Law Schools

Use Your Learning Style To Ace Your Final Exams

Reviewing information in the way that works best for you is extremely powerful. Here's how you can do just that.

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I spent my entire first semester of law school feeling like a complete failure. Don’t get me wrong, I did everything I was supposed to do. I briefed all my cases, went to every class, took plenty of notes, prepared outlines, and did many, many practice questions. But I felt like nothing was sticking and as if I were banging my head against the wall.

I was almost ready to throw in the towel when a very wise mentor suggested that I take a learning-style exam. Honestly, part of me thought it was a stupid idea. I had been a pretty successful student up until this point, so what could a free online exam teach me? But I was at the end of my rope, so I tried it.

I learned that I am primarily a visual learner and that almost everything I was doing to prepare for class was completely wrong for my learning style. One of the suggestions for visual learners was to make charts. So, I sat down at my next outlining session and tried to picture negligence in flowchart form. The ideas started, well, flowing, and within an hour, I had all of negligence outlined on a whiteboard. I had been spinning my wheels on this for months, and it finally clicked with the snap of a marker cap. I definitely cried. It was overwhelming to finally feel like I wasn’t stupid and that maybe I could do this whole “law school” thing.

Reviewing information in the way that works best for you is extremely powerful. It is important to pay attention to not only what you need to learn, but also how you will learn it best. It should come as no surprise that people learn differently and there are several free available resources to determine your learning style.

The free test that changed my law school life can be found at vark-learn.com. I highly encourage you to pause here, go take the test, and come back to review the list below to learn how to use your learning style to kill it on your final exams. You may find that you fall into more than one category. Worry not! That just means there are more opportunities for you to learn! Test out some tips from each category you fall into and determine what works best for you. At the end of the day, some trial and error is necessary, but this is a good way to get started.

1. Read/Write

  • Briefing:
    • As you read cases, write important notes in the margins.
    • Make traditional law school case briefs. Your read/write brain loves the linear and categorical nature of a case brief.
  • Class Notes:
    • Try handwriting your notes and focusing on the black letter law. Use the same language your professor does to describe the elements of the law.
    • Make sure to keep all handouts and PowerPoint slides to review and incorporate into your outline.
  • Outlining and exam prep:
    • Create traditional law school outlines. You know the ones I mean, right? Headings, subheadings, roman numerals, the works! Your brain really likes the linear nature of this type of outline.
    • While you are at it, try to rewrite concepts and put things in your own words as much as possible.
    • It also may be helpful to create mnemonic devices.
    • After you have finished creating your outlines, print them out and reread them.
    • Also, try rewriting the most important parts of your outline.
    • Create step-by-step instructions on how to answer different types of essay questions. For example, make one checklist for negligence, another for assault, and another for battery.
    • Take practice questions and practice outlining your response before writing.

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  • Exams:
    • As you read essay exams, be sure to mark them up and issue spot in the margins.
    • Make an outline of your response before you start writing.
    • Use headings to keep your exam answer organized and flowing.

2. Visual

  • Briefing:
    • Sketch out a visual depiction of the facts of the case.
    • Create a timeline for the procedural history.
    • Use a different color for each section of the brief.
    • Use symbols or abbreviations.
  • Class notes:
    • Jot out pictures.
    • Visualize what the professor is saying and try to see the fact patterns.
  • Outlining and exam prep:
    • Create charts and graphs (try using a dry erase board first to work out the kinks).
    • Use different colors for rules and cases.
    • Head to a study room with a dry erase board and draw out answers to hypothetical practice questions.
    • Practice rewriting the black letter law from memory.
  • Exams:
    • Close your eyes and picture your outlines/charts.
    • Mark-up the exam answer.
    • Diagram parts of the fact pattern that are difficult to understand.

3. Auditory

  • Briefs:
    • Record your briefs and take down a few notes to bring to class.
    • Listen to the recordings before class if time allows.

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  • Class notes:
    • Record classes (but please get permission to do this first) and re-listen to them.
    • After you take your notes in class, record the most important parts (the black letter law) and listen to them.
    • Read your class notes out loud.
  • Outlines and exam prep:
    • Dictate your outline. This allows you to verbalize the difficult points.
    • Figure out hypothetical questions out loud by yourself or discuss them with a study group.
    • Put particularly difficult concepts to melodies or create other mnemonic devices.
    • Discuss complex concepts with your professor or TA in office hours.
    • Explain concepts to a classmate or family member.
  • Exam:
    • Think through the answer in your head briefly before you write it down in an outline.
    • Imagine yourself explaining the answer to your professor or friend in a conversation.

4. Kinesthetic

  • Briefs:
    • Handwrite briefs and then type them.
    • Make use of tabs or sticky notes to mark important pages in your textbooks or supplements.
  • Class notes:
    • Handwrite notes in class and type them afterwards.
    • Sit near the front of the room to avoid distractions.
  • Outlining and exam prep:
    • Write black letter law on flashcards.
    • Move around while reviewing notes (study groups/dry erase boards to hash out information).
    • Include a lot of examples in your outline.
    • Write answers to practice questions under the same conditions you will have on test day.
    • Try playing “Legal Taboo” with your study group. Not sure how to play taboo? Definitely Google it.
  • Exam:
    • Chew gum (but don’t be loud and annoying) to improve focus.
    • Issue spot by looking for facts that are similar to examples from class.

Kerriann Stout is a millennial law school professor and founder of Vinco (a bar exam coaching company) who is generationally trapped between her students and colleagues. Kerriann has helped hundreds of students survive law school and the bar exam with less stress and more confidence. She lives, works, and writes in the northeast. You can reach her by email at [email protected].

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