Finals Study Schedule

I posted a blog regarding what I do to prepare for my finals when I was a 1L. That blog detailed my preparation for the final. However, I failed to give an example of what my finals study schedule looks like. This blog discusses my finals study schedule that I have prepared for this semester. This will be a longer blog because it sets forth two examples going step by step when creating a finals study schedule.

I was that 1L who was over eager to start law school and freaked out about everything. I googled many different tips and tricks about law school so I can get a better understanding of what was to come. Although nothing truly prepared me for law school, there was some major take away points I am glad I discovered. I watched a YouTube video on law school study schedule organization. That video can be found at

LAW SCHOOL | Study Schedule Organization Tips & Memorization Advice | J Wong

[Disclaimer:]

J Wong is the creator of the YouTube video providing helpful advice for law students taking final exams. This blog highlights my takeaways from her YouTube video listed above.

In this video, she goes through the process of creating a mock study schedule for finals. I found this to be helpful, and this essentially guided how I planned my finals schedule. She gives a mock example of a study finals schedule.

Her Mock Finals Study Schedule Example

1st: List out exams in order of which comes first (see above)

December 1: Criminal Law

December 6: Tort Law

December 15: Con Law

2nd: Gather your syllabi and put them in the order of your exam schedule

Criminal Law, Tort Law, Con Law

3rd: List major topics described in the syllabus for criminal law and number them in chronological order

Ex. Actus Reus, Intent, Mens Rea etc.

4th: List major topics described in the syllabus for Torts

Ex. Negligence, Strict Liability, Intentional Torts

5th: List major topics described in the syllabus for Con law

Ex. Justiciable, Government Powers, Individual Rights

Her example list of major topics in the classes

Criminal Law

Topic 1: Actus Reus

Topic 2: Intent

Topic 3: Mens Rea

Torts

Topic 1: Negligence

Topic 2: Strict Liability

Topic 3: Intentional Torts

Constitutional Law

Topic 1: Justiciability

Topic 2: Government Powers

Topic 3: Individuals Rights

Next, she says you have to figure out how many days that you have until the exam. She also describes the necessity to know how many topics are in each course. For example, if you have 20 topics in each course, then you have 20 days to learn each topic per course. It is essentially learning one topic a day. The last thing to consider is to do the math and see how many topics per day you would do.

Now, you take a fresh piece of paper and create a second list. Your start date should include all number “1s” between all the classes. On the first day, you would study the number 1 topics in each subject.

Therefore, on November 1st (first day of studying), you would study Actus Reus, Negligence, Justiciability

These were the highlights that she presented in her YouTube video. Below you will my step by step finals study schedule for this semester that was inspired by J Wong.

My Finals: December 4th-14th

I like this method and it has been very beneficial to my studies. I will stop this studying all subjects the weekend before exams start. I use the days directly before the final to only study for that exam. I love this method that she has because it allows you to study daily over the course of the month rather than cramming. You are constantly reviewing material, so when it comes to the final you know more than you think. Instead of memorizing, you can be using that time to do practice multiple choice and practice essay exams. This is one of many ways to study for final exams. Below you will see my finals schedule for Fall 2018 semester based on the video I watched.

My Final Study Schedule based on her video

1st: List out exams in order of which comes first (see above)

December 6th: Constitutional Law

December 10th: Business Associations

December 12th: Criminal Law

December 13th: Criminal Procedure

List major topics in the classes

Constitutional Law

Topic 1:  Judicial Review (PQ Doctrine, Case or controversy, Standing, mootness, ripeness)

Topic 2: Express/Implied Federal Powers

Topic 3: Commerce Power

Topic 4: Taxing Power

Topic 5: Spending Power

Topic 6: War and Treaty Power

Topic 7: State Immunity from Federal Regulation

Topic 8: State Sovereignty Immunity as a Limit on Federal Power 

Topic 9: Preemption of State Law by Federal Law

Topic 10: Dormant Commerce Clause Doctrine

Topic 11:  Privileges and Immunity Clause

Topic 12: State Power to Regulate the House and Senate

Topic 13: Domestic Affairs

Topic 14: Foreign Affairs

Topic 15: President’s Power in Times of War

Topic 16: Executive Privilege

Topic 17: Executive Immunity

Topic 18: Delegation of Legislative Power

Topic 19: Excluding the President from the Legislative Process

Topic 20: Implications of Bicameralism and Presentment

Topic 21: Congressional Control over Executive Officials

Topic 22: Bills of Attainder

Business Associations

Topic 1:  Agency/Intro to Accounting and Finance

Topic 2: General Partnerships

Topic 3: Limited Partnership (LP)/Limited Liability Partnership(LLP)

Topic 4: Limited Liability Corporation (LLC)

Topic 5: Foundations of a Corporation

Topic 6: Personal Liability in a Corporate Context

Topic 7: Corporate Finance Structure

Topic 8: Required Formalities

Topic 9: Closed Corporations (limiting Board’s discretion/Fiduciary Duties of Shareholders)

Topic 10: Structure of Public Corporations

Topic 11: Shareholders Informal Rights and Proxy Voting

Topic 12: Insider Trading

Topic 13: Directors Duty of Care

Topic 14: Hostile Takeover

Criminal Law

Topic 1:  Purpose of Punishment

Topic 2: Voluntary Act

Topic 3: Mens Rea

Topic 4: Causation

Topic 5: Complicity

Topic 6:  Attempt

Topic 7: Conspiracy

Topic 8: Homicide

Topic 9: Assault and Battery

Topic 10: Rape and Sexual Assault

Topic 11: Theft Crimes

Topic 12: Defenses

Topic 13: Excuses

Topic 14: Sentencing

Criminal Procedure

Topic 1:  Threshold Requirement of 4th Amendment

Topic 2: Warrant Clauses

Topic 3: Obtaining Search Warrant

Topic 4: Arrest in Public and In Home

Topic 5: Stop and Frisk

Topic 6: Limited Searches for Police Protection under Terry Doctrine

Topic 7: Line Between Stop and Arrest

Topic 8: Search Incident to Arrest [SILA]

Topic 9: Plainview/Plain Touch Seizures

Topic 10: Automobiles and other Movable Objects

Topic 11: Exigent Circumstances

Topic 12: Special Needs

Topic 13: Consent Searches

Topic 14: Electronic Surveillance/undercover

Topic 15: Remedies for 4th Amendment Violations

Topic 16: Self Incrimination/Confessions

Topic 17: Identifying Suspects

Topic 18: Right to Counsel

Topic 19: Screening and Charging Process

Now that I have listed out each classes topics, I need to figure out at what point I will begin studying. I usually start studying a month prior to my first final. So, I should study a month prior to December 6, 2018.

Final Start Date: November 6, 2018

Study Schedule Leading up to Final Exams

November 6:

Con Law: Judicial Review (PQ Doctrine, Case or controversy, Standing, mootness, ripeness)

BA: Agency/Intro to Accounting and Finance

Crim Law: Purpose of Punishment

Crim Pro: Threshold Requirement of 4th Amendment

November 7:

Con Law: Express/Implied Federal Powers

BA: General Partnerships

Crim Law: Voluntary Act

Crim Pro: Warrant Clauses

November 8:

Con Law: Commerce Power

BA: Limited Partnership (LP)/Limited Liability Partnership(LLP)

Crim Law: Mens Rea

Crim Pro: Obtaining Search Warrant

November 9:

Con Law: Taxing Power

BA: Limited Liability Corporation (LLC)

Crim Law: Causation

Crim Pro: Arrest in Public and In Home

November 10:

Con Law: Spending Power

BA: Foundations of a Corporation

Crim Law: Complicity

Crim Pro: Stop and Frisk

November 11:

Con Law: War and Treaty Power

BA: Personal Liability in a Corporate Context

Crim Law: Attempt

Crim Pro: Limited Searches for Police Protection under Terry Doctrine

November 12:

Con Law: State Immunity from Federal Regulation

BA: Corporate Finance Structure

Crim Law: Conspiracy

Crim Pro: Line Between Stop and Arrest

November 13:

Con Law: State Sovereignty Immunity as a Limit on Federal Power 

BA: Required Formalities

Crim Law: Homicide

Crim Pro: Search Incident to Arrest [SILA]

November 14:

Con Law: Preemption of State Law by Federal Law

BA: Closed Corporations (limiting Board’s discretion/Fiduciary Duties of Shareholders)

Crim Law: Assault and Battery

Crim Pro: Plainview/Plain Touch Seizures

November 15:

Con Law: Dormant Commerce Clause Doctrine

BA: Structure of Public Corporations

Crim Law: Rape and Sexual Assault

Crim Pro: Automobiles and other Movable Objects

November 16:

Con Law: Privileges and Immunity Clause

BA: Shareholders Informal Rights and Proxy Voting

Crim Law: Theft Crimes

Crim Pro: Exigent Circumstances

November 17:

Con Law: State Power to Regulate the House and Senate

BA: Insider Trading

Crim Law: Defenses

Crim Pro: Special Needs

November 18:

Con Law: Domestic Affairs

BA: Directors Duty of Care

Crim Law: Excuses

Crim Pro: Consent Searches

November 19:

Con Law: Foreign Affairs

BA: Hostile Takeover

Crim Law: Sentencing

Crim Pro: Electronic Surveillance/undercover

November 20:

Con Law: President’s Power in Times of War

BA: Agency/Intro to Accounting and Finance

Crim Law: Purpose of Punishment

Crim Pro: Remedies for 4th Amendment Violations

November 21:

Con Law: Executive Privilege

BA: General Partnerships

Crim Law: Voluntary Act

Crim Pro: Self Incrimination/Confessions

November 22:

Con Law: Executive Immunity

BA: Limited Partnership (LP)/Limited Liability Partnership(LLP)

Crim Law: Mens Rea

Crim Pro: Identifying Suspects

November 23:

Con Law: Delegation of Legislative Power

BA: Limited Liability Corporation (LLC)

Crim Law: Causation

Crim Pro: Right to Counsel

November 24:

Con Law: Excluding the President from the Legislative Process

BA: Foundations of a Corporation

Crim Law: Complicity

Crim Pro: Screening and Charging Process

November 25:

Con Law: Implications of Bicameralism and Presentment

BA: Personal Liability in a Corporate Context

Crim Law: Homicide

Crim Pro: Threshold Requirement of 4th Amendment

November 26:

Con Law: Congressional Control over Executive Officials

BA: Corporate Finance Structure

Crim Law: Assault and Battery

Crim Pro: Warrant Clauses

November 27:

Con Law: Bills of Attainder

BA: Required Formalities

Crim Law: Rape and Assault

Crim Pro: Obtaining a Search Warrant

November 28:

Con Law: Judicial Review (PQ Doctrine, Case or controversy, Standing, mootness, ripeness)

BA: Closed Corporations (limiting Board’s discretion/Fiduciary Duties of Shareholders)

Crim Law: Theft Crimes

Crim Pro: Arrest in Public and In Home

November 29:

Con Law: Express/Implied Federal Powers

BA: Structure of Public Corporations

Crim Law: Defenses/Excuses

Crim Pro: Stop and Frisk

November 30:

Con Law: Commerce Power

BA: Shareholders Informal Rights and Proxy Voting

Crim Law: Sentencing

Crim Pro: Limited Searches for Police Protection under Terry Doctrine

I know this was a lengthy blog, but hopefully, it was helpful. Someone requested this blog and it was good for me as well. I created this study schedule while writing the blog. Now I am prepared to study for finals come November 6, 2018.