My law school journey was far from perfect. I failed 8 classes, I was in academic caution, and because of this, I thought that there was no bouncing back from it.
But ultimately I decided that I wanted to finish my law degree no matter what. Even though I initially just wanted to pass, I wanted to push myself even further.
In my last semester, I ended up getting 3 HD’s (equivalent to A’s). I was shocked because I would’ve been happy if I just got a pass. At the same time, I wasn’t completely surprised because I had done a 180 on my study strategy that led me to these grades.
Now, I’m not gatekeeping. I’m going to share with you the 4 steps that have helped me go from failing 8 classes to getting 3 HD’s.
Let’s dive in.
1 – Dig into the reason why you failed/got that low mark
One of the first things I had to do if I wanted to improve my grades was reflection. I had to reflect on why I failed and how I ended up getting that mark.
You cannot improve what you don’t know. So, once you dig deep into the reason why you failed, you can come up with a solution on what you’ll do moving forward.
For example, when I failed Business Organisations/Corporate Law, I realised that I failed because I didn’t understand most of the unit. Every time I came across something I didn’t understand, instead of addressing it right away, I let it accumulate throughout the semester.
By the time it got to the exam, I felt overwhelmed because there were so many things that I didn’t know.
So, when I repeated the unit for the second time, I made it a habit to address the things I didn’t understand immediately. Sometimes it involved asking the tutor for help. Sometimes it involved me going through the readings or lectures again. Sometimes it involved me speaking with my peers about it. No matter what, I was addressing it right away.
2 – Address what you don’t understand immediately
I pretty much talked about this step in the previous point. So, to emphasize again, a good way to feel less overwhelmed and stress when preparing for the exam is addressing things as you go.
It’s better to head into your exam preparation with 1-2 topics that you need to understand better instead of 10 topics accumulated throughout the semester. This study strategy isn’t just about studying better, it’s also about making life easier on yourself!
3 – Do everything as you go
Adding on to the previous point, along with addressing what you don’t understand as you go, you also have:
- Exam Notes
- Cases Table
- Legislations Table
I have found that when I did these things as I go, I was able to focus more on other important things during exam preparation such as reviewing and practicing exam questions.
Also keep in mind that the time between your last class and your first exam isn’t much. That’s why you want to optimise that time as much as possible. So, instead of using all that time to create notes, you can use it to review, consolidate, and do whatever else you need to do to feel prepared for the exam.
4 – Just ask the lecturers and tutors questions
Most times getting clarification from a lecturer or tutor after a class, or visit them in their office hours can save you time during the long run (in the semester).
For example, even if they do not give you the “exact” answers, they can save you time by telling you where to look (e.g. read X case to understand this principle better).
Plus, everyone involved in teaching your unit expect questions and it wouldn’t come as a surprise. I had failed a few of my classes because I was scared of looking silly or wasn’t bothered to ask questions.
The moment I incorporated this habit, not only did it help me understand the concepts better, but it lessened my stress throughout the semester.
To Wrap Up
Overall, these are the steps that helped me go from failing 8 classes to getting 3 HD’s in my last semester:
- Dig into the reason why I failed
- Address what I don’t get immediately
- Do everything as I go
- Just ask the tutors/lecturers questions
Getting HD’s takes a lot of work, time, and commitment. I’ll admit that I’ve had many late night study sessions or studying on the weekends so I can improve my grades.
But if anyone asks me what exactly helped me go from failing 8 classes to getting 3 HD’s in my last semester, I would share at least one of these things. Sure, there are a few bonus ones here and there, but these four are the main.
If you are aiming to get HD’s or wanting to improve your grades in general, hopefully these can be helpful steps to get started.
If you want more law school tips, you can check out the law school blog here and also my Instagram.
Now go on and smash law school! You can do it <3
– Lauren 🙂
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi, this is Lauren! I’m a lawyer from Melbourne, Australia.
I failed 8 classes when I was in law school, got 3 High Distinctions in my last semester, and now I’m a lawyer. I know how overwhelming law school can feel.
That’s why I have created this little space for aspiring lawyers on my blog!
About laurenbarri.com: I create content on all things personal development, productivity, self-care, and habits! There is also a law to lawyer hub specifically for those who want to be lawyers and thrive in law school.
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