After weeks of reading cases and briefing opinions, you are suddenly faced with your first real test: law school midterms. While these exams rarely carry the same weight as finals, they are a critical milestone in your legal education. They provide a snapshot of your progress, a test of your methods, and a roadmap for improvement.
Law school midterms are not just about the grade; they are about mastering the process. By refining your strategy now, you build the foundation for success on your final exams. Even if you don’t have the pleasure of law school midterms, you can implement some of the following tips in your study plan for success on future final exam preparation.
Compile + Condense Your Notes
Your first step is organization. Throughout the semester, you have likely taken hundreds of pages of notes. Now is the time to synthesize them.
This exercise is important because it forces you to organize your thoughts and ensures a comprehensive understanding of the material. Don’t worry about aiming for a perfect, elaborate outline just yet. Instead, focus on creating something that spurs your memory and organizes the chaos.
Key Tactics for Note Compilation
- Type them up: If you handwrite your notes, type them out before any review session. The act of transcription aids retention.
- Focus on rules, not hypos: Stick to high-level rules rather than getting lost in the weeds of every hypothetical discussed in class.
- Use your own words: Create takeaways in language you understand. If you can explain a concept simply, you truly understand it.
The goal is to make your study time productive. You are building a tool for your future self to use during finals prep.
Outline as You Go + Review Often
Procrastination is the enemy of law school success. Ideally, you should start outlining early and update your outline after finishing a significant block of a specific topic.
The process of outlining helps build subject matter retention; while reviewing it reinforces learning. Do not wait until the week before the exam. Update, revise, and review your outlines frequently. If you find gaps as you prepare your outlines for midterms, resources like BARBRI 1L Exam Success can fill in the blanks and keep you on track.
Practice with Your Exam Software
Technical difficulties are the last thing you need during an exam. Avoid surprise discrepancies between your study environment and the exam environment.
If you are using specific exam software, practice with it. Consider the screen scale you use on your computer. A 150% scaled setting may be optimal for some, but you need to find what works for you. Through trial and error, determine the best viewing and typing settings so there are no surprises on test day.
Join a Study Group
If you feel confident in a subject, a group session can be invaluable. Explaining concepts to others reinforces your own knowledge. You might also gain new perspectives that deepen your understanding of how rules apply in different contexts.
When to Fly Solo
If you are still struggling to grasp the basic concepts, a group session might just confuse you further. In this case, prioritize intensive, solitary research and review. You need to solidify your foundation before you can build on it with others.
Be honest with yourself about where you stand. There is no shame in skipping a group session to focus on your own needs.
Attend Professor Review Sessions
Many professors offer review sessions before major quizzes or tests. Attend them. These are golden opportunities to understand exactly what your professor values.
It is okay to ask direct questions about their expectations. Do they prefer lengthy analyses or concise rule statements? Do they value policy arguments? This is your chance to flesh out the specific type of answers your professor is looking for.
Even if you don’t have questions, listen to your peers. Their inquiries might reveal gaps in your understanding that you weren't even aware of. Treat the review session as a mandatory component of your law school midterms strategy.
Keep Your Perspective + Adjust Your Approach as Needed
For many students, the midterm is the first time they answer questions written by their professor. While midterms are graded, they are often weighted less than finals specifically for this reason. Professors design midterms so you can learn from the experience. The real purpose of law school midterms is to help you prepare for the main event: final exams.
After your first midterm, analyze your performance. Did you run out of time? Did you miss key issues? You may need to make adjustments. Change the order in which you address questions, modify how you use your outlines, or tweak your attack outline.
These minor adjustments can make a massive difference in your confidence and your grades. The study habits you develop now are the same ones that will carry you through the bar exam.
Overcome Common Challenges for Exam Success
Every law student faces hurdles during exam season. The volume of material can be overwhelming, and stress is a constant companion. To manage your time effectively, create a solid study schedule. Allocate specific blocks for different subjects to maintain focus and allow for necessary breaks. Treat studying like a job.
Stress management is equally important. You cannot perform if you are burned out. Prioritize sleep and use mindfulness practices to keep your anxiety in check. Break the material down into manageable chunks and prioritize topics based on what is most likely to appear on the exam.
Get more self-care tips for surviving law school.
You have the drive, and you are putting in the work. Now, ensure you have the best resources in your corner, so midterms won’t catch you off guard. Whether you need help outlining, understanding complex doctrines, or practicing with real exam questions, BARBRI is here to support you.
Learn how BARBRI 1L Exam Success can kickstart your midterm exam preparation.
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