7 Practical tips for GSL entrance exam candidates

To all our friends preparing for the Ghana School of Law entrance exam in the coming weeks, we have you in our thoughts. Give it your best shot.

Here are a few tips you may find useful:

1. Understand and know what the question requires of you in substance and in form. Form and substance are equally important. If the question says write a memo, write a memo, not an essay. The marking scheme would allocate marks for form and substance. Pay attention.

2. If you’re required to write an essay, it would be in your interest to summarise the key points you plan writing on in about 4/5 lines as part of your introduction. Eg. In this essay, I shall address the issue of XYZ. In doing so, I shall argue that (i)Q, (ii)R, (iii)S, (iv)T. Remember there are thousands sitting this paper. Examiners may not have the time to go through your script fully if you start beating about the bush. First impressions matter!

3. Handling 'Case flight': Every law student knows what ‘case flight’ is; when you’re unable to recall the title and or essential details of a case during an exam. This happens to almost all of us. If you forget the title of a relevant case law and or essential details, please write the principle of law the case addresses. It's in your interest to state the principle of law and explain it, even when you may not recall the case title. One way of doing this is to couch your authority this way: The courts have held that XYZ... Write that and move on... don't sweat it. You should do same for constitutional or statutory provisions. If you fail to remember exactly what a relevant provision says, paraphrase it. The examiner would recognise that knowledge of the law. Caution: Don't make it a habit in the exam hall! 

4. Have a conclusion, always. Your conclusion may be a comment on the current position of the law; a suggestion for amendment of a prevailing law (eg. statute) given an identifiable gap; etc. Even if it's 2 sentences, write it. It will fetch you a mark or two.

5. In your own interest, please do not go into the exam hall without knowing the trending socio-economic or political issues in Ghana today, and the applicable law. If you've been following the news/news analysis in the media, participating in webinars such as the 'Law in Crisis series' organised by the University of Ghana Faculty of Law you should be familiar with these issues. Also, if you’re following the right legal policy experts or commentators such as Prof H Kwasi Prempeh, Prof Kwaku Asare (‘Kwaku Azar’) or Mawuse Oliver Barker Vormawor (‘Barker H Vogues’) and others on social media,  you should be fine.  

6. Answering problem questions: At the analysis stage, restate the issue you've identified earlier in your answer and proceed to do your analysis.  Analysis: Facts + Law =Conclusion.

7. Feel free to reach out to your seniors if you have any questions. No senior would say no when you reach out.

May the odds be in your favour.