• 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

What to Do If You Didn’t Do Well on Your Final Exams

January 13, 2021 By Christen Morgan Leave a Comment

So you’ve finally digested all the holiday ham, turkey and candied yams your body can endure and now it’s time to face the music – your final exam grades. If you’ve already received them and they were not as great as you anticipated, but you can still feel your heart beating, and you can still process air within your lungs, then you’ve survived. I mean, not doing well on finals in all honesty sucks, but if you’re reading this post, you are already taking a step towards improvement, and your dedication and application can make all the difference the next time around.

So what exactly do you do next if you didn’t do well on your final exams?

1. Assess what Factors may have caused low scores

The first step I would recommend is to assess what factors may have contributed to your low scores. This step is perhaps the most important as it may be difficult to fix the issue without determining the triggering cause. So what was it?

Did you not study enough? Perhaps you started your preparation later than what was ideal. This factor could have been due to simply not having enough time to start earlier or not fully understanding the starting point of your material which started a cycle of study delays. Whatever it is, write down what prevented you from getting a head start on studying and put a plan in place to prevent that from happening again. This plan could be based in outlining earlier, completing more office hour visits or even finding a tutor. However, having a game plan will likely increase your improvement.

2. Review Each Exam

The next step I would recommend is to review each of your exams in detail. I know this is almost as painful as opening an old wound, but this step is necessary. Completing this review will enable you to determine exactly where you went wrong or it may possibly guide you to an oversight on the part of the professor. Although it is rare, I have certainly seen students able to get a better grade after noticing a professor’s mistake, so don’t miss this opportunity.

When reviewing each exam, carefully go over the question and most importantly “the call” of the question. Were you totally off base in your response? Also review the professor’s feedback, professor’s will sometimes outline exactly what they were looking for and what you failed to provide and you can log this guidance to memory for the future.

3. Office Hours

Yes, I know I dwell on office hours in many posts, but I cannot stress its importance enough. Now is a good time to bring your exam to your professor and go over in detail what they were looking for. Don’t be afraid to ask them point blank what answer could have secured you an “A.” Some professors will be willing to provide this detail and this feedback is golden. However, after visiting office hours for exam feedback, don’t be afraid to make this a normal part of your future exam prep. Oftentimes students fail to utilize office hours throughout the semester. This is a big mistake. Throughout the semester, make a point to visit your professor at least once during each topic covered to ensure that you are understanding the big picture but, most importantly, the details. At the end of the day, your professors are the ones responsible for your scores and as objective as a law school exam may seem, subjectivity also plays a role in your professor’s discretion. So get in their heads and try to understand how you can make improvements to their liking.

4. Integrate New Methods of Preparation and Study

Finally, improving on your grades likely won’t be possible unless you integrate new methods of preparation and study. Once you’ve mastered step 1 and you’ve assessed the reasons behind your low scores, now is the time to determine what you can do differently. If you’re a 1L, one new study prep technique I would suggest is trying out tutoring. We can create a program through which expert tutors help you to assess what went wrong and what you need to do to be more successful in the future.

I hope the above tips are helpful in setting you on the path of final exam success.


 

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


About Christen Morgan

Christen Morgan graduated magna cum laude from the University of Tampa where she received her B.S. in Criminology. She earned her J.D. from Emory Law School where she competed and served as an executive board member for the Emory Law Moot Court Society. Christen also served as a student representative for LexisNexis and also as a mentor for several 1L students offering them advice and a variety of resources to help them through their law school journey.

Christen previously practiced as a Foreclosure Attorney for a Real Estate law firm but has since then transitioned into a Real Estate Specialist role at a wireless infrastructure company.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Primary Sidebar

  • Podcast
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

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

5 Ways a Law School Resume is Different from a College Resume

5 Ways a Law School Resume is Different from a College Resume

As the 1L summer job search gets into full swing, it’s time to make sure your resume is up to date and ready to send out to employers. If you’ve only … Read More about 5 Ways a Law School Resume is Different from a College Resume

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 374: How to Be a Great Law Journal Member

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking about how to be a great law journal member, whether you're on Law Review or a … Read More about Podcast Episode 374: How to Be a Great Law Journal Member

Bluebook 101 - Tips on Efficiently Navigating The Bluebook

Bluebook 101 – Tips on Efficiently Navigating The Bluebook

There are podcasts and blog posts alike on the many nuances of The Bluebook. But first, what even is The Bluebook? Calling all 1Ls—this is your bare … Read More about Bluebook 101 – Tips on Efficiently Navigating The Bluebook

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 373: Not Happy with Your First Semester Law School Grades? How to Do Better in the Second Semester (w/Nicola Rossi)

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're excited to have one of our tutors, Nicola Rossi, joining us to talk about how to improve … Read More about Podcast Episode 373: Not Happy with Your First Semester Law School Grades? How to Do Better in the Second Semester (w/Nicola Rossi)

Five Law School “Rules” I Broke My First Semester

Five Law School “Rules” I Broke My First Semester

There are certain maxims of how to do law school that seem to have been passed down from generations of students through the ages. It can be scary to … Read More about Five Law School “Rules” I Broke My First Semester

Want Better Law School Grades?

Sign Up for Our Exam Tips!

Footer

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

Copyright 2023 Law School Toolbox®™