Top 5 Tips for Entering Law School Students
The first year of law school has been built up to near-legend. Journals, grades, awards, and job prospects often are determined in your first year, leaving you not a whole lot of time to get settled. Here are Manhattan LSAT’s 5 Things to Remember from those who have been through the halls of legal academia and lived to write about it:
1. More is not better. On your way to class your first week, you will almost certainly see your fellow students carrying around many books aside from your shared case law textbooks. Law outlines from Emanuel’s, Gilbert’s, and other study aid companies will abound, and you will think to yourself, “Hmm, I wonder if that outline is better than what I’m studying from? Maybe I should pick that up at the book store.” Before you know it, you’ll find yourself in a study supplement arms race, and your room will be filled with a stack of outlines in addition to your textbook and your notes. Do not succumb to this temptation! You’ll likely find that your notes are the best resource. Outlines and tests from your professor’s past classes, which your school’s law library will generally have on file, are also very useful. At most, pick up one commercial outline you like for each subject (they’re all the same anyway). A big stack of outlines will only distract you and wind up gathering dust in the homestretch.
2. One head may be better than three. Yet another potential arms race is the study group. Ambitious 1st year students will jockey to form study groups with other students who ‘seem smart.’ If you’re the type of student who studies best independently, you may feel both left out and in danger of falling behind. But if you stand around for 10 minutes and listen to a study group study together, they’re generally doing one of two things: being quiet and studying independently or talking about something that has nothing to do with law. You’ll notice over time that many study groups devolve into gossip sessions. You should be true to your own style of learning, whether that’s independent or in a group. At a minimum though, it’s good to have a friend or two in your section to borrow notes from on the rare occasion you miss class.
3. Don’t overthink it. Law professors like to complicate things during lectures – it makes for more interesting class sessions and makes them feel smarter. But the truth is that much of the case law is pretty straightforward in the way it will be tested. There are only so many ways for a Torts final to test the concept of Battery, for example. The students that get themselves into trouble are the ones who present themselves with all sorts of convoluted exceptions, or who overcomplicate the concepts. Run this test on yourself when studying: if you understand the case law in a way that you could explain it to a twelve-year old in simple language, you’re in great shape. If you start presenting all sorts of strange formulations and jargon, you should work to simplify.
4. You’re doing as well as you think you are. One of the biggest concerns for 1st year law students is “How am I doing?” You don’t receive any concrete feedback until the middle of your 2nd semester, when you receive your grades from your 1st set of finals, as virtually no law school courses offer mid-terms or any intermediate grade (law school professors don’t like to grade things, so most only offer a final). This kind of feedback-free environment preys on the insecurities of many students, as many feel like they’re falling behind if they don’t study endlessly. Don’t let it shake your confidence. Remember that no one has received any grades, and it’s a level playing field. Focus on what you’re doing day-to-day and remind yourself to stay positive. If you’re desperate for feedback, visit your professor during office hours and relay to him or her your understanding of various cases – it’s a good way to both see where you are and get to know your professor a little bit better.
5. Put down the books sometimes. It’s sorely tempting to try and study all the time when you arrive at law school. People around you will be talking about their long hours in the library. But if you’re like the vast majority of people, your brain stops functioning at a high level after a certain amount of studying, and the returns will diminish dramatically after, say, the 5th hour. Give yourself a normal schedule, including time away from the books doing things you enjoy and relaxing. Think to yourself, “I’m going to spend 3 – 4 hours in class per day, and 4 – 6 hours a day studying efficiently.” After that, go spend time with people who are not in law school. Have fun. Take advantage of the student lifestyle and explore your new environment. Get away from campus. Maintain perspective and enjoy yourself as much as you can. Remember, it’s not the workaholics who succeed in law school – save that for your first job after you graduate. 🙂