prove invaluable at crunch time. Third-party study aids are an excellent way of supplementing required daily course work as final exams approach, while facilitating necessary exam preparation.
Like traditional law schools, CDTA’s curriculum is designed to teach students the substantive law of core subject areas. Unlike traditional law schools, CDTA emphasizes training and developing students to be capable and competent advocates in any courtroom. The California Desert Trial Academy (CDTA) is a 21st Century law school that moves students toward a successful legal career on the first day of class. We believe that practical experience in tandem with legal knowledge is the best road to a successful, rewarding, and prosperous legal career. Call us today at (760) 342-0900 or find out more online here.