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.
May I ask how many hours per day you spend on each subject, based on your outline?
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That depends on how large the topic is. Since it is breaking the the whole class to smaller parts, it shouldn’t as long as studying for finals.
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