Reddit Reddit reviews Getting To Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams

We found 19 Reddit comments about Getting To Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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19 Reddit comments about Getting To Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams:

u/[deleted] · 9 pointsr/LawSchool

If you want to torture yourself voluntarily before the actual work begins, which is a really dumb idea, go on Amazon.com and buy the Dressler and Freer supplements and read away. You don't need to pay some assholes $1,295 to tell you a bunch of stuff you won't be able to remember by the time final exams roll around in December.

But if you really are determined to torture yourself, I'll give you what you need for free. Here is their curriculum.

First, case briefing. Just buy this book. It has six cases, and model briefs at the end. It's not a hard concept.

Second, time management. Follow the syllabus. Read supplements as well if you like.

Third, outlining. Do what works for you. No one can tell you what will work for you. Use the outline bank on this website if you want to see examples.

Fourth, surviving the Socratic method. There is nothing to survive. You go to lectures. Professors talk. Overconfident kids blurt out wrong answers. Professors slowly explain why they are wrong. Don't be the overconfident kid blurting out wrong answers.

Fifth, note-taking and studying. Same as outlining.

Sixth, thinking like a professor. This is an obtuse way of saying exam writing. Read this book and this book. Then make sure to do a lot of practice exams before the real exam, and review model answers to those exams.

So about $60 on Amazon is a better deal than $1300 to these guys.

u/ShadowSun07 · 8 pointsr/ADHD

Sorry, I've been hammering away at a journal article. I'm tempted to write a long-ass post but . . . . Hopefully you read this all but if not add me as a friend and shoot me messages as shit goes down.


Books: Top two recommendations (off the top of my head)


  • Learning Outside the Box by Leah Christensen. Link


  • Getting to Maybe by Richard Fischl. Link



    General Tips: (also off the top of my head)


  • Read the Short and Happy Guides to each class prior to classes starting. This will give you a 10,000 ft view, which you need.


  • Get organized (aka get your wife/mom/baby jesus) to make a planner. Make sure you use the damn thing too.


  • Westlaw and Lexis will murder you with so many pretty blue links. Read the entire article (and take physical notes) before clicking a link.


  • DO NOT USE A FUCKING LAPTOP EVERYTHING SHOULD BE ON PAPER It will take forever but you will actually learn it.


  • You need to work harder than you ever have. You must teach yourself to focus. Any random thoughts go onto a note pad that you keep next to yourself at all times.


  • Make an outline from the table of contents--fill it out every Friday after all class.


  • Turn off your phone and laptop when you need to study and study in chunks. When your tired take a walk then go back to work.


  • Technology and games are the enemy. Avoid them at all costs and do not play games before bed.



    Edit Forgot to mention. Law school is about 40% confidence, 50% hard work, and 10% keeping it cool (but really hard work)
u/rutterkin · 5 pointsr/LawSchool

I did the Kaplan prep course and it was really helpful when I went into the LSAT. Recommended. You can probably get an old one cheap.

I also really recommend the book "Getting to Maybe," which will give you a really good idea of what law school is going to be like, particularly law school exams.

u/aelphabawest · 5 pointsr/LawSchool

My school has a repository at our library for old exams - both the questions and what the professor considered a "good exam." Maybe yours does as well? Worth reading if so.

It is absolutely not a knowledge dump. The rule of thumb you'll hear a lot is some variation of IRACC (issue, rule, analysis, counter argument, conclusion). You're looking for the gaps. You're looking to apply the knowledge you learned.

You may want to read Getting to Maybe.

u/Brym · 4 pointsr/casualiama

Cool. If you want some unsolicited law school advice, I highly recommend that you read Getting to Maybe for advice on how to write a decent law school exam. I would read it once before classes start, and again when studying for your first exams.

u/wizardyourlifeforce · 4 pointsr/LawSchool

Getting to Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams
(https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Maybe-Excel-School-Exams/dp/0890897603/)

Worth it just for the exam formatting advice.

u/foxeylocks · 3 pointsr/LawSchool

I recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Maybe-Excel-School-Exams/dp/0890897603

It was like a security blanket for me when I was a 1L. Also, I found it helpful to draft the “Rule” portion of the IRAC essay and add it to my outlines. So the first page of a topic had a box full of “rules.” Drafting that portion of an essay really helped score easy points on exams and saves time when you have an open-note exam! It also helps you solidify your understanding of the law.

Happy studies!

u/Juffy · 3 pointsr/LawSchool
u/missiontothemoon · 3 pointsr/LawSchool

Getting to Maybe is the answer. One-L, Planet Law School, etc. are not useful.

Read Getting to Maybe over the summer, read it again mid-way through the semester, and flip through it before your exams.

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-To-Maybe-Excel-School/dp/0890897603

I am not affiliated with Richard Fischl, just a law student.

u/rhino369 · 2 pointsr/LawSchool

Buy this book now (either on kindle, kindle app on your tablet, or next day shipping). http://www.amazon.com/Getting-To-Maybe-Excel-School/dp/0890897603

It's a good explanation about how to approach an issue-spotter law exam.

u/tonyb486 · 2 pointsr/LawSchool
u/earlierson · 2 pointsr/LawSchool

The majority of the advice you'll get from this sub is different versions of "BE FREE, YOUNG GRASSHOPPER."

That being said, definitely enjoy yourself. When August rolls around, its time to start looking at syllabuses and getting your life together. But you should spend the time you have doing whatever makes you happy.

I read Getting to Maybe, I liked it. Not sure how useful it is, but... might be worth checking out.

u/Popov_Caught_It · 2 pointsr/LawSchool
u/xaelyn · 2 pointsr/lawschooladmissions

Priorities, in order:

u/Nora_Durst · 2 pointsr/CatholicDating

> My lsat was pretty good (175) but my gpa was only a 3.37, which makes me a splitter for most of the top schools. Do you think that's the sort of thing that comes up during interviews? Or is it something I should bring up myself to address? I don't have any real excuse, since my general academic performance was consistent throughout college as opposed to me falling ill or having a bad first semester or something.

Kudos on the high LSAT score! I honestly think you could see some serious scholarship money with that. I wouldn't bother bringing up the low GPA unless you're directly asked about it. What schools are you applying to?

> This is gonna be a bit of an odder one, but what is the number one thing you wish you had done before going to law school? I've got a solid 10 months or so before I trade all me free time to become a lawyer, and I definitely want to make the most of it.

Honestly, I think the best thing you could do is relax as much as possible. If you want to do something law-related to beef up your resume a little, you may want to consider doing some volunteer work at Christian Legal Clinics of Philadelphia or another legal clinic over the summer. When you begin applying to post-1L internship opportunities, every little bit helps. If you also have the time for some light reading, consider checking out Getting to Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams. Although I've personally never gotten around to reading it, I know other people who have raved about it.

u/Inside_Tomato · 1 pointr/LawSchool

Hey, first of, congrats on getting into college! Second, breathe! You got time.

Now, to answer your questions:

First Question

If you are asking about what's the best school to attend in order to go to law school, I don't have any advice there. I went to UCLA and got into law school but I have heard of people going to community colleges, transferring to UCLA, and then going to Harvard Law School. So I don't know.

But if you are asking about which major you should choose in order to go to law school, my advice is that you don't need to a specific major (i.e. political science) to get in law school.

Case in point: I was a political science major during my first 2 years in college and I was miserable. I kept hanging in there because I thought that's what I needed to get into law school. Lies! I switched to a major I seriously enjoyed and graduated with a decent GPA but which could have been higher had I not spent time doubting myself.

Lesson: just do well. That's the only requirement you have during undergrad. Do well. Get a high GPA and study for your LSAT - those two will give you options when you start applying to law schools.

Second Question

You will learn all of the skills that you will need to succeed in law school in law school. But it doesn't hurt to get a head start the summer prior to law school. But to get a head start, you need to know the skills they are going to teach you in law school. Below are some of the skills they should teach you or you should learn in law school:

(a) How to read cases - sorry, I don't have a book to recommend for this one

(b) How to write case briefs - sorry, no resources here either

(c) How to cite cases and other sources - https://masteringthebluebook.com/ is what I would suggest. Law schools don't expect you to know how to cite anything when you start law school. Buuttt, I honestly wish I knew about this resource during my first year (1L year). Knowing how to cite cases, secondary sources, e.t.c. is a must. So why not get a head start? : ) You might end up impressing your legal writing teacher and getting on law review. (But no pressure).

(d) How to write memorandums in which you (1) state what the legal issue is; (2) provide your client's facts; (3) state the relevant legal rule (which you should have gotten from reading cases); and (4) analyze and then make an argument about how that legal rule applies to your client's situation

So the above is a list of some of the skills you ultimately want to have learned in law school. It is the foundation.

But what determines your grade in law school is not just the foundation but how well you can apply the law to a set of facts and under time constraints. I am talking about the exam. In law school, one exam per class is the norm though some professors may have midterms.

Law School Exams

I would recommend checking out this book --- Getting to Maybe: How to Excel in Law School Exams -- if you want to learn how to do well in law schools exams. Below is the link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0890897603/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

To Summarize

(1) Choose a major you like and do well in that major and study for the LSAT!

(2) You can (if you want) get a head start before law school but you need to know what skills they will be testing you on and find resources that will help you build those skills.

u/CrosseyedAndPainless · 1 pointr/law

Get him this book so he can ace all his exams first year.

u/ineedabulldog · 1 pointr/LawSchool

>I wrote literally the bare-minimum on each exam

This tells you exactly what you need to fix. That's a good thing! Many people do not recognize what went wrong and continue to flounder. At least while you're in law school, do not ever do this again (unless given a word count limit or your professor explicitly requests the minimum). Obviously, don't just recite your outline or word vomit all over the page, but you should be fully and exhaustively explaining your entire analysis from the beginning. It will seem pointless, but you will need to bring up rules and/or cases just for the act of explaining why they are distinguishable or inapplicable (this supports your argument, while attacking the counter). I would suggest you take a look at Getting to Maybe.

u/-10- · -5 pointsr/LawSchool

LOL, you will be ahead of the poli sci and history majors without doing anything. Those undergrad programs do not prepare you for law school in any special or helpful way. Whatever your "quantitative major" is, you will be better equipped to succeed in law school because you have more experience with thinking logically and confidently, consistently, and rigorously applying rules to a set of facts/inputs.

If you really want a recommendation for how to prep for law school as a 0L, read Getting to Maybe in the summer before you start.