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The next paralegal licensing exam is less than a month away! As it approaches, make sure to make the most of readily available resources. Although your LSO materials are undoubtedly the most important study resource, there are several supplementary tools that can help you prepare for the exam. Here are the top five resources that we’ve identified as most useful for prospective paralegals:
1. Emond’s Exam Preparation Manual
The Comprehensive P1 Exam Preparation Manual is your ultimate guide to the paralegal licensing exam. The manual contains details about the exam format, rules for exam writers, and various study aids like our sample study schedule. The manual also provides an introduction to Emond’s paralegal exam preparation courses, with insights on incorporating these courses into your study plan. If you find yourself a bit confused or unsure about the licensing exam or related topics, the manual has all the answers.
2. Exam Timer Sheet
This resource is included in the manual, but we think it’s so useful that it warrants its own spot on our list of resources. An exam timer sheet provides you with a quick reference guide to help you identify how many questions you should have answered after 30 minutes, 60 minutes, etc. We recommend writing at least one practice exam under simulated exam conditions, using a timer sheet, to help you identify any areas where you’re using more/less time per question. This study method can also help you recognize any topics you may need to review in greater detail. A timer sheet is an excellent resource that can help you keep track of your progress and eliminate the worry of running out of time.
3. Mind Maps and Charts
Mind maps are a great way to visually organize interconnected topics. They can help you understand the links between concepts and simplify complex structures. You might also find them useful for outlining complicated procedural matters. Creating mind maps will help you gain a better understanding of the materials, particularly the key topics and their related subtopics.
Charts, on the other hand, are particularly useful for consolidating large volumes of information into a clean and easy-to-read format. This is useful because it allows you to access key facts in one place. On an exam where time is limited, minimizing the amount of time spent looking for information is crucial.
Remember to take your mind maps, charts, and other notes into the exam with you! Make sure that they are clearly labeled and well-organized so that you can find them quickly during the exam, if needed.
4. Practice Exams
This one is fairly obvious, but it’s so important it’s worth mentioning. Practice exams are the best way to prepare for the paralegal licensing exam. Not only can they help you gain a better understanding of the exam and its format, they can also help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. If you choose to do multiple practice exams, you can use them to accomplish different goals. You might use one to work through casually, answering questions and making notes where you see fit. You might use another to assess your timing per question and simulate an actual exam. Regardless of how you decide to use them, practice exams are the ultimate study resource.
5. Networking Groups
Studying alone can become burdensome. Having a study buddy or a small study group can help alleviate a bit of stress, provide you with a space to ask questions, and help you find support amongst your peers. However, we know that it can sometimes be difficult to connect with others who are preparing for the licensing exam. We also know that the paralegals forum on lawstudents.ca has been extremely quiet in recent months. That’s why we’ve created a new resource for prospective paralegals to connect with one another: The Emond Exam Prep Paralegal Networking Group.
The Networking Group provides students with an online platform (via Facebook) where they can ask each other questions, form study groups, and share resources. Emond Exam Prep will create and moderate a networking group for each licensing cycle, and members are asked to invite their friends and/or colleagues who are also studying for the exam.
