• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Law School Toolbox®

All the tools you need for law school success

  • Tutoring
  • Courses
    • Start Law School Right
  • Job Help
  • Law School 101
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • About

Lessons from My 1L Year: Be Careful with Study Groups

June 23, 2012 By Cara Defilippis 1 Comment

Cara DefilippisLast week I encouraged you to evaluate your place of study. When you get to law school, ask yourself: Am I being most effective in the law library or at home?

Another common experience of the first-year law student is the study group. The same rule of self-evaluation applies: Are you most effective in solo or group study?

Oh, Study Group

I think the study group is the hardest practice to wrest from one’s routine because it makes us battle the notion that two heads are better than one, which is surely the case for many things.

The potential problem, then, is that the study group may make you feel that you have two heads — it is prone to giving the impression that what is understood as a group is understood by its members.

First-semester I spent most of my exam-prep time with a study group. We would evaluate our outlines together, run hypos together, take practice exams together, and then at the end of a very long day, go nuts together (I can vividly recall a chase-scene in an empty lecture hall).

Don’t Confuse YOUR Knowledge with the Group’s Knowledge

I later found that spending those precious pre-exam reading-period hours in a group was not all time well spent. After weeks of group-study, the collective understanding disguised itself as my understanding. On exam day, the rug was pulled out from under my comprehension.

Together, if we were conquering a fact pattern, we felt strong and right. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that you do not take a law school exam in a group. If we were testing one another’s knowledge, someone is nonetheless always prepared with an answer (right or wrong), so that little time passes before whatever it was that stumped you is overcome by another student. You then seemingly absorb that person’s knowledge. Don’t be so sure. Always test your own knowledge — the reality may be harsh.

That all being said, I do believe there is great value in checking in with your peers. After all, they are going through the same thing, studying the same material, and likely have insights and arguments to impart.

Test Your Assumptions

But as I suggested with testing your place of study, test the effectiveness of group and solo study. The difference may be a little harder to detect than moving your chosen location of study. I recommend that after trying to study with a group, you do a hypo or take a practice exam on your own to see if what you thought was made clear by the group, remains clear in your head.

Remember, you are the only one who can succeed on exam day.

A theme should be coming into view: Law school is notorious for sending the first-year student adrift, to be evaluated in one shot on exam day.

Thus self-evaluation is crucial to measuring your understanding of the material before exam day arrives. A study group can veil your understanding and/or be very valuable, but you need to know the effect it is having. In the coming weeks, I will continue to encourage you to check in with yourself throughout the term, regarding other such topics as stress, social life, and academic expectations.

— – —

Did you miss any of Cara’s other posts?

  • Lessons from My 1L Year: Introduction
  • Lessons from My 1L Year: You Don’t Have to Live in the Law Library
  • Lessons from My 1L Year: Have Fun!
  • Lessons from My 1L Year: Make Friends

Are you on our mailing list? Sign up now and you won’t miss any useful posts!

Image by gozdeo via stock.xchng.


Law School Toolbox logo

Looking for some help to do your best in law school? Find out about our law school tutoring options.


About Cara Defilippis

Cara Defilippis is a second-year law student at the University of San Francisco School of Law. She has a Bachelor of Science in Cultural Anthropology from Portland State University. Before attending law school she worked for the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization as an after-school activities instructor. Her combined work with the organization and her undergraduate discipline led to her chosen academic path. When not studying, Cara persists in her passion for dance, good food, and nature.

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Effective exam prep to maximize success – Nationaljurist says:
    December 20, 2021 at 3:10 pm

    […] I was in law school, I avoided study groups like the plague. My experience had been that of wasted time, lots of socializing, varying levels of […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Podcast
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • YouTube

About Us

If you find law school tough, you are not alone! The Law School Toolbox team is here to help you through it. Check out our helpful free content, podcasts, courses and one-on-one tutoring. Thanks for stopping by and drop us a line if you have any questions. We also invite you to join our weekly mailing list, for advice right to your inbox.

Recent Posts

A Reading List for Introverts in Law School

A Reading List for Introverts in Law School

Do unexpected phone calls rattle you? Do you hate the idea of talking in front of a group of strangers (or worse, just one or two strangers)? Do you … Read More about A Reading List for Introverts in Law School

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 416: Listen and Learn — Service of Process (Civ Pro)

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, as part of our "Listen and Learn" series, we're talking about service of process – a subject … Read More about Podcast Episode 416: Listen and Learn — Service of Process (Civ Pro)

Consistency in Law School

Consistency in Law School

Consistency is key in most things in order to see success. Sometimes, we can become consistent about unproductive things such as worrying, … Read More about Consistency in Law School

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 415: Bad Ideas for Job Hunting (w/Sadie Jones)

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking to ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones about job hunting practices that are typically … Read More about Podcast Episode 415: Bad Ideas for Job Hunting (w/Sadie Jones)

How to Increase Your Chances of Getting Published on Law Review (or Journal of Choice)

How to Increase Your Chances of Getting Published on Law Review (or Journal of Choice)    

So you’re going to be on a journal next year—congratulations!! Being on a law school journal is a great way to hone your research, writing, and … Read More about How to Increase Your Chances of Getting Published on Law Review (or Journal of Choice)    

Want Better Law School Grades?

Sign Up for Our Exam Tips!

Footer

  • Podcast
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • YouTube
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Tutoring
  • Courses
  • Job Help
  • About
  • Contact
  • Login
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Refunds

Copyright 2023 Law School Toolbox®™