Law School Final Exam Etiquette

Law School Final Exam Etiquette

They can be the most annoying people in the world. You know the type. The people that brag about how easy the final exam was. The people who show up late to the final exam. The students that run up to you asking about the intricacies of essay number five. They’re the type of people who feel the need to share their ideas with classmates 10 minutes before the final and psyche other people out because of it. Regardless of whether there is a written code of conduct for law school exams, all students should know the basics. Let’s face it, the people described above can make taking a final exam a nightmare without them even knowing it. The importance of law school exam etiquette is something that is partly common sense, partly learned, and always appreciated. If you’re new to law school or need a refresher on how to behave during final exams – Read ahead! Here are our favorite and most appreciated pieces of law school final exam etiquette.

Law School Final Exam Etiquette

Don’t Talk About the Exam After the Fact

Listen, we get it. You’re all excited about your answer to the last essay question and just HAVE to get it off your chest. You dash to the nearest group of students and start spewing your thoughts on the test! While the urge may be difficult to contain, try not to start talking about the test after the fact. It is guaranteed that someone will have answered differently than you, argued a fact differently, or interpreted a question differently. This can cause students to experience anxiety and frustration at both themselves and other students. Imagine walking out of a final feeling awesome and then making someone else realize they answered seven questions incorrectly. Not such a great feeling for you or the person on the receiving end.

Don’t Say You Didn’t Study…Then Exclaim How Easy the Test Was

This is an all too infuriating reality of law school final exams. The student who comes into the room completely frazzled and then won’t stop talking about how easy the test was. First off, almost every single law student has studied for the final exam regardless of what they state publicly. (If you need help studying for finals, check out this post on how to prepare)!

Second, claiming that you didn’t study for a test only makes you appear lazy and silly in front of your peers. Remember, your law school colleagues are not just classmates. They are professional references and connections for later on down the road.

Lastly, claiming that you didn’t study, only to breeze through the test, will only raise eyebrows and increase speculation.

Don’t Talk About the Exam Material Before the Test

Every single person is nervous before a law school final exam. That’s perfectly normal. Even the coolest, calmest, and most collected person in the room is nervous. If you’re struggling with stress before the exam, here are some helpful tips. The last thing other students want to hear before an exam is another student’s thoughts on the rule against perpetuities. Those types of conversations only seek to increase anxiety and stress. Some students feel the need to ask other students about certain concepts RIGHT before the exam. Students don’t want to panic before a test because some other student has a different understanding of a concept. Besides, what good is discussing material going to do anyone three minutes before the test? Simply keep to yourself, maybe pop in some headphones, and go to your happy place.

Don’t Show Up Late

It goes without saying but don’t ever show up to a law school final examination late. Besides putting you at a significant disadvantage to your peers, showing up late also distracts those taking the test. Nobody wants to hear someone come in, put their bag down, rummage around, take out a laptop, etc.…It is annoying! Do whatever it takes, including running through this checklist, to show up on time and be prepared. Even if that means camping out on the lawn, setting five alarms, or leaving the house early.

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