Did I fail my exam?

[lawyerchick]

Hey everyone,

 I wrote an exam (outside exam schedule) in Contracts. I feel like I messed up on one issue because I got confused between two contracts and had to write the law for both. When I applied to the facts I was running out of time and had to try point form. I may have blended the application together. The essay question was worth 35% and I had to rush it and finish in about 20 mins as opposed to the suggested 60 mins.
I'm so stressed out about it. I hope I can get enough points to pass given the lack of time spent on the essay, the messed up issue, and the natural missing of issues that happens in law exams.

What do you think?

[Specks]

I wouldn't stress too much about it. Remember, this stuff is graded on a curve so it depends entirely on how well everyone else did. Granted, a 20 min analysis is not as good, but you certainly won't be failed because you had to rush one of the essays. The 35% of the grade is all relative to how you did and how everyone else did. My 1L year, I walked out of contracts convinced I'd failed it because I never got to half the issues I spotted. Turned out I got a B+ (would sound so much better if I'd said "A" but I'm trying to be truthful and all that  ). Also, just a quick note, and speaking from experience: don't go around talking to your fellow classmates about what they wrote on the exam. That just creates needless anxiety and will mess you up for your following exams. Good luck!

[lawyerchick]

Thanks.
It was written later than my classmates so I don't think I'm being scaled against them.
I'm concerned about the issue I mentioned in my earlier post (question 1) and then the lack of analysis in the essay. I hope I can get enough points to pass.
Also, there was an issue I couldn't find so I wrote down the law. I hope I can get points for that.
 

[Specks]

What do you mean by you wrote it later than your classmates? If it was just a couple days or something, it is still curved. As for the law, you always get a point or two for the law, but missing a single issues isn't gonna kill you. If it did, you'd have a whole lot more failed law students crying into their tea.

Do you have more exams coming up? If you do, I'd worry about those, if you don't I'd take a vacation from law school, by which I mean step away from the books and the people, and go do something having nothing to do with the law. Best way to relieve stress. Keep us updated on how it goes

[lawyerchick]

I had a personal problem during exam season so I wrote 1 exam later. I don't have any exams left and I want to be able to relax!

I haven't had to do a 60 min essay in 20 mins before, and I've usually been more organized in my exams. My brother says it's normal and it's just the way contracts exams go, but I'm so anxious!

I wrote down a LOT of law and I think that may be what wasted some time, so I hope I don't lose too many points for less thorough analysis.
Specks it's the likely missed issues in combination with running out of time for thorough analysis and a full essay that is scaring me.
Thanks Specks you are encouraging

[bigs5068]

I think every law student has this same feeling after an exam. I should have done this, I didn't talk about that, I forget this, and it happens to everyone. I have gotten the highest grade in the class on a few occassions and had the same feeling of sh** I forget this issue or that issue and I did, but there are usually 16-20 issues and if you miss only one you are doing pretty well. As long as you wrote something coherent you should pass and generally law schools don't give out F's or D's if you really blew it you might get a C or C-.

[lawyerchick]

Thanks. I'm freaked out because that hasn't happened to me on other exams so I have a lack of experience.  The post exam feeling is not nice at all!
Will I still get points if I confused two contracts on the application to facts, yet wrote down all the law for two different types of contracts?

[Specks]

Like Bigs said, worse come to worse, you probably got a C. No sweat. You're done with your first year of law school. Go celebrate!

[lawyerchick]

Thanks.
Wow, though. I just remembered what I was likely supposed to do where I messed up on question 1. I feel it was a HUGE issue and I don't know if I can get enough points from that question and my severely shortened last essay worth 35 percent.
I know you've been telling me not to worry, but my school gives out F's.

[bigs5068]

Maybe you will get an F, but if you studied enough to realize what you did wrong then you probably knew enough to pass. Even if you did bomb it there is nothing you can do about it now except sit and wait for the results.