Why you should take an SQE Prep Course

Those seeking to qualify as a Solicitor of England and Wales via the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route may be asking themselves; ‘Is an SQE Prep course worth it? Can I just sit the exam without one?’ Read more to find out why a Prep course is something all SQE entrants should be considering for success.

The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is split into two assessments:

• SQE1 tests Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK), across 10 hours of SQE1 assessment. This includes two exams (Functioning Legal Knowledge assessment 1 (FLK1) and Functioning Legal Knowledge assessment 2 (FLK2)) that are single best answer multiple choice assessments. There are 180 questions per assessment.
• The SQE2 assesses practical legal skills across two parts: oral assessments and written assessments. The assessments take place over five days: SQE2 oral assessments over two half days and SQE2 written assessments over three half-days, with a total of 12 written legal skills assessments.

Those who already hold a law degree, or perhaps have already been working in legal practice for some time, might well be asking themselves whether an SQE Prep Course is needed in order for them to succeed in their SQE assessments. It may be that you feel you already have a comprehensive legal knowledge, or you may be looking for a way to make qualifying even quicker and less costly.

However, investment in your education and preparation is never a waste of time or money. There are several key reasons why Law Training Centre recommends that every SQE entrant, regardless of their prior education or experience, should undertake an SQE Prep course in order to give themselves the very best chance of success:

1. High stakes assessment

The SQE is considered a high stakes assessment in that you will only be allowed three attempts to sit and pass the SQE1, and three attempts to sit and pass SQE2. All attempts must be taken within six years from the first attempt of an SQE assessment, with the clock starting from the first day of the first assessment you sit.

If you fail FLK1 and/or FLK2 three times during this six-year period, you must wait until that six-year period expires before re-applying, and previous passes will not be carried forward. The same applies if you fail SQE2 three times during this six-year period.

Failing any part of the SQE assessment can therefore prove exceptionally costly, and so a prep course may well prove a very wise and comparatively minor investment in order to safeguard against the costs of additional attempts, as well as the additional time required to wait for your six-year period to expire to be able to re-apply.

2. Practical vs. theoretical knowledge

Whilst a law degree will certainly stand you in good stead for the SQE assessments, there is a gap between the pure theoretical knowledge that is taught within a traditional LLB and the practical skills and applications that will also be assessed as part of the SQE, particularly SQE2.

Traditionally, this gap would have been bridged by the Legal Practice Course (LPC), and therefore under the new qualification pathway an SQE Prep course steps in to provide a crucial insight into the real-life applications of your theoretical knowledge.

If you fail FLK1 and/or FLK2 three times during this six-year period, you must wait until that six-year period expires before re-applying, and previous passes will not be carried forward. The same applies if you fail SQE2 three times during this six-year period.

Failing any part of the SQE assessment can therefore prove exceptionally costly, and so a prep course may well prove a very wise and comparatively minor investment in order to safeguard against the costs of additional attempts, as well as the additional time required to wait for your six-year period to expire to be able to re-apply.

3. Format of assessment

The SQE assessments are unlike standard essay-based or problem-solving questions that you will likely have come across in your assessments for other qualifications.

For SQE1, the two FLK exams are single best answer multiple choice assessments which require an understanding of the specific technique and style in which the questions demand to be answered. Each of the two assessments consists of 180 questions and takes place on a separate day. Each day is then split into two sessions of 2 hours 33 minutes with 90 questions in each session. To succeed under such tight time restrictions, you will need to develop a strong exam technique that allows you to demonstrate the extent of your knowledge.

For SQE2, you will need to demonstrate your legal and client skills through a series of simulated court room or interview settings – testing not only your subject knowledge but also your conduct, professionalism, and confidence.

In both instances, you would be wise to undertake a series of practice assessments and receive feedback from experienced legal experts – something that is offered as standard with Law Training Centres Preparatory courses.

4. Wide knowledge base required

Although you may have excellent subject knowledge or perhaps a wealth of practical experience in one area of law and legal services, you may be weaker or less experienced in another.

The SQE requires an in-depth knowledge of a broad range of all areas of law. Entrants therefore would be wise to take advantage of tailored, expert tuition in order to bolster their knowledge in their weaker areas. This will not only raise your grades across the SQE assessment as a whole, but will also serve you well as you advance in your legal career.
Find out more about Law Training Centre’s comprehensive SQE1 Prep Course, and sign up to be notified when enrolments open for our SQE2 Prep Course.

Contact Law Training Centre today to discuss dual qualifying and how we can help you get to where you want to be!