Post FE1 Blues

[LawGeek]

Hi guys

I have just sat my first four FE1 exams and I am certain that I did
not get the required 3 in order to "pass".

How do you get over the depression of knowing you have to start from
scratch again in a few months time?!

WHAT IS THE SECRET TO PASSING THESE EXAMS?!?!?

[Wendy Lyon]

I felt the same way after my first four but I passed all of them.. in
fact the two I thought I might not have passed were the two I scored
highest in ... you really cannot predict these things.

[Rose Marie]

You shouldn't feel bad after the exams. You might have done much
better than you think! I know a lot of people who thought they had
failed but ended up passing (usually, with higher marks than they had
originally expected!). You can hardly ever tell for sure whether you
passed or failed... . In any case, there is no point in dwelling on it
now!!! I'm sure you did the best you could and even if you do fail
(which you should not think about now, anyway), you should be safe in
the knowledge that you've worked very hard and that you've given it a
good go.

Hope you pass!!
Rose

[Moderator]

There isn't really any secret to passing... in fact, the main one is
not a secret at all - you have to cover anything.

Second is, cover everything IN LINE with previous exam questions -
its
boring and tedious to go through them, but it has to be done. Its not
enough to say Defamation came up frequently and so learn all
Defamation, you have to see the slant that is most regularly put on
it. To my mind, this is whats missing when people look at the grids -
they see what topics are asked frequently, and so learn the chapter -
but they don't look at the questions to see the slant. There is no
science to this - all you need to is read the questions and reports
before you study the chapter - things you might have not bothered
with
then leap out at you.


Third, is constant revision. For my first few exams i read the
chapter, did my notes... and done.. until exam time. Not enough. As
laborious as sounds (and often time you feel like you are wasting
time
because there is some 'new' topic waiting to be done), its vital. Do
not 'do' a chapter, and then not look at again till two days before.
Its amazing what a bit of quick but constant revision does. I found
this really hard to do, but definitely worth it.

> > WHAT IS THE SECRET TO PASSING THESE EXAMS?!?!?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Moderator]

Not sure why my name is coming up as Moderator...

> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[Ruddy]

Hi,

I think Moderator is completely on point with regard to 'learning off'
rather than simply reading. Learning the topics in your manuals or
notes whilst keeping in mind what they are asking is really seems to
make stuff easier.

Look, I sat four in April and failed with all in the low 40's. I
completely underestimated the exams and the breadth of what you had to
know. At Queens I remember learning evidence in less than a week and
passing it. This is a fatal attitude to take towards these exams. I
walked out of the exams in April felling really sketchy and low and
behold I turned out to be right I failed. This time I walked out calm
and alot more positive.

I studied on my own using Griifith manuals. I done the mind mapping
thing with skeleton notes. Bought a small A5 notebook for each
subject and just learnt and learnt. I also done past papers,
answering them with the manuals AND the examiner reports. So for
exampe, in contract if she said something like; 'this was a challening
question with elements of offer and acceptance, estoppel,
consideration, unilateral contracts, statute of frauds'.....I would
then go answer the question making sure all these elements were
included in my answer. Then Go learn the answer.

Having pre-prepared answers is however not an excuse simply to vomit
it out when you see a question to which you think something you
prepared might fit. You still must apply what you have learnt that is
relevant. Doing the past papers though gives you a good sense of how
to answer, so when you do have a question infornt of you the
examiner's words from the report should be in your head, and you will
be able to approach the question with what they want in mind...

Listen this is not gospel, My results are now in the hands of someone
else, but by using the methods Moderator and I have found useful, I
was able to walk up to the exam in the morning with a coffee in hand,
my ipod in my ears, completely relaxed, instead of being there from 8
in the morning freaking out with my notes in hand.

Thats my 50 p anyway...hope u do better than you though and If not
hope this is of some use. These things are sent to try us!!!

[LawGeek]

Thanks for all your help guys.

Ruddy, with regard to your post, I was at the RDS at 5:30am before
each exam, not 8am!! I wish I could have walked up with ipod in ears
and be confident, unlike the way I was!!

I am going to attend the Griffith FE1 Prep. Course from November 'til
March, hope it will be of some assistance! The manuals are HUGE
though!

[Brian Foley BL]

They are big but they now include (a) diagrams (b) key points re-stated (c)
wider margins and (d) bigger text. Don't let the size put you off!

Sure look at the size of Kelly's Irish Constitution!

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06:39:00

[Denham Legend]

LawGeek,

Whatever of your certainty you did not get 3 in your first outing you
are now in a much stronger position then you were 2 months ago. For
most of us, the FE1s are unlike any kind of exam we have taken before
and many of us are taken aback by how difficult we find them. I know I
was (with half still to go).

Your strength, at this stage, is that you know what to expect. I wish
I had one secret to them for you but why don't you start with learning
answers that you find acceptable to the exams you've just taken? You
might find that that alone gets you up to 25% of the next paper (and,
sure, that's half the battle).

> 06:39:00- Hide quoted text -

[Rose Marie Zadorojny Vilella]

I'm not so sure about "learning answers". Ok, if it works for you, then that's fine. But would you not be so much better off by trying to learn the principles? Always, for me, the principles come first. If I don't understand the principle, I haven't grasped it, and if I can't grasp it, I can't apply it to anything and it is utterly uselsess.  You can learn an answer relating to a certain topic. However, that topic can be examined in a number of ways. The examiner can put different spins on one same topic, and so your memorised answer will not always tackle the question, and then you get no marks.

I don't know how I did in these exams, but I did walk out of the exams fairly pleased (I've been told by many people that you shouldn't "get your hopes up" as you "never know what to expect" with these exams. It might be true, but I'm trying to put that advice out of my mind).

If it is of any use to you (and I'm hoping any input is of use to you, whether it is becuase you agree and take the advice, or whether you decide it does not work for you and discard it), the way I studied was like this:

1. Firstly, I prioritised topics. Whether you go for a trusted lecturer's advice, or whether you go on your own gut is really up to you. But if you are tight for time, prioritise. By thinking you can tackle everything when you reasonably cannot, you will waste valuable time. You should focus your energy on what you think might come up. Then, if you have time leftover, study the rest, or as much as you can.

2. After every chapter, I would answer about 4 different questions, just to practice. I would make sure each question was different (maybe one or two types of essays, different types of problem questions - I prefer problem questions and so I usually focus on them), doing the best I could to tackle all (or most) areas of the chapter just studied. I think there is a big difference between that and simply learning answers to questions first. If you do not have time to answer questions at the end of studying a chapter, and you decide to move on to the next chapter, at the very least you will have learnt principles, and those must get you somewhere! If you truly understand them, you will be able to apply them to any question, and the examiner will see that you have understood the principles. Obviously, the more you study, the better you will do. But I think the importance of focusing on principles and main concepts and definitions cannot be stressed.

Anyway, take whichever advice makes more sense to you, and I really hope you do well.

[Denham Legend.. would 50% not be half the battle, rather than 25%?! Haha! (insert nerdy chuckle here)].

[Denham Legend]

Hey Rose,

I take your point that learning answers through memorization is not
the most productive way of preparing. As in your advice, and where I
would heartily agree, is that practicing past questions is key. And,
by practice, I mean producing your own answer to the question (not
timed to 35 mins or anything like that).

Actually getting an answer fully completed takes me ages. In fact, I
find it very difficult to avoid just figuring out what chapter it is
from and reading that chapter for a few hours. But once I've actually
finished an answer its all internalized (and lots more besides) and
memorization seems unneccesary.

Having said that, I'm sure memorization will seem very necessary come
next March :)

PS Nice to see you are shooting for the stars Rose, but I'd be happy
with the moon. 50% is all the battle. Anything after that is just time
I could have been in the pub :)

On Nov 3, 7:13 pm, Rose Marie Zadorojny Vilella

> have learnt principles, and those must get you *somewhere*! If you
> *truly *understand

> ...
>
> read more »- Hide quoted text -

[Brian Foley BL]

In fairness, you have to learn things off by heart - i.e. what the cases are
about. Like you need to know off heart that there are a few cases which
differentiate between an offer and an inv. To treat. Where people go wrong
is just throwing down words learned off by heart without applying the law to
the question and the examiner just sees paper after paper that is the same.

I always learned off material by heart - i.e. my own notes, but the exam was
about applying it in a sensible fashion.

Always was envious of people who didn't have to do this.

Brian
GCD

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19:38:00

[Loft]

I took these exams in 06/07 and sat 6 then 2.

Before I started studying for them I was aware from friends and
colleagues who took them that they are literally designed to stem the
flow of potential solicitors. Therefore one must have a strategy to
get through them.

With the challenge in mind i got the "FE-1 Direct" manuals - excellent
manuals - straigtforward and they cut straight to the point. I also
used some nutshells - particularly vital for Constitutional - if one
has already studied law he or she will not need a manual or a course
to pass Constitutional - it is all in the latest Nutshells and read
the newspapers!

When u go into the exam take a deep breath and read those questions so
slowly, slowly slowly slowly - and by doing that you will finally get
what it is the examnier wants you to write.

But before that stage comes use the manuals to answer various exam
questions. The questions tend to repeat themselves but the factual
scenarios always make it look as if the examiner is asking something
different. For example in EU you always usually get the free movement
of persons or goods - you are not expected to answer a pre-prepared
academic answer on this - this in not like the University exams - no,
they are looking for your basic understanding - that you are aware of
the basic principles and that you can verbalise this on paper - argue
both sides if you want - as long as you back up that argument with a
some decent caselaw. Similarly in Land - you always get a number of
questions on the Law of Succession, the various rules on inheritance
if one dies intestate etc. You will always be asked about the
requirements of making of a will.

I passed all on the first attempt by NOT getting carried away with the
whole "should I go to Griffith or go to Independent" it is not what
the lecturer or teacher can do for you - it is about you amassing some
straighforward information and studying it to that point of
understanding it !!

Ask yourself after studying a particular area why was something
decided the way it was or why have we that piece of legislation or why
is a particular article of the Constitution interpreted the way it is?
I guarantee you, if you ask yourself these type of questions when
studying for the so called elusive FE-1s you will not forget one thing
when you go into the exams because you understand it as opposed to
trying to fit what you have learned off into a "box" and if that "box"
is not in the exam you feel you are screwed. This will not happen if
you train yourself to understand what you are studying instead of just
learning it off. By understanding it you can critiqe it and guranteed
that will jog your memory when you hit the exam desk. Doing it this
way will also help you to verbalise everything quite well in the exam
that you will pass, even if you interpret one or two areas of the
questions erroneously. I did such in Tort - in one of the questions, I
had a completely different interpretation and I still passed, because
evethough I answered the question at odds with what it was looking
for, but because I was able to back up what I wrote with sensible case
law and argument I was relating it to the question and I got marks for
it and passed Tort overall with a 58%. So just use your common sense
and keep it simple! Keeping it simple and relying on your own
confidence and skill is the key.

Do not get carried away about attending courses or who is the best
provider - YOU are the best provider!! Just get some decent easy to
read manuals, past papers and keep it simple.

After passing all the FE-1s I decided not to pursue a career as a
solicitor in the end and have left IrisH shores for pastures new. So
who knows after passing them you may not even want them but always
remember like running a marathon, it is not about getitng to the end,
the very fact of preparing for the FE-1s is a great character building
exercise.

Do not be in a rush to pass the exams once you get the first 3 - my
understanding is that opportunities in the legal profession in
Ireland, opportunities for solicitors/trainee solicitors in particular
are pretty hard to come by. Also for anyone who is having doubts about
whether or not they actually really want to become a solicitor - think
twice about it. Just becasue you may hold a law degree such should not
mean that you allign yourself to become a solicitor. There are lots of
other things that are as equally rewarding if not moreso.

The very best of luck in your endeavours.......