FE1 Exam Thread (Mod Warning: NO ADS)

JCJCJC

Hogzy wrote: »

I have also failed Constitutional 3 times and i got the exact same results as you on 3 occasions. Although when i got 45% i was bumped up to 48% on a recheck.

Glad to hear you have passed it on your 4th attempt as i am loosing all hope with the bloody exam.

I wonder what message is to be taken from that? If you're getting above 40, I would think you have to be close to the standard sought - above 45 and you should be getting it comfortably the next time, I would have thought. Fair play to you Hogzy, it takes backbone to get up and get back on the bike after a few set-backs like that. We might have a discussion during the summer on better tactics on Constitutional.

brian__foley

JCJCJC wrote: »

I wonder what message is to be taken from that? If you're getting above 40, I would think you have to be close to the standard sought - above 45 and you should be getting it comfortably the next time, I would have thought. Fair play to you Hogzy, it takes backbone to get up and get back on the bike after a few set-backs like that. We might have a discussion during the summer on better tactics on Constitutional.

I wouldn't read things like that into the marks. Marks aren't given out (in my experience) on a pure consistently rising curve, if that makes sense. In short, its far easier to go from 0-40 than it is to go from 40-80. In a really crass sense, the first 30-40 marks are really there for the "asking". Since the pass is 50, I imagine the input needed to get from 40 to 50 is far greater than the input needed to get from, say 30 to 40.

blathblath

Brian, I just want to ask you as to your opinion on my current scenario!!! I have all 8 exams and I have an apprenticeship.... but I am thinking of deferring PPC1 until 2012 purely on a financial basis. Do you think it will be of massive detriment to me if I do so? I would just prefer to not end up in massive debt and actually save some of the money and head up there comfortably as opposed to being stressed for the 6 months? Is it a case of get in quick and having more opportunities at the end?? Very confused as to what to do next!

brian__foley

blathblath wrote: »

Brian, I just want to ask you as to your opinion on my current scenario!!! I have all 8 exams and I have an apprenticeship.... but I am thinking of deferring PPC1 until 2012 purely on a financial basis. Do you think it will be of massive detriment to me if I do so? I would just prefer to not end up in massive debt and actually save some of the money and head up there comfortably as opposed to being stressed for the 6 months? Is it a case of get in quick and having more opportunities at the end?? Very confused as to what to do next!

I'd value the security of an apprenticeship over hard living and scrimping any day, but if its guaranteed to be there in a while, you're not losing anything. I'd be reluctant, however, to assume that even the strongest assurances about the future would be borne out as circumstances beyond anyone's control could mean a promised apprenticeship may disappear.

blathblath

brian__foley wrote: »

I'd value the security of an apprenticeship over hard living and scrimping any day, but if its guaranteed to be there in a while, you're not losing anything. I'd be reluctant, however, to assume that even the strongest assurances about the future would be borne out as circumstances beyond anyone's control could mean a promised apprenticeship may disappear.

I have worked here since April 2010... I am the only employee here at the moment aside from the Solicitor....If I remain in my current position for the next year (unless the office closes in the meantime!) I am pretty sure my apprenticeship will remain.... obviously I need to clarify this! I just wondered if you thought I would be losing out by qualifying a year later

bob_lob_law

Hi Brian,

I was searching through the thread for constitutional and I saw your post in December about how you think it is a fairly predicable subject, I quoted it below. With that in mind, where do you think students fall down? I should add that I have yet to sit constitutional so I'm mainly just stirring!

brian__foley wrote: »

Maybe we can grasp it - tell me, what questions did you do and why did you think you did really well? It's possible that whereas the material you put down may have been right, it wasn't on point. The examiner isn't a "hard" marker by any stretch of the imagination. If you set out what you did, we might be able to see where the difficulties may be.

Honestly, in my opinion, constitutional law is the easiest and most predictable paper on the fe1 course. Routinely similar stuff is examined and the examiner keeps examining peoples understanding of T.D. etc and keeps referring to this in the reports. People continue to fail largely because people (a) don't spot the issue (b) are not up to date (c) write "all they know" or (d) simply get things wrong. It's very hard to get things wrong in law, but the examiner himself had to note one year how people didn't spot that a question entirely about a newspaper raised press freedom issues.

The manuals (from wherever) are quite large, but save with regard to a few cases, you hardly need more than a few lines knowledge of each one and each "area" of the course is relatively condensable and digestible.

brian__foley wrote: »

Part of the re-check issue may be to do with the use of assistant correctors who may, at times, have varying approaches etc. For all sorts of reasons, I don't think this arises with constitutional law and I'd be surprised to see re-checks working on that subject because I'd be pretty confident in that the mark you get is the mark you deserve in that subject.

pflann

I really don't understand the logic, or lack thereof.
I got 42 when I sat Company in Oct. Totally deserved to fail. I only answered 4 questions of which only 3 were markable. This time I put so much work into Company and answered 5 good (or so I thought) questions and got 36....
It was the one subject and paper I had felt confident I had passed.
Am so disheartened at the thought of missing out on Blackhall this year. Its not so much the having to resit the exam, although that prospect doesn't exactly fill me with joy...

brian__foley

bob_lob_law wrote: »

Hi Brian,

I was searching through the thread for constitutional and I saw your post in December about how you think it is a fairly predicable subject, I quoted it below. With that in mind, where do you think students fall down? I should add that I have yet to sit constitutional so I'm mainly just stirring!

I don't know. It's just law, the same as everything else - i.e. case-based law. Indeed, the same issues keep arising. The examiner isn't a hard marker at all and, in fact, many of the questions reflect things he has written about. I will say, however, that when I talk to people who may be having problems, I'm surprised by the inability to spot the issues involved in questions and to simply miss things. I've had conversations where people don't know that one can apply to prohibit a trial on the basis of delay, or publicity etc - i.e. not just not knowing the law, but not knowing that this can be done. This seems to be a big issue - simply not knowing what "area" is being examined whether by reason of selective study or otherwise. That coupled with rote-learned answers, being out-of-date on the law, being just wrong on particular points contributes to the difficulties.

Equally, I also come across people who give themselves about five days to "learn constitutional law". It's a large subject which needs a lot of work. If the work isn't put in (and put in the right way), the results won't follow. When people put the time in, its not unusual to hear reporting back of marks in the high 60's.

Sala

I have worked here since April 2010... I am the only employee here at the moment aside from the Solicitor....If I remain in my current position for the next year (unless the office closes in the meantime!) I am pretty sure my apprenticeship will remain.... obviously I need to clarify this! I just wondered if you thought I would be losing out by qualifying a year later

My tuppence worth - go now! I have all 8 and cannot get an apprenticeship. Even if your training solicitor agrees to defer it you don't know what may happen in the meantime and if you had to start looking again you could find yourself with no place for 2012. I would go through PPC1 funding my own fees and without pay - I'd have to live like a pauper but if I was in your position I wouldn't give it up!

colonel1

"...When people put the time in, its not unusual to hear reporting back of marks in the high 60's.[/QUOTE]"

Is it really necessary for people to get in the high 60's? Are those of us with marks in the 50's wasting our time:( This isn't college, why such emphasis on marks!

shaneybaby

colonel1 wrote: »

"...When people put the time in, its not unusual to hear reporting back of marks in the high 60's."

Is it really necessary for people to get in the high 60's? Are those of us with marks in the 50's wasting our time:( This isn't college, why such emphasis on marks!

Ah i think he's just saying it's not impossible. Hang in there colonel:)

brian__foley

colonel1 wrote: »

Is it really necessary for people to get in the high 60's? Are those of us with marks in the 50's wasting our time:( This isn't college, why such emphasis on marks!

I think you've misunderstood the post.

MilkTheGroup

Hi I was just wondering if many people here were working full-time and studying for the FE1s or has anyone done it successfully.?

I have 5 months to study for 4 exams (i have a good bit of groundwork done studywise already). However, there is a possibility of a full-time job for me in the coming weeks. Could I realistically do both?

colonel1

brian__foley wrote: »

I think you've misunderstood the post.

No, I undertood that you were saying that good study techniques etc can lead to good marks. My point was that why do we need to worry about getting marks in the 60s in the first place, when to get the 50% is an acheivement in itself. Admittedly, I was in bad form yesterday when I wrote the post:)

colonel1

MilkTheGroup wrote: »

Hi I was just wondering if many people here were working full-time and studying for the FE1s or has anyone done it successfully.?

I have 5 months to study for 4 exams (i have a good bit of groundwork done studywise already). However, there is a possibility of a full-time job for me in the coming weeks. Could I realistically do both?

Hi MilkTheGroup, I work full time, and I have just got my first four. However, it took me more than one go to do so. I know many other people who work FT and it took them several sittings to get their first four also. It is possible to work FT and get the FE1s, but it would require a lot of hard work and good study techniques (and luck tbh). Try not to make the mistake, like I did, of simply copying out a manual and thinking that was my notes. I would also suggest that you don't take on anymore than four for the first sitting and be careful of your subject combinations in terms of the exam timetable. It is great to have a day between exams at least if possible!

I do note, however, that you have done a lot of groundwork already, so you may find the balance of FT work and PT FE1 study quite doable.

In your shoes, I would stick to the study and worry about the FT job later when you have the first four FE1s in the bag.

Good luck.

skeenan89

ahh dont scare them colonel! i literally only used the manual to study and have just passed my first four on my first sitting! so i intend to use the manual with the aid of the past paper to study for my final four! believe me it can be done!:D

colonel1 wrote: »

Hi MilkTheGroup, I work full time, and I have just got my first four. However, it took me more than one go to do so. I know many other people who work FT and it took them several sittings to get their first four also. It is possible to work FT and get the FE1s, but it would require a lot of hard work and good study techniques (and luck tbh). Try not to make the mistake, like I did, of simply copying out a manual and thinking that was my notes. I would also suggest that you don't take on anymore than four for the first sitting and be careful of your subject combinations in terms of the exam timetable. It is great to have a day between exams at least if possible!

I do note, however, that you have done a lot of groundwork already, so you may find the balance of FT work and PT FE1 study quite doable.

In your shoes, I would stick to the study and worry about the FT job later when you have the first four FE1s in the bag.

Good luck.

colonel1

skeenan89 wrote: »

ahh dont scare them colonel! i literally only used the manual to study and have just passed my first four on my first sitting! so i intend to use the manual with the aid of the past paper to study for my final four! believe me it can be done!:D

The Colonel loves to scare, now polish my boots private:D

skeenan89

colonel1 wrote: »

The Colonel loves to scare, now polish my boots private:D

Sala

MilkTheGroup wrote: »

Hi I was just wondering if many people here were working full-time and studying for the FE1s or has anyone done it successfully.?

I have 5 months to study for 4 exams (i have a good bit of groundwork done studywise already). However, there is a possibility of a full-time job for me in the coming weeks. Could I realistically do both?

It is possible. I worked full time and only had two study days off beforehand. I sat my first 4, got 3. Then sat 5 and got 4, and finally nailed the last 1 on it's own! I had never studied law before.

Also, I only really started studying properly 2 months before so you have LOADS of time.

If you wanted to do all 8 and pass them all first time it would be hard working I'm sure but you should be fine. Plus, it gives you a chance to demonstrate how you can manage your time, prioritise your workload, and all that good stuff you need for interviews if you're looking for a training contract. And if you don't have an apprenticeship, and the job is going to give you relevent experience that will make you stand out, I wouldn't turn it down.

chops018

Hi all,

I was wondering if you could give me some info on the FE'1's. I have a 2.2 Degree in Law, and will have an LL.M the end of the summer (well hopefully, just need to get this dissertation finished haha)

anyway I was wondering how much it is do the exams? I would probably go for the blocks of 4, so 4 in the Spring (March/April) and 4 in the Autumn (September/October).

Also, is my 2.2 degree in law and my LL.M (Masters) good enough to apply straight for the entrance exams, or would I have to sit the preliminary examination?

P.S. please don't comment saying "why do you want to become a solicitor, they have no work" etc etc.

234

Answer

chops018

234 wrote: »

Answer

Thanks.

corkgirl88

colonel1 wrote: »

Hi MilkTheGroup, I work full time, and I have just got my first four. However, it took me more than one go to do so. I know many other people who work FT and it took them several sittings to get their first four also. It is possible to work FT and get the FE1s, but it would require a lot of hard work and good study techniques (and luck tbh). Try not to make the mistake, like I did, of simply copying out a manual and thinking that was my notes. I would also suggest that you don't take on anymore than four for the first sitting and be careful of your subject combinations in terms of the exam timetable. It is great to have a day between exams at least if possible!

I do note, however, that you have done a lot of groundwork already, so you may find the balance of FT work and PT FE1 study quite doable.

In your shoes, I would stick to the study and worry about the FT job later when you have the first four FE1s in the bag.

Good luck.

I relied solely on the manuals for 6 exams and passed them all first time fine. In my experience the manuals contain sufficent information to pass and do well.

Amre17

Hi all..

Im planing on taking a constitutional course for the next set of exams.. would anyone recommend one over the other??

Big spend for me so I would like to get it right!

Random Interjection

I'm just in the middle of watching 'Star Trek'. Great movie. And it just started to rain outside. Well not rain, slightly drizzle but it looks like it's gonna get heavier.

rbag

Hi, just have a question about topics for equity and EU. Are there are any topics that make an appearance all the time?

sin0city

I also had a question re: EU. I'm sitting it in the autumn and was wondering what's the best text to get?

skeenan89

sin0city wrote: »

I also had a question re: EU. I'm sitting it in the autumn and was wondering what's the best text to get?

apart from a manual....i would suggest craig and de burca's book! not too difficult to understand and has all the relevant stuff for the exam! sooo glad eu is done and dusted, hated it! good luck:D

skeenan89

rbag wrote: »

Hi, just have a question about topics for equity and EU. Are there are any topics that make an appearance all the time?

if you want to pm me your email i can send you the eu exam grid which shows you which topics have come up for the past 6 years....:rolleyes:

crystalmice

Hi all,
Im planning to do my first lot of FE1s in september/october this year. Im going to be working abroad all summer, returning mid august. I have two questions, firstly, is starting in mid-august enough time to study for four? Im just finished my final year of college so I just did company and equity, planning to do those two and then maybe EU and Contract. My summer job will be pretty full on so I wont have enough time to spend 4 hours a day doing online lectures, but I was thinking of doing the Independent Colleges online course in maybe just 1 or 2 of the subjects. My question is which subjects would people advise taking courses in if I can only do 2? I was thinking EU since its been ages since I did it, but not sure about the other one. Any opinions?
Thanks!