A Quick Flash To The Top! P1 Preparatory Advocacy and Guide

P1 Preparation Guide

When reviewing for the P1 Licensing Examination held by the Law Society of Ontario it is important to know what you can and cannot do. This article is meant to be a quick guide to prepare you during the day of your exam. Before you even begin writing your exam it is key that you focus in passing the exam and to never let your self-talk be compromised by thoughts of failure. Plan ahead and always plan to pass. Now let’s get this guide started!

‍What you need to know‍

In order to pass the exam you need to know the Rules and Guides that govern the examination. The following Rules and Guidelines will give you an idea on what you can and cannot do during the exam. So always bear them in mind with your preparations.

Keys to success, advocacy with regards to your preparations for the P1 Licensing Examination:

Item number 4 and 5 of the Rules and Protocols for the Licensing Examination are very important as it outlines the Format and timing of the examination sitting and the Permitted Items inside the examination area. Now we begin with our first advice:

[1] Take your time - The Exam is 4 hours and 30mins long and contains 160 items in total so please make good use of that time and do not rush your exam. The name of the game in this test is passing not finishing first.

[2] Pace yourself - Haste makes waste as I’d like to say a lot so make sure to pace yourself during the examination. Remember that in Item number 4 of the Rules and Protocols for the Licensing Examination states that “There is no scheduled break; the amount of time allotted for the Licensing Examination contemplates that candidates may need to use some of the allotted time to visit the restroom.” and that “Candidates are not permitted to leave the Testing Area during the final 30 minutes of the allotted time for the Licensing Examination, even if they have completed writing their Licensing Examination.” so don’t do things like an energized bunny on steroids.

[3] Fear not the walking dead - I understand that during exams people are often scared to make mistakes. Sometimes examinees tend to look like lifeless corpses because of paralyzing fear. Elber Green Hubbard once said that “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” so don’t be overly worried about your exam or other matters not related to your exam.

[4] Plan, prepare, and prosper - Before the examination day you should always prepare the items that will ensure your success in the exam. Item number 5 of the Rules and Protocol for Licensing Examinations outlines all the items you can bring into the examination area as seen below. 

What can you bring

Candidates must not bring any items into the Testing Area that are not Permitted Items. The following are the only Permitted Items.

1. The following items provided by the Law Society on the day of the candidate’s Licensing Examination: Licensing Examination booklet with questions, Scantron answer sheet, two pencils, a highlighter, a calculator, and an eraser.
2. Paper-based, paper, and print materials prepared for the purpose of assisting the candidate in writing the examination, including Law Society Study Materials, other study materials, dictionaries, books, texts, and notes, any of which may be bound or loose but none of which may contain Examination Content or be a Prohibited Item.
3. Binder rings, cerlox bindings, or binders for print materials.
4. A disposable bag to use to carry print materials into the Testing Area. This bag must not be luggage and must not contain any internal pockets.
5. A single sweater, blazer, cardigan, wrap, or hooded sweatshirt (in addition to clothing or eyeglasses being worn by a candidate that do not contain any Prohibited Items).
6. Non-alcoholic beverages in containers that are completely transparent, resealable, and plastic.
7. A single Storage Bag.
8. The following items, but only if they are secured within the one permitted Storage Bag:
   1. Some text
   2. Proper Identification;
   3. Food in its original wrapping/container or re-covered in a clear wrapping (e.g., plastic wrap);
   4. Hygiene products;
   5. Medication in clear containers or clear packaging (and not in non-clear pillboxes, organizers, or cases);
   6. Tissues (loose or in a clear wrapping);
   7. A wallet containing no paper items other than money;
   8. Keys;
   9. Foam earplugs, subject to screening and approval by a Proctor; and
   10. Unused or extra sticky notes and notepaper.

Additionally, besides the mentioned items above it is advisable to prepare items that you have used during your review.

I advice making Indexes of your reviewers, bringing highlighted and properly tabbed reviewers, Flash Cards, and a paper containing information that can be easily skimmed through. Do note however that 

“The candidate must leave all paper-based, paper, and print materials, including the Law Society Study Materials, other study materials, dictionaries, books, texts, tissues, and notes that the candidate brought into the Testing Area, as well as binders, the disposable bag used to carry print materials into the Testing Area, and all other items that the candidate brought into the Testing Area (other than clothing, eyeglasses, a wallet, medication, keys, beverages, and non-paper items that are permitted by these Rules to be in the Storage Bag), in the Testing Area at the candidate’s desk when the candidate leaves the Testing Area.” (Law Society of Ontario, Rules and Protocol for Licensing Examinations)

So make sure to follow the rules and always keep in mind what is permitted inside the testing area. Violating the rules during the examination has severe consequences and is not worth being black listed by the Law Society of Ontario.

My final thoughts

The P1 Licensing examination is a challenging exam but it is not impossible to overcome. You should always remember that the exam actually begins within, if you believe you will fail and do not change that mindset this guide will be of little use and you will fail before you even begin. Want to try a free mock exam? Visit www.P1Law.com and sign up for a free account. You have 3 free exams to challenge your knowledge.

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