Preparing for law school exams takes a lot of time, energy and effort. While self study and preparation is a must, good study guides can be an effective tool to help law students summarize, organize, and synthesize the mountain of information they are required to master for law school exams.

Study guides, like most other products, come in a variety of types and not all are equal. Study guides that are tailored towards your particular casebook are often most helpful. Study guides that are as long if not longer than your casebook can be more trouble then they are worth.  Study guides that are concise and relate most specifically to your coursework are usually the most effective.

When selecting which study guide to purchase for a particular course, ask students who have successfully passed the course, and also consult with your law library staff.  And remember-before you spend money purchasing a study guide, ask around if you can buy a used copy of a study guide from students who no longer need the guide. Student groups often lend out study guides to their members.