How do you know if you did well on an exam?

[Leaf2001br]

I seem to be in the minority having already started exams.  My first one (Contracts) was yesterday.  I kind of feel like I aced it.  Should I be concerned?  I have often heard that people who think they did well often missed something.

But I don't think I necessarily oversimplified the exam.  I was writing nonostop for the full four hours after most people had left.  I just feel like I saw most of the major issues and responded to them adequately under the limited time circumstances.  There were no surprises and I never had any moments of panic other the initial first few minutes of general stress.

Is it safe for me to assume that I did very well, or is this a dangerous assumption?  Has anyone actually experienced a situation where they were utterly shocked by a lower grade when they thought they had done much better?

Honest answers are welcome.  If I am reassured, the confidence will continue to motivate me to push hard and try to excel.  If I am discouraged, the fear will motivate me to push even harder for my remaining upcoming exams!

[lawgirl]

I don't want to mess with your motivation either way and it may just be me, but I never trust the feeling I get after an exam, either way. Sometimes I think I aced it and get a B, other times I think I failed it and get an A. Other times, I am right on the mark.

My best advice, and which I also still struggle with, is to walk out of the exam, let all thoughts of that exam go, and concentrate on the next one. Sometimes, it will just feel like a crap shoot.

Good luck to you on the rest of your exams.

[jacy85]

You know how you did on exams when you get your grades.

I'd take the feeling of doing well that you have now, and ride it for a bit.  Don't get cocky, but stay calm, and you're automatically going to be feeling better than the rest of your classmates.

Good luck on the rest of your exams!

[mikey4400]

Hm, since you said you nailed all the issues, you probably did well. BTW, what issues did the exam cover? Did you address the O + A + C like most of the posts on this board said to do?

[Leaf2001br]

There were only two hypos of which one involved a back and forth, battle of the forms offer and acceptance situation.  There's only so much discussion you can generate with an offer and acceptance problem.  I wouldn't think it's likely to take up too much of an exam, but it's almost guaranteed to be on there.  You can't get too far without first figuring out whether you even have a contract.

The other hypo focused on breach and damages.  It wasn't even an issue whether there was a valid contract.  Breach and damages are what you will likely spend most of your time discussing on the exam, so it would see.  But who knows, every professor is different.  I had studied some old exams from different professors as well as mine.  Those from different professors might as well have been from another subject.  Mine looked exactly like his old ones.

[jimmyjohn]

Mine looked exactly like his old ones.

Should we go ahead and send out your Law Review invitation?

[Leaf2001br]

Not sure I follow you.  I said the exam we were given was exactly like our professor's exams from the past few years.

What does that have to do with cranking out the law review invitations??

[JD_MSA]

It think it's impossible to know how well you did until grades come out, which is probably the most frustrating part of law school.

I was convinced that I failed Evidence last year, and I got a B. 
I was convinced that I aced my Contracts II exam my first year, and I got an B-. 
I was expecting a B or so on my Trusts/Future Interests exam, and I got the CALI award.

You never know.