Getting to Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams

Professors Fischl and Paul explain law school exams in ways no one
has before, all with an eye toward improving the reader’s performance.
The book begins by describing the difference between educational
cultures that praise students for “right answers,” and the law school
culture that rewards nuanced analysis of ambiguous situations in which
more than one approach may be correct. Enormous care is devoted to
explaining precisely how and why legal analysis frequently produces such
perplexing situations.

But the authors don’t stop with mere description. Instead, Getting to Maybe
teaches how to excel on law school exams by showing the reader how
legal analysis can be brought to bear on examination problems. The book
contains hints on studying and preparation that go well beyond
conventional advice. The authors also illustrate how to argue both sides
of a legal issue without appearing wishy-washy or indecisive. Above
all, the book explains why exam questions may generate feelings of
uncertainty or doubt about correct legal outcomes and how the student
can turn these feelings to his or her advantage.

In sum, although the authors believe that no exam guide can
substitute for a firm grasp of substantive material, readers who devote
the necessary time to learning the law will find this book an invaluable
guide to translating learning into better exam performance.

“This book should revolutionize the ordeal of studying for
law school exams… Its clear, insightful, fun to read, and right on the
money.” — Duncan Kennedy, Carter Professor of General Jurisprudence, Harvard Law School 

“Finally
a study aid that takes legal theory seriously… Students who master
these lessons will surely write better exams. More importantly, they
will also learn to be better lawyers.” — Steven L. Winter, Brooklyn Law School

“If
you can't spot a 'fork in the law' or a 'fork in the facts' in an exam
hypothetical, get this book. If you don’t know how to play 'Czar of the
Universe' on law school exams (or why), get this book. And if you do
want to learn how to think like a lawyer—a good one—get this book. It's,
quite simply, stone cold brilliant.” — Pierre Schlag, University of Colorado School of Law (Law Preview Book Review on The Princeton Review website)

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