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Starting to study for Kings Inns Entrance Exams... any advice??

  • 03-01-2012 01:50PM
    #1
    swervring
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 173 ✭✭


    I've decided to do the Kings Inns Entrance Exams this year - have contacted them to make sure that I have covered all of the core subjects and that's all fine, and I have studied all of the entrance exam subjects before... although not since 2005!! I'm going to start studying this week but a bit overwhelmed about where to start so just wondering if anyone has any advice??

    Thanks a million!!


«1

Comments

  • #2
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,624 ✭✭✭NoQuarter


    Well first of all, you are in good time. I take it you are working full time? Still plenty of time if so.

    The first and most golden piece of advice I can give you is to buy the manuals, second hand 2011 manuals are fine. Its personal preference but there is no essential need for the prep courses if you know how to study law and have sat and passed the exams before, sure the law has changed somewhat but you should be able for it.


    Get the manuals (they alone contain enough information to comfortably pass), start doing out your own condensed notes as early as possible and then just start committing them to memory. If, like I did, you learn a lot of cases while studying, you will need to cut them down or you will end up learning literally over 1000.

    The other problem is that the exams are 5 in a row. What I done was figured out a reverse pyramid. Its a bit too early to do that now but maybe 3 months before the exams do something like this:

    8 days for each topic = 40 days
    4 days for each topic = 20 days
    3 days for each topic = 15 days
    2 days for each topic = 10 days
    1 day for each topic = 5 days

    Thats a total of 3 months. Not only does it help you ease into switching between topics easily, it scares the crap out of you because if you miss a day close to the exam, it pushes you a day over on one topic, which is something you cant afford to do and that in turn motivates you to stick to it.

    Any questions fire away, hope that gets you started.


  • #3
    swervring
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 173 ✭✭swervring


    Hi NoQuarter, yes I am working full time hence the decision to start now - I tried to do FE1s before but I just had no interest and did nothing for them, somehow managed to pass one each time (did two sittings) on hardly any study but there's no way I'm doing that again. Older and wiser one might say :)

    As regards the manuals I have been searching around and there don't seem to be any available at the moment - I haven't posted a request to buy them but is there any way to get hold of them other than via adverts.ie etc?

    Thanks a million for the advice, the reverse pyramid is brilliant - will definitely be making use of that one closer to the time!


  • #4
    nuac
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,767 ✭✭✭nuac


    Best of luck Swerving

    the reverse pyramid is an interesting idea, No quarter


  • #5
    ID@THEWIDOWS
    Closed Accounts Posts: 51 ✭✭ID@THEWIDOWS


    Hey All,

    I have decided to undertake these exams too. I have passed all the requisite exams and have an LLB. However, I have not attended any classes on the law of evidence. I would be grateful if anyone would have any notes for evidence that they could share or indeed any of the other topics.

    Throughout my study of law, I have found the law easy to learn however I have had issues with exams. These problems relate to my timing, how to write out questions correctly and what exactly to put into the answer. My knowledge of the law can not be called into question but feel that I suffer with answering questions. I find the ilac principle tough to grasp. Do you just point out each issue 1- 5 then with a space in between? Any tips on this would be very helpful indeed.

    I would like to organise a few people as study partners who we could bounce ideas and give each other assistance to get over the line. I am currently in Australia working until May but can email and hope to get manuals sent to me. Hope to hear from you soon with some good information and progress reports


  • #6
    Billy Sissons
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭Billy Sissons


    swervring wrote: »
    Hi NoQuarter, yes I am working full time hence the decision to start now - I tried to do FE1s before but I just had no interest and did nothing for them, somehow managed to pass one each time (did two sittings) on hardly any study but there's no way I'm doing that again. Older and wiser one might say :)

    As regards the manuals I have been searching around and there don't seem to be any available at the moment - I haven't posted a request to buy them but is there any way to get hold of them other than via adverts.ie etc?

    Thanks a million for the advice, the reverse pyramid is brilliant - will definitely be making use of that one closer to the time!

    I have a set of unused mint condition Entrance Exam Manuals 2011--Independent Colleges.


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  • #7
    mitzicat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 54 ✭✭mitzicat


    ID@THEWIDOWS wrote: »
    Hey All,

    I have decided to undertake these exams too. I have passed all the requisite exams and have an LLB. However, I have not attended any classes on the law of evidence. I would be grateful if anyone would have any notes for evidence that they could share or indeed any of the other topics.

    Throughout my study of law, I have found the law easy to learn however I have had issues with exams. These problems relate to my timing, how to write out questions correctly and what exactly to put into the answer. My knowledge of the law can not be called into question but feel that I suffer with answering questions. I find the ilac principle tough to grasp. Do you just point out each issue 1- 5 then with a space in between? Any tips on this would be very helpful indeed.

    I would like to organise a few people as study partners who we could bounce ideas and give each other assistance to get over the line. I am currently in Australia working until May but can email and hope to get manuals sent to me. Hope to hear from you soon with some good information and progress reports

    I just do a short introduction, such as, to best advise x, an analysis of the following issues is required: List issue 1;2;etc

    Then

    Heading for first issue
    define issue
    set out law
    apply law to issue
    conclusion

    Heading for second issue - etc


  • #8
    thehighkings
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9 ✭thehighkings


    I have 2011-2012 Griffith manuals for studying the entrance exams for Kings Inns. pm for details. Cheers.


  • #9
    Kosseegan
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 987 ✭✭✭Kosseegan


    Find out what subjects are being examined. Get the syllabus and the exam timetable. make sure you know all of the topic on the syllabus and turn up on time to the exam. Write relevant and legally correct answers to the required number of questions on the exam paper citing appropriate authority and giving added value based on your own analysis and researc.
    Then you will have a chance.


  • #10
    Mursey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12 ✭Mursey


    Hi guys.

    I'm set to finish my LLB exams next week and was hoping to get some advice on whether or not people think it would be possible to pass the entrance exams in the time left?
    I'd be an average 2:1 student.
    Basically, would I be better off taking the year and waiting to do them in 2013 rather then try to rush/cram alot of study?
    Also, I'm curious as to what exactly do people cover when studying for the exam,
    do people really cover like 20 topics per subject or can it be narrowed down?
    Any pointers/advice would be greatly appreciated!
    Cheers!


  • #11
    Tom Young
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,339 ✭✭✭Tom Young


    Mursey wrote: »
    Hi guys.

    I'm set to finish my LLB exams next week and was hoping to get some advice on whether or not people think it would be possible to pass the entrance exams in the time left?
    I'd be an average 2:1 student.
    Basically, would I be better off taking the year and waiting to do them in 2013 rather then try to rush/cram alot of study?
    Also, I'm curious as to what exactly do people cover when studying for the exam,
    do people really cover like 20 topics per subject or can it be narrowed down?
    Any pointers/advice would be greatly appreciated!
    Cheers!

    The past papers are all up on the website: www.kingsinns.ie and the syllabi are also sent to you when you apply to sit the entrance exam in August.

    The exams are 5 in a row, so it is a bit of an endurance test.

    Personally, I think that if you start revising now, you'd get through it. Many people take courses at City, Independent and Griffith colleges in order to supplement their knowledge and base their revision on the end goal.

    Tort and constitutional are massive. The remaining subjects are a little more digestible, though the question structure poses challenges in terms of covering the entire course as required under the syllabus in each instance.

    If it was me, I'd give it a shot. That is if you can still apply to sit at this stage.

    Tom


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  • #12
    Hippo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,886 ✭✭✭Hippo


    Mursey wrote: »
    Hi guys.

    I'm set to finish my LLB exams next week and was hoping to get some advice on whether or not people think it would be possible to pass the entrance exams in the time left?
    I'd be an average 2:1 student.
    Basically, would I be better off taking the year and waiting to do them in 2013 rather then try to rush/cram alot of study?
    Also, I'm curious as to what exactly do people cover when studying for the exam,
    do people really cover like 20 topics per subject or can it be narrowed down?
    Any pointers/advice would be greatly appreciated!
    Cheers!

    I'm hoping to sit them this year along with most of the rest of the crew (if we pass!) from Diploma II in the King's Inns. Realistically we'll only have 10 weeks from the end of our Diploma exams to prepare, so yes, you're in plenty of time.

    Applications are open till the end of May


  • #13
    Mursey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12 ✭Mursey


    Cheers guys, thanks for the advice!

    Also wondering, realistically, is there any way to narrow down what needs to be covered?
    Or would it be foolish to essentially 'leave out' certain topics?
    TBH I haven't looked much into content, syllabus etc. but I'm under the impression that one would need to cover approx. 18 topics per subject?
    Would I be right in this?


  • #14
    page1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 219 ✭✭page1


    Mursey wrote: »
    Cheers guys, thanks for the advice!

    Also wondering, realistically, is there any way to narrow down what needs to be covered?
    Or would it be foolish to essentially 'leave out' certain topics?
    TBH I haven't looked much into content, syllabus etc. but I'm under the impression that one would need to cover approx. 18 topics per subject?
    Would I be right in this?

    Q1 on each paper is compulsory and covers a range of topics so cherry picking not an option I'm afraid.
    afaik that question is 50% of the marks too.


  • #15
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,624 ✭✭✭NoQuarter


    Mursey wrote: »
    Cheers guys, thanks for the advice!

    Also wondering, realistically, is there any way to narrow down what needs to be covered?
    Or would it be foolish to essentially 'leave out' certain topics?
    TBH I haven't looked much into content, syllabus etc. but I'm under the impression that one would need to cover approx. 18 topics per subject?
    Would I be right in this?

    As page said above, cutting stuff out is not an option, if you cut something small enough like the infancy chapter in criminal out and Q1 on the criminal paper was about a 13 year old committing an offence, good luck passing and see ya next year!

    Its just not worth cutting stuff out with the chance of having to wait a year to try again.


  • #16
    paky
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,138 ✭✭✭paky


    if ya have to cut stuff out to reach the deadline then it looks like u have no other choice. i couldnt imagine covering 18 topics per subject. hell you wouldnt even catch me studying for my summer exams :pac:


  • #17
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,624 ✭✭✭NoQuarter


    best of luck gettin in then

    ps, it was 31 topics for tort.


  • #18
    keano007
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 293 ✭✭keano007


    Is it just me or are the Kings Inns exams alot tougher than the FE1s?

    I've just been looking at some of the past papers from the Kings Inns and I certainly think so.

    Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm currently getting ready to sit LLB year 1 exams so I'm by no means an expert on this.


  • #19
    Procrastastudy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,224 ✭✭✭Procrastastudy


    LLB Year one here as well (BTW just a quick plug for the undergrad exam thread!).

    Kings Inns to me seem easier than the FE1s. That said, I've seen more KI papers than I have seen FE1s. Looking at the 2011 Contract paper - nothing too outrageous there - although maybe I'm missing something.

    I think one of the biggest issues with the KI is it's five papers in 5 days. Although the regimen for the FE1s isn't exactly sedate.


  • #20
    keano007
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 293 ✭✭keano007


    GCDLawstudent wrote: »
    LLB Year one here as well (BTW just a quick plug for the undergrad exam thread!).

    Kings Inns to me seem easier than the FE1s. That said, I've seen more KI papers than I have seen FE1s. Looking at the 2011 Contract paper - nothing too outrageous there - although maybe I'm missing something.

    I think one of the biggest issues with the KI is it's five papers in 5 days. Although the regimen for the FE1s isn't exactly sedate.

    I think I'm the opposite. I'm doing the FE1 papers to prepare for my exams and I don't see too much of a difference between them and the past papers for the undergrad except that the FE1s have one or sometimes 2 more problems to address.

    I must look at some more KI papers to compare but just looked at the 2011 tort and constitutional and there appears to be alot in it.

    BTW The undergrad thread is a good idea, maybe I should of put this query there.


  • #21
    Procrastastudy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,224 ✭✭✭Procrastastudy


    Ah I think Tort and Con Law are meant to be the two bad ones for KI. I've been told (I don't know how much weight to give to it) that you need a very wide knowledge rather than a particularly deep one for the tort one. That would probably account for it looking so ominous to us rather focused undergrads.

    BTW please do use the thread undergrad thread its probably on page two by now :)


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  • #22
    Hippo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,886 ✭✭✭Hippo


    NoQuarter wrote: »
    As page said above, cutting stuff out is not an option, if you cut something small enough like the infancy chapter in criminal out and Q1 on the criminal paper was about a 13 year old committing an offence, good luck passing and see ya next year!

    Its just not worth cutting stuff out with the chance of having to wait a year to try again.

    This is the crucial point about the KI entrance. There's no accumulation of passes as with the FE1s, you pass them all at the same time or you resit the whole lot. The pass mark is 50%.


  • #23
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,624 ✭✭✭NoQuarter


    Having done both Fe1s and the KI exams I would put them around the same.

    There is room to cherry pick in the FE1s because there is no compulsory question but the there are 5 questions and they look for a slightly more in dept answer. Also, the fact that they can be broken up with days between is good and there isnt pressure to get them all at once. I think they are marked harder than KI exams.

    The KI on the other hand, Q1 is the killer, its worth 50% and if you dont know an important part of it, good luck to ya! You have to study the complete course which is ridiculously massive but that in turn means you can open the exam paper and have a go at every question which is a great feeling.

    They are both very different and I dont really think they can be compared even though they are both law exams. There are pro's and cons to doing both.


  • #24
    vandman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2 ✭vandman


    I have the 5 manuals required for study to gain entry to the King's Inns. See my ad http://www.adverts.ie/1634623
    Thanks and good luck with the summer of study:)


  • #25
    MaryPopins
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16 ✭MaryPopins


    Hi All,

    I too am sitting the exams in Aug. I am extremely nervous about it, I keep reading horror stories etc. I also just read this morning that 41% of those that get in, don't pass the degree - I think I would literally be shot if I failed it.

    I am thinking of buying the '11-'12 manuals and studying myself. I really don't want to pay the 2k upfront to independent or griffith for them to be a repeat of what I was lectured on in college and realistically just need to commit to long term memory.

    Have any of you already sat them - any insight into how much study you had to do for them? Daily (12 hours) or more of a normal working week?

    Any insight would be much appreciated. I look forward to seeing the rest of you at the exams and best of luck with the studying.

    On a side note, is anyone trying to line up a master now or waiting until the role is released in sept/oct?

    Thanks.


  • #26
    retroactive
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 295 ✭✭retroactive


    41%? I just finished my bar exams yesterday and that has dampened the good feeling.

    If you want a master, you will get one. It can easily be left until Christmas of your degree year.

    Get the manuals and spend three weeks on them. Each exam requires its own strategy. With the help of the search function on the top right of your page you will find rather long discussions on this topic


  • #27
    Mursey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12 ✭Mursey


    Just wondering if anyone could give some pointers/advice on how to approach tackling the study. Basically, does one only need the essential facts eg only the most relevant caselaw and one or two sentences on the ruling, or would you need a more in-depth knowledge of each area?
    TBH, I'm just not happy with my study methods because if I was to attempt to cover the entirety of the syllabus in the same manner as I studied for the LLB I don't think I could realistically do it!
    Any pointers or advice would be greatly appreciated!
    retroactive wrote: »
    Each exam requires its own strategy. With the help of the search function on the top right of your page you will find rather long discussions on this topic

    I feel kinda useless at this point, but I didn't manage to find any threads using the search, maybe you could post a link?!


  • #28
    retroactive
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 295 ✭✭retroactive


    GCDLawstudent wrote: »
    LLB Year one here as well (BTW just a quick plug for the undergrad exam thread!).

    Kings Inns to me seem easier than the FE1s.


    While they both examine law, the respective exams look for completely different competences. FE1 being very academic while Inns being practically based. Do not underestimate the 5 days - It is completely exhausting and a bad exam can kill your morale completely.

    Anyway someone asked for links -
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=53745521
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=51736501
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=63960502
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=62165808
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=61419894
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=62261137
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=71909919
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=53660434
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=65938342

    As for manuals
    I have 2011 independant's evidence
    '09 copies of contract, constitutional, tort and criminal.
    They got me through the exams. PM for details.


  • #29
    Mursey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12 ✭Mursey


    Cheers for the links retroactive, but I was wondering is there a thread dealing specifically with study techniques as opposed to important areas to cover?
    Tom Young mentioned something like this in the thread for the 2011 entrance exams, but I cant seem to find it.
    What I'm really looking for are pointers on things like should you dedicate one day per subject or perhaps an entire week?
    Or do people find it better to change it up?
    How many topics do people try to cover in a day and how much detail per topic?
    Etc etc etc.
    Sorry, it's just that I'm not in any way happy with study techniques at the moment and kinda suffering a bit of a freak out!!!


  • #30
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,624 ✭✭✭NoQuarter


    Very simply, get the manuals (2011 or 2012) and learn everything in them. By the time the exam comes around, make sure you know everything in the manuals. No need to overcomplicate things, just do that however you can and you will be fine.

    At this stage, you dont need anyone to tell you how to go about learning case names and rules, just memorise it.


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  • #31
    Mursey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12 ✭Mursey


    NoQuarter wrote: »
    Very simply, get the manuals (2011 or 2012) and learn everything in them. By the time the exam comes around, make sure you know everything in the manuals. No need to overcomplicate things, just do that however you can and you will be fine.

    At this stage, you dont need anyone to tell you how to go about learning case names and rules, just memorise it.

    Ha, I was afraid I was going to get an answer like that! Cheers, thanks for the advice, now just need to get my hands on the manuals!!


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