FE-1's and work

chops018

Hi guys,

Studying for the FE-1's at the moment, well trying to. The job I have is 45+ hours a week, lots of 9 and a half and 10 and a half hour shifts, I do be too wrecked too study when I'm finished and then on the days I get off I catch up with friends exercise etc.

I've a bit of study done for these exams but nothing worth talking about i.e. I wouldn't be able to sit one of the exams tomorrow and be even slightly confident that I'd pass.

Now I have enough money to get by from now to after the Spring exams, so what I'm asking is should I just pack in the job and concentrate full time on these? They are wrecking my head at the moment, really want to get through them in Spring, and I'm getting feck all done with these hectic hours.

Any advice and experiences would be appreciated!

NoQuarter

The advice is simple and you know it yourself. If you want the best chance of passing them then you have to give it up. People DO pass while working but no doubt it decreases your chances!

If I were you I would give up the job (assuming you can get it back afterwards). If you can, just get the first 3 out of the way and then tackle the rest in small chunks while working.

paky

im sure you could easily tackle them on top of work. an hour or two at night for about three months should cover it

NoQuarter

paky wrote: »

im sure you could easily tackle them on top of work. an hour or two at night for about three months should cover it

You might want to leave the advice to someone who has..you know.. actually sat an FE1.

chops018

NoQuarter wrote: »

The advice is simple and you know it yourself. If you want the best chance of passing them then you have to give it up. People DO pass while working but no doubt it decreases your chances!

If I were you I would give up the job (assuming you can get it back afterwards). If you can, just get the first 3 out of the way and then tackle the rest in small chunks while working.

Thanks NoQuarter, I've gotten lots of good advice off you on here before!

Still debating what to do, as I said after a ten hour shift it's very hard to crack into doing exam papers for 4 hours and then on my day off I find myself off with friends. I just feel that seeing as I live at home and have enough money to get by, with no bills etc. that I'd give myself a much better chance of getting through the 'block of 4' and then as you say I can get the job back or get another job and do the rest in small doses....... Still debating what to do though, may make a decision soon

P.S. it's not a job that I'm too worried about not getting back, just a little better than minimum wage job, wouldn't mind it back if I got through the first 4 but no major loss if I didn't which is why I'm wondering if it might be better to just pack in and tackle the exams fully 6 days a week, instead of 1 that I'm doing now.

paky

NoQuarter wrote: »

You might want to leave the advice to someone who has..you know.. actually sat an FE1.

ha...ya :rolleyes:

Dilynnio

I am considering them also but not a hope of working full time.

Maybe approach your employer and see can you go part time.

3 days work 2 days study or vice versa

NoQuarter

Just be warned that the FE1s can end up dragging themselves out for 2+ years, it can happen before you know it. If you work and fail 2 or 4 then you need to wait 6 months to try again, not to mention study it all again. If you dont want to be hanging around struggling with them for months and months then just bite the bullet and absolutely lash into them, get stuck in and get them in a year. IMO, they are a full time job themselves.

mirm

I work full time, around the same working hours as you chops. I passed my first set on the last sitting. I took 2 days off before the exams and was back to work straight after them. I have failed the exams twice before but at that time I was working a little more than 20 hours a week. Imo its not the time lost spent working it is the time you use to study and basically I motivated myself into a routine which worked out. If the job means nothing too significant to you and are in a position to give up and if you feel that is what will work for you then go for it!

page1

I really dont think its is necessary to give up your job to study, plenty of people work full time and do the FE-1s. When I sat my first 4 I was working, I had a 1 year old daughter and I was 3 months pregnant on my second child. I would study for 1-2 hours at night, after work when I had my child in bed and all the housework done.
I started studying properly after Christmas. I also set aside one full day at the weekend to study.

You could study 3-4 nights a week after work for an hour or two. Assuming you have 2 days off a week, set one aside for meeting friends, exercising etc and the other for studying. I also studied on my lunch break in work (usually reading cases as its harder to concentrate in work).

You could take 1-2 weeks of annual leave at the time of your exams to get stuck in then.

If you can afford to take time off work then I would advise you use it to get legal work experience. This will be valuable when you are seeking a traineeship. IMO it would be a better use of your time than using it to study.

Like mirm said, its about motivation and routine. TBH if you are struggling to motivate yourself now do you honestly think you will get up and study for 8-10 hours a day when you are not working?

I have passed all mine but cannot get a traineeship. At the moment I am studying for the Kings Inns entrance exams. I am attending KI for 2 subjects I didnt cover in my degree. So in total I commute 3 hours a night, 3 days a week for lectures and I am studing for 7 exams this summer. I am a SAHM at the moment with 3 kids under 4. I study at night around 8.30- 10pm when all the kids are in bed (on the nights im not at lectures) and a few hours in the mornings at the weekends.

Its very tough but its not forever. You can have a life again AFTER the exams.
If you do end up leaving your job to study for them then consider doing more than 4, especially if you are aiming to start BHP in 2013. It will take the pressure off.
Good luck.

NoQuarter

page1 wrote: »

Its very tough but its not forever. You can have a life again AFTER the exams.

Until KI starts

chops018

Thanks for all the posts guys!

Talked to the boss, going part time in a couple of weeks, hope this will be enough! May get proper stuck in as what I've done already doesn't seem to be even near enough!

pandas

I definately think that is the best decision.

You shouldn't throw away a job, especially in this climate. You can most definately study for them whilst working.

You'll be fine. Best of luck.

evercloserunion

Part time is a good option, but I really think you will have to take at least a couple of weeks off before and during the exams.

D415

Hi chops, from my experience I think that you should def stop working and concentrate just on the exams because they are so hard. I sat my 1st 4 exams last October and I just did nothing but study for 6 weeks beforehand. Its worth making the sacrifice now.

legaleagle2010

Hi Guys,

Can you tell me if it is possible to pass these exams by using griffith manuals alone and by studying at home i.e. not doing the course.

I work full time and Im looking for a bit of guidance.

What should i now start doing for the March/April 2013 sittings.

I have manuals from GCD from 2007/2008 and thats it.

Im going to sit Equity, Contract, Property and Criminal (hopefully).

Cheers.

Procrastastudy

legaleagle2010 wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Can you tell me if it is possible to pass these exams by using griffith manuals alone and by studying at home i.e. not doing the course.

I work full time and Im looking for a bit of guidance.

What should i now start doing for the March/April 2013 sittings.

I have manuals from GCD from 2007/2008 and thats it.

Im going to sit Equity, Contract, Property and Criminal (hopefully).

Cheers.

Do you have a law degree? I'm assuming not - that doesn't stop you taking the exams as far as I know but obviously means you dont have a background.

Not a comment of the FE1s but the guys trying to work full time and get a law degree at GCD are either very committed or in need of being committed. It's a tough road and that's only undergrad!

Good luck but in an ideal world you really need some sort of support structure.

legaleagle2010

I have a law degree and i am working in a solicitors office full time.

I wonder if its possible to study the manuals yourself without doing to fe1 course in gcd or IC

NoQuarter

legaleagle2010 wrote: »

I have a law degree and i am working in a solicitors office full time.

I wonder if its possible to study the manuals yourself without doing to fe1 course in gcd or IC

Completely possible, I'd say at least half of the candidates do it themselves. I know I did. I dont need to pay €500 to hear the same stuff I learned in my degree.

legaleagle2010

NoQuarter wrote: »

Completely possible, I'd say at least half of the candidates do it themselves. I know I did. I dont need to pay €500 to hear the same stuff I learned in my degree.

Thanks, What did you use to study? Just the manuals or what?

I am thinking going to sit 3 and a ghost subject in March 13. Id it doable while working full time?

NoQuarter

legaleagle2010 wrote: »

Thanks, What did you use to study? Just the manuals or what?

I am thinking going to sit 3 and a ghost subject in March 13. Id it doable while working full time?

Easily doable. Pick your subjects wisely as its important to get those first 3. There are topics that overlap a bit like contract and equity so it helps to do both together and the big tactical choice is choosing subjects that give you a days study in between, makes all the difference. My advice would be to go for 4 to give yourself a greater chance of passing but whatever you can manage.

Just the manuals is plenty to pass, know them inside out and be able to spot the issues easily.

legaleagle2010

NoQuarter wrote: »

Easily doable. Pick your subjects wisely as its important to get those first 3. There are topics that overlap a bit like contract and equity so it helps to do both together and the big tactical choice is choosing subjects that give you a days study in between, makes all the difference. My advice would be to go for 4 to give yourself a greater chance of passing but whatever you can manage.

Just the manuals is plenty to pass, know them inside out and be able to spot the issues easily.

Thanks for your help.

I am thinking of Equity, Contract, Property and Criminal

I just need to know how many hours study and day and how to set out the bloody answers in the way they like!

solarplexus

chops018 wrote: »

Thanks for all the posts guys!

Talked to the boss, going part time in a couple of weeks, hope this will be enough! May get proper stuck in as what I've done already doesn't seem to be even near enough!

Hi Chops018, Going part time should be enough. I worked full time and passed all 8 FE1's.. It was hard and it took 2 years but it was worth it.

Best of Luck!

GusherING

I work full time in a hectic job and have managed to pass 4 so far. I plan to do 2 in October and 2 next March.

I am also studying part-time in the evenings for a BA in law in DIT simultaneously, so I have sat the FE1's in the subjects I have already done in my BA.

I find it very hard to study in the evenings after work, so I decided to use the first hour of my day instead, when my mind is most fresh.

I get up out bed around 6.45am, study for 60 mins most weekday mornings before heading to work. The key to this system is to try and go to bed around 10.30pm.

I'm not a total loser, I do go out and socialise in the evenings, I do somtimes sleep in, but if I get up to study 4 times in a week, I feel pretty good.

The real challenge is being organised and hungry enough to want to pass. The Manuals are all you need.

Sala

I worked full time and only had a day or two off beforehand. It is possible. The issue isn't finding the time, but usuing the time you have effectively!! Studying from 8-6 every day can be less productive than two hours of a week night in my opinion ifyou are not orgaised, focused and have a proper plan.

Also, I signed up for Griffith but the second time I barely watched the lectures online. I used the manual mainly but I had access to the sample questions which are invaluable, espially if you have no guidance on how to approcah the questions.

Best of luck!