FE1 Exam Thread (Read 1st post!) NOTE: YOU MAY SWAP EXAM GRIDS

Lallers96

LawSocIreland wrote: »

We fully understand that the current pandemic is causing a great deal of stress to candidates.

We had hoped to provide a physical examination in November but the government restrictions announced this week have made this impossible.

We are working to provide an online examination that will preserve the integrity of the examination and will have further information early next week.

Then why did ye fecking leave it 7 months to cop onto the fact that the exams should've gone online. Why didn't ye follow suit with the barristers exams, I mean they're in the same bloody field. Why are ye leaving us another week before we know what's going on, when is this wishful online exam? Is it still the first week of November and if so why are you leaving us with 3 weeks notice to overcome more stressful obstacles such as: booking time off work at such short notice, buying resources such as a good laptop, organising good Internet which is not an option for some.

Understand my hole, the mismanagement and downright stupidity of the LS over the whole summer to persist with archaic physical exams in an age of Technology and a time of a pandemic has caused every students unnecessary hardship.

FE1new

I'm just really disheartened today. This has caused unbelievable stress in my life. It has effected my sleep, my work life, my relationship with my employer and my motivation for study. Having to tell my boss again this morning that I have no idea when the exams were going to be was horrible. In my role I can't take time off the last week of the month so if the dates change I may not be able to sit them. What happens to the money I have already paid? Money is tight already but I really can't afford to waste €420. Do the LS realise this stress they have caused?

Lallers96

ScatmanWhack wrote: »

Can you please start updating candidates via email instead of just updating the Law Society website and posting on boards.ie.

It's actually sad I have to come onto as old a website as boards.ie just to get useful advice, information, and updates on these exams. You'd swear this was 2005 or something and there isn't social media like Facebook, Twitter etc. or even just automatic updates emailed to all applicants.

Fe1Student20

LawSocIreland wrote: »

We fully understand that the current pandemic is causing a great deal of stress to candidates.

We had hoped to provide a physical examination in November but the government restrictions announced this week have made this impossible.

We are working to provide an online examination that will preserve the integrity of the examination and will have further information early next week.

The current pandemic is causing a great deal of stress to society, to healthcare workers, to those that are immuno-compromised, to those that have vulnerable family members. The sheer uncertainty and vagueness which the Law Society has cast over this November sitting is what is causing a great deal of stress to candidates.

The update we were given on 18th September, regarding the postponement of the October sitting, contained a number of noteworthy points:
“Subject to any extension of the Level 3 status, or any other public health guidance/restrictions yet to be announced, the FE1 sitting will commence in the first week of November 2020”
The clarification on this potential sitting commencing in the first week of November has since been removed from all further updates we have received in the last 48 hours, with no indication of an alternative time-frame, or even remote suggestion that this is still the case with a potential online sitting, or whether it will be pushed back later into the month. Although I do not fall under that particular category of candidate, those who are countless on this thread that have the additional stress of needing to source a functional laptop, a more stable wifi connection, are now further up against the clock if next week’s update in fact reiterates that this sitting is going ahead as previously suggested in the first week of November.
“If a physical sitting of the examination is not possible, the committee will consider alternative options”
This Friday will mark three weeks since the postponement of the October sitting, and in that time frame there has been absolutely zero cause to suggest that Dublin alone would possibly be leaving Level 3 status, going by daily numbers released by the government, so it would be presumed that from the very date of the postponement, the Law Society must have been working towards these alternative options, and cannot possibly have the need for forcing candidates to wait another week through uncertainty to find out if an online sitting is in fact feasible. As has been stated on this thread, various people who have managed to actually contact the Law Society, as recently as last week, were told that an online sitting was impossible. This complete u-turn, compounded with the additional waiting period, is just an unacceptably unfair way to treat candidates, in their preparation for examinations which are renowned for their gruelling nature.

The point has been made by many of comparing our situation to that of the Leaving Certificate, the accountancy exams, the Kings Inn exams, and numerous others that have managed to find a means by which the students can be fairly treated, whether that be by reference to previous results, additional time for exams, online systems being established well in advance of the intended sittings. The Law Society have stacked the deck against candidates, and haven’t given any consideration of offering any of the above solutions which could offer any form of aid to candidates, which would in turn benefit the Law Society, by getting those of us who are nearly finished, into the Hybrid or into our training contracts on time, which are currently under threat as a direct result of the way in which the Law Society has treated us throughout this pandemic, from March up until this very moment.
Quite simply, the Law Society could do all or any of the following, and it would be met with gratitude, rather than leaving us in the dark, with a lot of candidates I’m sure in the same situation as myself, unable to continue with their revision in the midst of this uncertainty.
- Clarify whether the potential online sitting is still intended to proceed in the first week of November. If that was the case, next week’s announcement would leave us three weeks from commencement and with an uphill task against the clock to enter the exams fully prepared.
- Clarify on the current likelihood of an online sitting actually going ahead, as it was previously stated that this would be impossible.
- Clarify the nature of the potential online sitting which is being explored, for those worrying about the potential expense of a new laptop, or the potential issue of finding a suitable location which sufficiently stable wi-fi, if we were told that it might be the case that they are written and scanned back as happened with certain candidates in August, this could swiftly alleviate the additional stresses which particular candidates are unnecessarily having to deal with.

Having only recently found this thread, I’m sure there are countless others who have not stumbled across it yet, so empty updates to a Boards.ie thread are simply inadequate for the thousands of us desperately seeking clarity. It is not too much to ask that we receive email notifications of updates when they are being made. It is certainly not too much to ask to receive an update by the end of this week, rather than this dragging out for longer than it already has.

Aoibhin511

The fact that their most recent tweet is about a workshop on managing anxiety makes me want to scream

LS3

We are not asking for magic. We simply just want to be told what is happening with enough time to prepare.

IgoPAP

Aoibhin511 wrote: »

The fact that their most recent tweet is about a workshop on managing anxiety makes me want to scream

It's performative empathy in a nutshell.

Fe1erere

I'll be treating the exams as beginning in the first week of November, in the event that they take place later then I will be extra prepared.

shaunadennyham

Fe1erere wrote: »

I'll be treating the exams as beginning in the first week of November, in the event that they take place later then I will be extra prepared.

Good for you but please consider people who need to sort out study leave etc with their employer and who may not be able to afford taking additional unpaid leave

sarahlawless

Fe1erere wrote: »

I'll be treating the exams as beginning in the first week of November, in the event that they take place later then I will be extra prepared.

I wish I had this luxury but this is impossible for people working full time who need to arrange leave etc

lsheehaneire

Anyone tried calling Danielle ?


The Law Society has also set up a helpline to deal with any queries. If you wish to avail of this service, please contact Danielle Greene at  01 881 5762.

IgoPAP

I would hope, at the very least, the Law Society would be decent enough to hold the exams a few weeks later than the first week of November to give candidates a chance to prepare and make the necessary adjustments.

AlexTG356

Surely it would go without saying that they would push back the starting date of the exams until the end of November/ start of December to allow us to prepare for online exams, since some students were only just recently informed that online exams were not an option? I assume they themselves would also need extra time to effectively prepare and test any online testing system.
Some thought needs to be given to those of us who can’t touch type too. I see nothing wrong with what they did in August, with the hand written and scanned scripts, that is of course if they stick with the original exam format. I’d have no problem typing for a 24hr exam or longer assignment-based assessment.

dobby896

AlexTG356 wrote: »

Surely it would go without saying that they would push back the starting date of the exams until the end of November/ start of December to allow us to prepare for online exams, since some students were only just recently informed that online exams were not an option? I assume they themselves would also need extra time to effectively prepare and test any online testing system.

I really hope they will be.

My wifi connection barely supports Netflix (and that's on a good day) let alone a remote exam so I'll have to look at alternative arrangements for myself to make sure I can actually sit the exam remotely.

The joys of living in the middle of nowhere.

Fe1student1234

dobby896 wrote: »

AlexTG356 wrote: »

Surely it would go without saying that they would push back the starting date of the exams until the end of November/ start of December to allow us to prepare for online exams, since some students were only just recently informed that online exams were not an option? I assume they themselves would also need extra time to effectively prepare and test any online testing system.

I really hope they will be.

My wifi connection barely supports Netflix (and that's on a good day) let alone a remote exam so I'll have to look at alternative arrangements for myself to make sure I can actually sit the exam remotely.

The joys of living in the middle of nowhere.

I’m the same

I’ll have to find a relative willing to let me into their house ( which you’re not allowed ) but it’s the only way I’ll be able to sit an online exam

SKLaw

FE1s202020 wrote: »

Anybody willing to swap/sell contract and tort exam papers and reports and a (fairly) up to date contract exam grid? Can swap constitutional, equity and property. Thanks!

I have contract exam papers and reports and an updated exam grid if you want to message me privately I can send it to your email?

Fe1student1234

Just wondering has anyone contacted the helpline ? Were they any good

LS3

Fe1student1234 wrote: »

Just wondering has anyone contacted the helpline ? Were they any good

I contacted them and the same info was given. They also mentioned that we might not even find out the situation next week if they dont know whats happening and thats very possible

Aoibhin511

LS3 wrote: »

I contacted them and the same info was given. They also mentioned that we might not even find out the situation next week if they dont know whats happening and thats very possible

ok wtf? why are they sowing even more doubt?? like hearing something next week is the only thing I thought was certain rn

LS3

LS3 wrote: »

I contacted them and the same info was given. They also mentioned that we might not even find out the situation next week if they dont know whats happening and thats very possible

Ohhh my god! So we might be given LESS than 3 weeks notice to make arrangements for online exams! That is beyond a joke and extremely unfair on all of us. They should at least guarantee that we will be given sufficient notice of exams going ahead online and less than 3 weeks is certainly not sufficient!

SKLaw

LS3 wrote: »

I contacted them and the same info was given. They also mentioned that we might not even find out the situation next week if they dont know whats happening and thats very possible

That’s not reassuring at all it’s actually scary how our waiting for next week’s info may be for nothing

Fe1student1234

LS3 wrote: »

I contacted them and the same info was given. They also mentioned that we might not even find out the situation next week if they dont know whats happening and thats very possible

So basically they don’t have an online provider they’re just looking

maggie95

Fe1student1234 wrote: »

So basically they don’t have an online provider they’re just looking

So basically they're in the exact same position they were a month ago...

Not even surprised at this stage, classic Law Society

dobby896

Fe1student1234 wrote: »

So basically they don’t have an online provider they’re just looking

The temptation to just not do this sitting is growing exponentially. I've paid so will continue to power on as best I can but this is not enjoyable whatsoever (not that studying every really is tbf)

Fe1student1234

maggie95 wrote: »

So basically they're in the exact same position they were a month ago...

Not even surprised at this stage, classic Law Society

I know it’s ridiculous

The idea that they will go ahead at all this year is looking further and further away in my mind

Fe1student1234

dobby896 wrote: »

The temptation to just not do this sitting is growing exponentially. I've paid so will continue to power on as best I can but this is not enjoyable whatsoever (not that studying every really is tbf)

I’m the same I’m really struggling with study atm

Just can’t focus at all

dobby896

Fe1student1234 wrote: »

I’m the same I’m really struggling with study atm

Just can’t focus at all

I had such great momentum going in September when it was all far more concrete.

"Feel like sh*t, just want her back"

maggie95

Fe1student1234 wrote: »

I’m the same I’m really struggling with study atm

Just can’t focus at all

Same - staring at my notes but nothing going in, focus entirely gone and has been for last few weeks

LS3

maggie95 wrote: »

Same - staring at my notes but nothing going in, focus entirely gone and has been for last few weeks

I cant even think about study without feeling like i am about to cry. Its even affecting my performance in work.

maggie95

LS3 wrote: »

I cant even think about study without feeling like i am about to cry. Its even affecting my performance in work.

I can imagine and am sorry to hear that. I moved back to Ireland from my favourite city, where Covid was under control and I had a life, to sit these exams, turning down an incredible job offer. Each additional day that I'm here is making me more and more miserable, literally just sitting around waiting for updates from the Law Society.
I hope it's all resolved asap (how naive am I?)

Lawlaw12

LawSocIreland wrote: »

We fully understand that the current pandemic is causing a great deal of stress to candidates.

We had hoped to provide a physical examination in November but the government restrictions announced this week have made this impossible.

We are working to provide an online examination that will preserve the integrity of the examination and will have further information early next week.

In the meantime, we have set up a helpline to deal with any queries. If you wish to avail of this service, please contact Danielle Greene at 01 881 5762.

The Law Society’s handling of the pandemic has cause me far, far more stress than the pandemic itself (and I’m immunocompromised!)

As was stated above, it's time to accept that it will no longer be possible to ‘preserve the integrity of the exam’ and perhaps it’s time you actually proved that you ‘understand’ the stress candidates are under for a multitude of reasons and actually put our mental health first for a change.

Personally, I have one FE1 exam left and I have a law degree. I had two exams postponed on me in March at the very last second, I was left in the dark for five months, studying half-heartedly with no idea when they would be rescheduled. I have had to put my life on hold and I haven’t seen any friends in months even when restrictions were eased as I am more afraid of catching the virus and not being able to sit my exam than I am of catching the virus and getting seriously ill. I ended up having to leave my job due to constantly changing my annual leave and as we were not updated for months after the March exams were postponed I had no idea how much notice we’d get and therefore had to cut my hours and eventually leave to keep studying every week. (Note, this means I am unemployed and am still waiting for a €210 refund for two exams that I was told I had to pay for in case I hadn’t passed in August).

Are you reading the comments on this thread? Candidates are telling you that they cannot sleep at night, that our stress levels are through the roof, this is affecting our jobs, our relationships with our employers, our incomes and it is having a profound effect on our mental health. It is extremely clear from a quick glance at this thread that the treatment of candidates is completely unacceptable and to be quite honest I think the stress and anxiety this has caused me will actually have a lasting impact on my mental health. Something needs to be done about this and it needs to be done before next week. If it is not going to be possible to organise a fair online sitting of the exam and give us the full details of that before Friday then you need to exempt students from this sitting.

And please do not provide us with another helpline if they are not going to answer the phone, it’s actually insulting. I have rang the previous helpline numerous times and also called various direct lines I have for people in the Law School and each time they have not answered or have hung up on me.

ruby1998

Brb just going to cry in the toilets at work my brain can’t handle the lack of clarity I’m going insane!!!!

Hazel774

LawSocIreland wrote: »

We fully understand that the current pandemic is causing a great deal of stress to candidates.

We had hoped to provide a physical examination in November but the government restrictions announced this week have made this impossible.

We are working to provide an online examination that will preserve the integrity of the examination and will have further information early next week.

In the meantime, we have set up a helpline to deal with any queries. If you wish to avail of this service, please contact Danielle Greene at 01 881 5762.

At this stage, given what we have been put through over the last few months since March, I genuinely do think that candidates should be given an exemption for the subjects they registered to sit in November provided that they have passed these exams in college and have previously passed FE1 exams.

And this is not coming from a place of being unprepared to sit the exam. I have done months of preparation, I have paid hundreds for a prep course and have studied day and night for the last month. I have passed all of my other FE1s first time and I am confident I have the knowledge to pass my last one too. I have already passed this exam in college with an A grade.
I feel that I have proven myself by passing all other FE1 exams and getting an A grade in college in the final FE1 subject I have remaining.

I have a training contract that requires me to pass all of my exams by the end of this year. Do you understand the work that goes into obtaining a training contract? I cannot comprehend the fact that I may lose this because of the way the Law Society has been treating its candidates through constant postponements and indefinite delays. At this stage my mental health cannot handle any more delays or uncertainty. We have been put thorough months of uncertainty since March, it is now unacceptable to change the format of the exam only a few weeks out and it is unacceptable to delay again. We need an answer before Friday.

Hazel774

I know it would seem prejudicial to only exempt those of us who have one or two exams left, but I only suggest that because we have already passed 6/7 of these exams and have proven ourselves as being capable. That’s not to say that everyone else isn’t capable of passing, but those of us on our last exam may have more at stake in terms of losing our training contracts over one exam. Particularly when training contracts are already going to be more limited than usual next year, so causing candidates to lose their training contracts for reasons they have absolutely no control over is going to leave the market even more flooded.

But obviously it would be preferable to exempt everyone for the subjects they’ve registered to sit in October as at this stage we have all put in the bulk of the work.

FE12020Law

Is there anything to be said for contacting our local TDs ? The pandemic has been with us for over 6 months and it's absolutely scandalous there was no plan B ready to go for November sittings. I think contacting local TDs and political parties might get this issue brought up in the Dáil?

sarahlawless

This is beyond cruel. I feel physically ill with worry and stress. I just wish so much they would be honest with us or at least push the exams out even a week or something to give us all a fair chance.

lawgirl23

FE12020Law wrote: »

Is there anything to be said for contacting our local TDs ? The pandemic has been with us for over 6 months and it's absolutely scandalous there was no plan B ready to go for November sittings. I think contacting local TDs and political parties might get this issue brought up in the Dáil?

I’ve just this minute finished sending letters by email to all my local TDs!

Hazel774

FE12020Law wrote: »

Is there anything to be said for contacting our local TDs ? The pandemic has been with us for over 6 months and it's absolutely scandalous there was no plan B ready to go for November sittings. I think contacting local TDs and political parties might get this issue brought up in the Dáil?

If people are contacting TDs it may be worth including the fact that the LS held physical exams in August for up to 2000 people, at a point where cases were high enough to justify putting three counties under lockdown. They gave many of us no choice but to travel to Dublin via public transport in the middle of a pandemic, stay in hotels and attend to an exam hall. With the only alternative being to skip the exam and lose our training contracts despite having been studying those subjects for 10 months due to the delay in rescheduling. Just including this to highlight the ongoing unfair treatment of candidates.

HU123

Hazel774 wrote: »

I know it would seem prejudicial to only exempt those of us who have one or two exams left, but I only suggest that because we have already passed 6/7 of these exams and have proven ourselves as being capable. That’s not to say that everyone else isn’t capable of passing, but those of us on our last exam may have more at stake in terms of losing our training contracts over one exam. Particularly when training contracts are already going to be more limited than usual next year, so causing candidates to lose their training contracts for reasons they have absolutely no control over is going to leave the market even more flooded.

But obviously it would be preferable to exempt everyone for the subjects they’ve registered to sit in October as at this stage we have all put in the bulk of the work.

If they were going to give people exemptions it would have to be for everyone. Everyone has put in the work over the last couple of months so it would be only fair for everyone to be treated the same.

LS3

If someone has a template for a letter to send to TDs I would really appreciate it. Just not in the headspace to be able to explain whats going on right now. I emailed different news outlets last night but havent heard anything yet.

Hazel774

HU123 wrote: »

If they were going to give people exemptions it would have to be for everyone. Everyone has put in the work over the last couple of months so it would be only fair for everyone to be treated the same.

Yes, I do agree with that tbf

FE1new

Hazel774 wrote: »

Yes, I do agree with that tbf

I really don't understand why if you passed the subject in a degree over 50% you can't be exempted.

Hazel774

FE1new wrote: »

I really don't understand why if you passed the subject in a degree over 50% you can't be exempted.

That's what they do for the accountancy exams! Makes so much more sense than delaying us a year from entering the profession and excluding those who can't afford to pay for these right out of college

Fe1student1234

FE1new wrote: »

I really don't understand why if you passed the subject in a degree over 50% you can't be exempted.

Fe-1s were introduced to make the system fairer in relation to people wanting to qualify here

I don’t really understand it tbf

Also my college actually doesn’t give percentage grades so it’s possible I or others wouldn’t be able to proof over 50% (although I did in fact get over 50% in all of these subjects)

Actually I’d just have to submit the grade scale if that is the case

shaunadennyham

Fe1student1234 wrote: »

Fe-1s were introduced to make the system fairer in relation to people wanting to qualify here

I don’t really understand it tbf

Also my college actually doesn’t give percentage grades so it’s possible I or others wouldn’t be able to proof over 50% (although I did in fact get over 50% in all of these subjects)

It’s not to make it fairer. It was originally an exemption for people who had done Law degrees from recognised institutions in the Republic. Everyone else had to sit the exams to show a competency in the subjects at hand. Then a shower from the North took an action saying that it was unfair that their degrees from Queens weren’t exempted. Instead of broadening the exemption to include them the Law Society realised they could make a load more money by simply making everyone sit the exams.

Your university would convert your results into percentages if you requested. You could also do it yourself - I had to do the same for my masters application.

ruby1998

All I want atm is a broad timeframe for the proposed online sitting - beginning of November, end of November or the beginning of December. Not a huge request by any means.

maggie95

ruby1998 wrote: »

All I want atm is a broad timeframe for the proposed online sitting - beginning of November, end of November or the beginning of December. Not a huge request by any means.

I think they genuinely don't know themselves, which is even more concerning

legallyginger

ruby1998 wrote: »

All I want atm is a broad timeframe for the proposed online sitting - beginning of November, end of November or the beginning of December. Not a huge request by any means.

Really all I want also, have booked so much time off work dreading having to change it again!

Jenosul

shaunadennyham wrote: »

It’s not to make it fairer. It was originally an exemption for people who had done Law degrees from recognised institutions in the Republic. Everyone else had to sit the exams to show a competency in the subjects at hand. Then a shower from the North took an action saying that it was unfair that their degrees from Queens weren’t exempted. Instead of broadening the exemption to include them the Law Society realised they could make a load more money by simply making everyone sit the exams.

Your university would convert your results into percentages if you requested. You could also do it yourself - I had to do the same for my masters application.

Most successful practicing solicitors did not have to sit them as they did not exist. They are working away just fine! They just completed a degree like in most other professions.

Fe1student1234

shaunadennyham wrote: »

It’s not to make it fairer. It was originally an exemption for people who had done Law degrees from recognised institutions in the Republic. Everyone else had to sit the exams to show a competency in the subjects at hand. Then a shower from the North took an action saying that it was unfair that their degrees from Queens weren’t exempted. Instead of broadening the exemption to include them the Law Society realised they could make a load more money by simply making everyone sit the exams.

Your university would convert your results into percentages if you requested. You could also do it yourself - I had to do the same for my masters application.

I don’t think they would go back to my first and second year results and convert to percentages tbh

I couldn’t do myself but could give them the bracket haha

But I’m sure they’d know by my grade letter anyway tbh