The Faculty released grades for the Fall 2024 term on January 20, 2025, sending a mix of dread, fear, excitement, and nervousness through the JD student body. When grades came out this year, I thought back to 1L, when I hurried to view my first marks in the privacy of an empty classroom, which I then remained in, feeling nauseous, for an extended period of time. When the feeling wore off, I wondered “How do I do better next time?” Having then improved between 1st and 2nd semester in 1L, I thought I would share four tips that helped me perform better on my second set of exams.
- Request and Review Your December Exams
Fill out the form provided by the Law Records office in its grades release email to request a copy of your December exams and read them. You may be surprised at what you wrote, which may be different than what you thought you wrote. Your first set of exams acts as a baseline, and reviewing them can help you understand what you’re naturally good at and what you need to work on. If you’re not sure what to improve upon, see the next tip.
- Talk To Your Professors
Email your professor and ask to meet and review your exam. As stated on the Faculty website, “The Faculty of Law’s policy is that students are entitled to review their examinations with the instructor.” While it is intimidating, meeting with your professors about your exam is the best way to understand your grade. Having read your exam, you can come with a list of questions: Did I spot all the main issues in the fact pattern? What were you looking for on the policy question? You will not take that exact first year subject again, but your next exams will have the same general format. Speaking with your professors will help ensure you’re aware of the pitfalls you experienced in your first exams so you can avoid them next time.
- Access Tutoring Through the Academic Success Program (ASP)
Contact the Academic Success Program and request tutoring in whatever subject(s) you find most challenging. My second set of exams went better than the first in large part because I accessed ASP tutoring. I clarified not just my understanding of the law, but also how to better prepare for exams in general. I highly recommend taking advantage of this free resource, which is only available to you in 1L. It gives you access to upper-year students who can help you.
- Work on Your Legal Writing
Lastly, try to improve your legal writing. Writing a law exam is a specific skill that you may need to work on. This was one area where I worked to improve, and my writing got better by doing some of the writing exercises in the readings for Legal Research & Writing, a course all 1Ls are taking this semester. (I particularly liked the exercises in Legal Writing in Plain English by Bryan A. Garner.) You could also read a chapter or two of a book on one of the subjects you’re taking this term and reflect on the writing. What makes it good? What would you do differently? There are endless other ways to improve, and the important thing is that you choose something that works for you.