Hey guys, I am a little overwhelmed with all the study materials. Can you guys provide some insights on how useful flashcards are?
for law school? for bar exam? for comprehension vs improving your test taking skill?
What kind of students should use flashcards and what kind of students should not??
Should I make them myself or should I buy them from someone?
If I buy commercial flashcards, from whom should I buy it from??? Thanks!
Category: Bar Exam - General
I didn't find them particularly useful. I just cover up the part in the bar outlines that I need to memorize and uncover it to see the right answer. I think for some people, a different way to study just keep them going and keep them awake, not b/c it's useful or not
You should make flashcards. To save time, copy your Barbri outline and shrink it to, say, 65% of the original font using a photocopier. Then cut and glue onto flashcards. This will save you time from having to re-write everything on flashcards.
I never used flashcards in law school or in undergrad. Never found them useful. But, they really help on the bar exam because (1) they help you recall information really fast (and speed is key on the bar), and (2) when you shuffle the flashcards, you learn to identify answers when issues are out of the sequence of your outline.
Last tip. Don't buy the flashcards...they won't mirror the information in your bar review course, and that might confuse you. Use the info from your bar review course to make the flashcards.
Flashcards are useful for memorization. However, it should be noted that on law school exam and bar exams, memorization is only the first step. For instance, a card that says "hearsay exceptions" on one side, and lists those exceptions on the back, is great for last minute memorization, but will not help you if you do not UNDERSTAND those exceptions.
I encourage my law and bar students to make their OWN flashcards, and use them for memorization purposes only. Also, it should be noted that flashcards should be used sparingly, becuase having 500 flashcards are not helpful. You should only make cards of the KEY concepts you need to memorize.
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