Cramming for KingsInns- Any tips?

LegalEagleCork

Hi all,

I'm desperately cramming for Kingsinns, ....for better or worse, minus prep course!! I was busy writing a thesis and only started yesterday leaving 4 weeks for 5 subjects....not the best move I've ever made...

I nearly died when I saw the syllabus for Tort!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

BUT I'm determined to make a heroic attempt at passing so I was looking at past papers and hoping to cut out certain elements, but I've seen online that people don't recommend cutting things out because of Q1.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this!

Any hints/tips/past experiences much appreciated.

hullaballoo

I was in a similar position in advance of the KI entrance exams and I found that my only viable option was to discard my propensity to garner a full understanding of each topic and to limit myself to getting a broad brush understanding. This was especially the case in relation to tort. I focused on landmark decisions and the most important principles/exceptions but could not afford to delve into the theory.

With other exams, you might find it useful to focus on topics that you have a better understanding of from your degree days. I had strong and weak topics and had to hope that one or two strong topics came up so that they would prop up my weaker answers.

Bear in mind that you will need to address anything you have not covered in advance of the KI Degree course because you cannot rely on not doing a topic for your exams when you are practising.

Hippo

LegalEagleCork wrote: »

I've seen online that people don't recommend cutting things out because of Q1.

This, I'm afraid, is just about all you need to know about preparing for these.

Try and answer the questions in a practical, advisory fashion. There's no time or room for big general jurisprudential discussions. Good luck!

Tom Young

Start with Tort and Constitutional now and study until you've covered everything in the time allowed.

Contract; Evidence and Criminal.

Then recap in the sequence that the exams run.

Cover everything - the economic torts are always on: Detinue, conversion and deceit. Webb v Ireland - (finders v keepers)

Then in the time remaining, leave your best till last.

It's almost always advise someone, client or state, etc.

Constitutional, Criminal look at new developments.

Tom

Cody Pomeray

I was in a pretty similar situation to you OP, I had a holiday booked after my finals and came back with a great tan and no study done.

Allocate at least 24 hours to a blind panic.

Then put your head down and get on with it because it's possible to pass even with just 4 weeks and no crash course.

At this stage all you have time for are the manuals and the past papers, and as many grinds as you need. Read law journals just for sport, and stay especially up to date on constitutional. I wouldn't be sticking my head anywhere else this late.

Don't study more than two topics in a day. I found it helpful to do just one topic per day (and I mean all day) and then break it up with an hour after lunch and an hour at night of 'reviews' - one review of yesterday's work, and one review of the next-previous day's work. This keeps the material fresh and dust-free.

Most of the cramming rules apply, don't go more than (for me) 50-55 minutes without fresh air and a cup of coffee/ glass of water/ fresh air/ 5 minute chat.

Some of the usual cramming rules do not, however apply: i.e. we cannot tell you what to leave out because that kind of certainty just doesn't apply. You cannot study everything, you just have to hope for the best in some situations.

This next bit probably applies to candidates for the year after this but anyway...

The most crucial bit of advice I got, going into final year was to maintain an interest in important emerging cases over the coming year. It was the best possible lead-in I could have given myself, both for my final year exams and later for the KI.

As Peig Sayers said, 'read the newspapers and you'll never neglect your education'. Well, if that woman had gone to the Inns she'd have said 'read new cases and you'll never need to do a crash course'. You'll also find 'cramming' for the entrance exams (and everyone crams, of course they do) will be far less taxing.

NoQuarter

No point in saying dont study more than 2 topics a day when that would take 15 days for tort alone.

OP my only advice to you would be to not sleep between now and the exams, 4 weeks is outrageously short and if you do it, come back and let us know because I will be incredibly impressed if someone could do that.

Cody Pomeray

Two topics a day doesn't mean you don't see that topic again until the cycle is complete, obviously.

Clearly because some people will be stronger in certain topics, or because tort is so demanding, you have to distribute your weekly timetable accordingly. I'm just saying I don't think it's a good idea to swing all over the shop with too many topics on one day.

NoQuarter

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

Two topics a day doesn't mean you don't see that topic again until the cycle is complete, obviously.

Clearly because some people will be stronger in certain topics, or because tort is so demanding, you have to distribute your weekly timetable accordingly. I'm just saying I don't think it's a good idea to swing all over the shop with too many topics on one day.

I'd normally agree but with 4 weeks left to go and the OP only starting now, I just dont see how that can be avoided.

Cody Pomeray

It's a minor issue, it doesn't even suit everyone, but of course it can.
The OP could just do tort (for example) five half-days in the week, and do only one other rotating topic once a day and on weekends. Or however s/he wants to work it.

Like i said, I'm just going on my own experience. My head would get scrambled flitting from topic to topic too regularly and trying to remember where I left off, but for some people that's not an issue.

johnnyskeleton

Kings inns are not outrageouly difficult and if you recently studied hard for your degree in those subjects it should still be fresh.

4 weeks reading the nutshells should sort you out.

The tricky part is 5 exams all in one week. If one exam goes badly keep coming in for the others - don't get discouraged.

LegalEagleCork

Thanks so much everyone for the fab advice and reassurance!!

Really appreciate it!

@Cody Pomeray- Had a MAJOR panic day all of yesterday, achieved nothing- this morning I read your post and realised that I can now check 24 hour blind panic off my to do list!
@Hullaballo- really reassuring, I think I am a perfectionist but will have to leave that by the way side and take a general sweep as you suggest.
@Tom Young- thank you for the very helpful tips, I have taken notes!!

Have resolved to give it my best shot, like the leaving cert Irish paper two I managed to cram in the weekend before and get an A in, sometimes you just gotta have faith and if it doesn't work out, there's always unemployment or teaching English to look forward to.

@No Quarter, it is a bit of a push. I will indeed come back and report to you all if I pass!