The Most Common Law School Exam Mistake | Essay Advice

[@LegalEagle]

Ask your law-school-related questions in the comments!

[@StephenTurnerLawyersOfTomorrow]

This is such great advice and I tell my law students the same thing every day. "Analyse the facts, spots the issues, select the law, apply the law to the facts, conclude". What many students are bad at is using the facts in their answer to show that a legal test is satisfied. You're so right about the 'law dump' - just stating the law does not get you a pass. Great series of videos.

[@SharonPepper1]

Just subscribed. This is something I should've known last year of law school haha! I am a second year law student that very much focused on the knowledge and information but not on the analysis/application. It got me sufficients for my tests but not any particularly high grades. This is the trick, thank you so much!

[@Nduduzo12]

I think that is correct, we need to learn how to write answers constructively. thank you for that Sir.

[@aishiac7371]

I STG I love you... I am in my second semester of my 1L year and every single thing you said, I did on my finals last semester and I did horribly on all except 1.. Thank goodness that I have some amazing professors this semester that worked with me and taught me a little bit of what you're saying.. THANK YOU...

[@GraceWhip]

It's weird, because what's required and expected on law school exams sound like what my engineering classes require and expect as well. Just regurgitating facts gets a 'see me' on the test and a long lecture about how everyone is being lazy during the next class.

[@karigirl34]

This makes me feel grateful that my undergrad law professor was completely brutal with us. All of our exams were hypos like that and the class average was almost always a C or lower, but we all learned so much as we progressed through the track. Still sorting out my life, so idk if I’ll ever actually make it to law school, but just in case he ever stumbles over to this video for some reason- thank you, Professor Chen!

[@doclewis8927]

I got an F (or zero) on an essay about "what I thought" the symbolism of the white whale was in Moby Dick...not what the writer's symbolism was. How can you get an F on what YOU think something means? I literally asked my teacher and she said that the question was what the author's symbolism was. I showed her what her question was...not what she thought it was and let's just say that she wasn't happy with me. I'm good at spotting errors. I caught hers. I still got a zero on that essay BUT she changed her question the following term. Seems I was right after all.

[@4_free73]

The thing is, I’m currently in undergrad, (double major in Government and econ) and my professors despise information dumps. People who do it get like b-minuses and c’s. And it makes sense, because information dumps show that you have memorized the material, but not that you have actually understood it fully and can now execute it. It’s far more important in life that you can correctly apply theory and things you’ve learned to make a persuasive argument or an insightful analysis. Anyone can look up information on the internet. Knowing information won’t be able to get you a job. Being able to use information you know is what matters, what makes you stand out. Knowing the definition of a derivative won’t help you in life. Being able to take derivatives and _know when to take them_ will. (notice that the latter requires you to know what the definition is.) As a matter of fact, for a class I took on human rights theory, my professor told us to cite “only as is absolutely necessary”. Go figure, I guess.

[@15dugogo]

I am glad that you show your outakes at the end of your videos. It shows that just like taking law school exams, the end product takes practice. Lots and lots of practice. No wonder throughout history you won't find a legal child prodigy. The law takes wordly experience and a understanding of that experience in relation to the law.

[@itsboomboxtv]

Hey! I was wondering of you could make a video showing an example of a test and how to write a good answer..

[@LegalEagle]

We already did! You can find it here: www.legaleagleprep.com/masterclass

[@mohammedsalahuddin5559]

True 100% , Apply the law, don’t just dump information.

[@w87g8765]

This channel is like those online teacher but less greedy and actually tell you the whole story without charges.

[@user-zr6jp3on4f]

Thank you very much for this! I was accepted into law school last week. I'm excited to start in the fall. At 29 and after working as a professional in the workforce, I can't imagine going straight into law school from undergrad. But, obviously, many people go that route. It would feel a bit unnatural to me to want to regurgitate information at this age. I think grad school and working makes it a bit inconceivable. Did you go to law school right after undergrad? Everyone that I personally know in the legal profession waited until their late 20s before they started law school.

[@LegalEagle]

Congrats! I call it "regurgitating" information, but you might also call it "expository" writing. That is, the mode of testing in almost every class from K-12, to college, to grad school. If you write a research paper in grad school, it's really the same thing: expository/"regurgitory"/explanatory writing where you are mainly conveying information (sometimes with a slight advocacy angle). College tests are the same: show the professor that you understand the information they conveyed. My point is the law school exams are *completely* different. And they require a different mindset and different skills -- i.e. thinking like a lawyer. In our video on preparing for law school we recommend finding an issue spotting essay and just seeing how it's different. If you're interested, we offer a whole system on how to think like a lawyer and write A exams: www.legaleagleprep.com/masterclass

[@user-zr6jp3on4f]

LegalEagle Thanks!

[@edgartraitor805]

I'm in my undergrad right now, my 2nd midterm is today and I wish I had seen this before my first midterm. My professor is running this class like a law class. (Intellectual Property) hopefully I can get a WAY better grade on this midterm with this advice 😭

[@YoonchiYa]

God I wish every class with essays worked this way.

[@jackiew6598]

It does seem preferable to the info dump!

[@rageblanket2139]

I died at "metaphor"

[@cheesecakelasagna]

RIP

[@VyvienneEaux]

Jelly. I haven’t died yet.

[@TiMauricien]

This is invaluable advice thank you so much!

[@Gilmaris]

I'm intrigued by the example at 1:14. What was the question going to be? I feel that offering the names of both the drunk driver and the victim - but conspicuously not of the officer - is a red herring, as the obvious focus is the police officer, the police department, and the County Council. The case seems pretty cut and dried as far as David is concerned

[@hjen]

This is true for most grad or postgrad programs as well which make undergrad utterly pointless.

[@wholeNwon]

Unless you're a university administrator collecting tuitions.

[@kenlandon6130]

so basically they are more like a math/engineering/physics/statistics exam than an english/social science exam. it's about showing the steps and using the rules (not just memorized facts from cases) to answer.

[@melmel472]

I think I feel well prepared, as a computer science/art related undergrad i never got points for memorizing anything because everything was applying what you learned to new situations. Which is good because I am terrible at memorizing things 😂

[@vivelafrance6314]

Dang this guy gives so much tips, it's unbelievable! Thank you for the tips.

[@naka_500]

Great advise, thanks

[@LegalEagle]

Glad you liked it!

[@alexeilesukovvolkovich1114]

Currently studying for the lsat, love all your videos, want to thank you for kindly posting them...😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺

[@LegalEagle]

Thanks for watching!

[@doubanjiang]

For all intents and purposes, at least for a reasonable expectation of employment, any grade in law school lower than a strong B is an F.

[@t.mcauley6970]

From what I've heard just half way through the video, god I WISH undergrad work was like that! I absolutely despise having to just give the same information back, it makes me feel like I'm not doing anything at all. (Sorry for the necro comment!! I just felt really jealous haha)

[@G.Harley.Davidson]

I got to the point on my Crim Law exam, and didn’t put a bunch of filler elements in. I busted that exam, whereas I did well in my other 1L class exams. SO that professor DID want regurgitated definitions.

[@jess_bounce]

Crim law was like that for me too. At least Crim I. It was my worst exam bc I did what you did, what you are supposed to do on law exams: issue, rule, apply apply apply apply apply (even more application), conclude. But I guess since crim law is so definition and elements-heavy, regurgitating mostly law and elements is what we were supposed to do. Even though every law professor specifically says not to do that. Oh well, at least we did well on our other exams.

[@flybeep1661]

Oh man perhaps I've should've gone into law school. When I did philosophy in college that's exactly how a teacher wanted his questions answered. You use the philosophical principles of a philosopher to answer a question logically but I would call more of an interpretation and explaining type of answer. I was good at those kind of things.

[@darwinbodero7872]

Since when do undergrads info dump. Idk maybe uchicago was different but

[@heraldojacques8386]

Great vid.

[@jefe-]

Finally another video 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤗🤗

[@LegalEagle]

Feels good to be back!

[@itsboomboxtv]

Hi? I'm from Brazil and here we go from high school straight to university. I got into law school in europe and I'm afraid that I wont be able to keep up, since everyone there goes from high school to college and after that they go to law school. Can you give make a video on exams?

[@LegalEagle]

We're working on more now!

[@Elsenoromniano]

In Europe, where? Because it really depends on the country, here Law was an undergraduate degree until very recently (in the UK for example still is) but in others is more similar to the US system (is a graduate degree). And that is also very true of the type of law the country you are studying has, because common law countries teach law in a different way from civil law countries. In civil law (like mine) emphasis is put more on the knowledge of the legal codes, since well, they are the law, cases are not very important, they serve as example in particular cases for which these laws are applied, (Which is what they ask you in exams, to apply the code), so the advice for law school in UK or Ireland is not really always valid for example for Germany or Spain.

[@wholeNwon]

Why? You have a brain and, presumably, speak the language of study. Just do it. Actually younger students often have more flexible learning skills.

[@shariecebrewster5962]

I am there's not always their yet on law school as well

[@rachelgotsch7467]

I am a Swiss Law Student and interested in only the Eagle Eye Essay Writing System for the "issue spotting" - The system that works for every test and every subject. Is it possible to also only buy this one?

[@TheGermanKnowsBest]

I have a question about this, I'm going to start law school next year. In my undergrad, for Constitutional law, my professor did sort of the same thing. He made story's and incorporated legal issues within them. Our job was to do (IRAC; Issue, Rule, Analysis, and Conclusion). Basically if it was a First Amendment issue we would have to go through the facts and determine if we needed to use the strict scrutiny test or O'Brien Test. Then we would have to go through the test with the given facts. At the very end we had to say if it was Constitutional or Unconstitutional. He didn't care about the conclusion as much as he cared about stating the case law rule and then applying it to the situation at hand. He was a practicing lawyer in Greeley and went to DU and said on day one he structures his exams like law school exams. So, is this similar or completely different than what you're trying to explain?

[@kenlandon6130]

seems similar. only difference is the curve. was there a fixed curve in your class where the average grade was either a c+ or b-?

[@ChristophProbst]

Is it a common fear for even 1 and 2 year students to fear failing the bar exam?

[@shaylaspolidoro5190]

Absolutely. If you just started and feel out of your depth or are still struggling or listen to bar exam horror stories, you're going to be terrified that you'll put in three years and not be abled to pass the bar. It's intense because you are thinking that maybe you should quit now before you waste that time and money. Being afraid makes sense. Quitting shouldn't follow. Do the work, now, and when you prep for the exam. You'll pass (and unlike in school, no one cares what your grade is, just that you passed). You just have to put in the work. Have faith that the process of going through law school and studying will have the result it's designed to have: passing the bar.

[@jefe-]

What a coincidence that I went on you tube the exact time you posted

[@LegalEagle]

Ask and ye shall receive.

[@Mishka667]

I know you’re a successful lawyer.. so I got to ask you this question which is killing me. Have you ever failed a class? I’m a second year undergrad law student with really good grades but have failed a class for the first time and I didn’t expect it so I’m really struggling to accept this. Have successful lawyers failed a class before? Because of this fail, I will have to do an extra semester so I am literally dying! 😢😢

[@paveladamek3502]

One thing I do not get: if applying/using the law is all that matters, how can the professor actually grade the work? Based on emotions or gut, feelings etc.? Because one student's lousy answer could, in real life, mean acquittal, while an excellent answer by another student may still result in life sentence. Unless of course the student is wrong from the beginning based on the information dump...

[@b.bentley7572]

The simple answer is that you have to make some sort of valid argument. The reason there are legal disputes that go up through the court system in the first place is because there are disagreements over what the law means and how to apply it, among other things. As an attorney, if you go before a judge to argue a case, you don't get to pick the side of the dispute that you think is "right" (that's the judge's job), but you simply have a to represent your client's side. So in law school the professors just want to see that you can recognize the issues (i.e. what you would deduct if a client came to you and told you all about the dispute, and then they ask you, "what laws can I sue them on?") and make valid arguments based on these issues using black letter law (statutes, rules, constitutions) and case law (precedent from other courts) in a manner that could persuade a judge. If you answer a law school exam question using a completely irrelevant/non-applicable statute or case, the professor is going to assume that a judge would throw out your arguments and rule for the other side, so they'll give you an F. Hope this helps (I'm in law school).

[@nessawithsmiles]

Show your work how? By using old cases? Do we also want to use policy arguments?

[@tyyy6691]

@@kqatsi I take it that you are a lawyer.LOL

[@DiracComb.7585]

How did I get here? I’m a math/physics undergrad. I’m not even studying law.

[@shonz88]

It’s HILARIOUS when the “No right answer” mindset poisons law school faculty’s brains. They’re so used to not having to be “right”, that they panic and give attitude when asked basic questions like “Where do I park”? “When is this due”? “Can I use the bathroom”?. Their divorces are well deserved

[@360Lead]

Wow, even a secondary student of literature knows this top.

[@cynderellylastname6060]

Hmm... so theoretically, an engineering major would do well on these kinds of exams?

[@danigaming8039]

Pls do more videos man you are my idol i am 13 :) P.S. What type of lawyer it's making the most money?And what type are you and why?

[@LegalEagle]

There is no one type of lawyer that makes the most money. Good lawyers can make a living in any field. And bad lawyers can be in the same field and make nothing. I'm a trial lawyer and civil litigator -- that is, I handle lawsuits between individuals and companies (as opposed to criminal law where the state prosecutes individuals for crimes).

[@wholeNwon]

You have certainly used a very large number of works to describe a very simple concept. Perhaps exercises of that sort teach lawyers to maximize billable hours. Verbose and repetitious.

[@zero-fr6hm]

Is there anyone enrolling in his class? I want to enrol too, but I just hope to get some feedbacks from those who has enrolled.

[@---cr8nw]

Is this video about the "Worst Exam Mistake" as indicated in the thumbnail? Or is it about the "Most Common Law School Exam Mistake" as the title claims?

[@wholeNwon]

Isn't the law about precision? I thought so, too.

[@ulamasirewa9614]

Awesome

[@LegalEagle]

You're awesome.

[@rcarlton5150]

In the incident report specified in the video (that left out important information regarding relevance in the first place) there IS NO question. What was the question to which they were alluding? Keep in mind I have no law degree but 3 felonies. Not withstanding the pretentious delivery of my argument, is it at all possible that a convicted felon can become an approved (by the character and fitness committee) attorney? I really want to know because my situation has basically 2000 pages of discovery and almost 4 years into my conviction. Please message me because I only have a few resources and I feel a calling. You always talk about the Socratic Method. I'm here to answer any retort privately. Your website has my information. I would really appreciate your personal contact and input. I hope that you read comments. If you don't, I'll know soon because I'm a man on a path to COMPLETELY CHANGE HIS LIFE.

[@samtavoosian3059]

Was your right cheek been injured or caused by alopecia aka patchy beard syndrome?

[@Jessie_Helms]

Imagine if Legal Eagle & Dr Mike did a collab about a medical law drama.

[@phillipleblanc7823]

You are lawyer! It took you 5 1/2 minutes to answer a question that you could have answered in 10 seconds.

[@Dreaded88]

@LegalEagle: _"...sadly, even your Law-Professor's aren't very good at teaching you to think like a Lawyer!..."_ What's the old adage? *"THOSE WHO CAN DO. THOSE WHO CAN'T, TEACH!!!"*

[@shonz88]

Law school faculty (teachers & administration) aren’t practicing lawyers for a reason; they couldn’t hack it in the real world as lawyers. Don’t let them get you down. They all have excuses for working at Law School

[@jefe-]

I’m your first viewer