I don't start my prep until the 27 April, but I want to use this time before to chat to people who have recently done SQE1. I'll update this post as I learn more after speaking with recent candidates.
Things you should know about the SQE before you start:
1: The volume of information
What makes SQE1 hard is just the sheer amount of content you need to memorise.
It's also important to know that you aren't taught the underlying law on the course. For example, in the exam, one person I spoke didn't go over some parts of criminal law prior to the exam. He felt he lost a lot of easy marks on questions like the difference between robbery and burglary. He also said had he known this in advance, he would have started preparing earlier on the underlying law, before the SQE started. He also would have kept his flashcards from university. What's especially hard about this is if you studied the law a long time ago, you have a much bigger jump to catch up.
2: The scaremongering
This has come up a lot so far. I've heard that some of the stress comes from hearing about other students doing really well on mock tests, which can make you think you are very behind.
This is very much heightened by firms. From what I've gathered so far, many firms scare applicants into taking it very seriously. One MC firm emailed students the day before the exam to remind them that there was no resits if they failed.
One applicant noted that their firm made them do weekly practice tests. They found this helpful accountability.
3: It's hard to know whether the practice tests are good enough
So people often end up buying difference resources (or sharing lots of resources). One person I spoke to bought practice tests from QLTS just before the exam. They failed the mock, which convinced them that they wouldn't pass the real thing. But they did.
My main takeaway so far is that I need to (1) think about
how to study in a way that translates well into the exam, and (2) put a lot of hours in when I start.
One person found it helpful to take the time understanding why exactly they got certain questions wrong.
3: Useful resources mentioned so far
(Note: I haven't tried any of these.)
