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Law students hope for full-time, paid legal employment for the entire summer. Unfortunately, the final reality may differ for some students because of employers’ budgets, geographic restrictions, competition for limited positions, or other factors. When planning their summers, these students will want to explore a variety of options
Law students need to take courses that develop skills related to the daily practice of law, whether their legal careers will involve private clients, agencies, courtrooms, or corporations.
Wise choices of law school courses can optimize grades and increase preparation for the bar exam and future legal practice.
Law students sometimes think their daily class preparation, writing assignments, and exam review are disconnected from legal practice. Instead of honing their legal skills for three years, they mistakenly take shortcuts that limit their mastery of the very skills that lawyers depend on every day. Students who master legal analysis and
As another semester winds down, some law students will graduate and begin bar review. Rising 2L and 3L students will head for summer jobs, summer school, or study abroad. Now is an ideal time to step back from your academics and consider the important skills that you have learned. Those
The semester’s halfway point is fast approaching. Students need to take stock now and begin serious exam preparation. First, analyze three aspects of your academics to gather information for planning your studies. Then, determine the study priorities for each course and choose appropriate study strategies to accomplish those priorities. Analyze your
Many law students never outlined courses when they were undergraduates because tests were frequent and noncumulative so cramming from class notes worked well. Infrequent law school-style exams make cramming from class notes and briefs unwise. First, one exam covering 15 weeks of material translates to
Most law students are shocked at the cost for their required books and optional study aids. By choosing study aids wisely, students can reap the academic benefits without overspending. How do you know what study aids to buy—if any? Remember that study aids complement your own hard work. They are not
Realize that law school requires a different commitment to your studies. For many law students, prior college courses were not essential to their futures. They could cram at the end of the semester, “brain dump” for a good grade, and then forget what they learned because they never planned to
The summer is the perfect time to rediscover your true self, renew relationships, and return to favorite pastimes before school starts again in the fall. If you are attending summer school for part of the summer or studying for the bar, then use the time wisely before and after those
Life balance in law school is tough. Most law students will study more hours than ever before in their lives. Here's how to maintain balance.
Realize that everyone’s grades can improve each semester by honing study strategies. Students who did well can do even better. Students who ended up in the middle of the class can improve. And students whose grades placed them on academic probation can turn things around.
This generation of law students includes many kinesthetic-tactile learners. In the simplest of terms, kinesthetic means movement, and tactile means touch. Kinesthetic-tactile students will differ from one another because of the strength and combinations of these two attributes for each individual. One student may have a very strong kinesthetic-tactile preference, another
Law professors expect students to understand the basic concepts through their own class preparation. Undergraduate professors typically lecture and tell students everything they need to know. Law professors rarely explain everything in cases because they expect students to have thought extensively about the material prior to class. They discuss only
The academic traits used to achieve good grades translate directly into professional traits needed in the workplace. Whether you are a summer associate or new employee waiting for bar results, you want to gain a reputation for professionalism from the first day on your job. This article discusses some of
Law students often hit a slump in early March. The excitement of a new semester has worn off. The initial interest in learning a new legal topic has waned, And everything has settled into the too-familiar routine. It was easy to believe at the beginning of a new semester that study
There are techniques to improve your exam results in May. If you implement them diligently, your grades can increase with any exam format.
“Study groups” are a long-standing tradition in law school. The term, however, is a misnomer; law students actually complete daily class preparation alone. They later use study group time to review and consolidate course material.
Some law schools have formal mentoring programs with returning students matched to incoming students. Student organizations often run “boot camps” for incoming first-year students. At every law school, informal advice helps the first-years integrate academically and socially. Upper-division students are very generous with their advice, time, and study materials. Most law
As the summer break approaches, many students are focused solely on finding paid legal employment. Although a line on your résumé and money in your pocket are certainly desirable, do not overlook other ways that you can acquire some legal skills or broaden your understanding of the law, legal system,
Successful law students increase understanding, retention, and recall through absorption learning preferences. They convert legal information to the unique formats most memorable to them. They use their preferences to advantage for wiser use of time and more extensive results. What is Your Learning Style? Evaluate your absorption learning preferences for free.
Students can avoid academic problems in law school by implementing some practical strategies. A new perspective on academics is needed because of the differences between law school and prior education. Realize that law school prepares you for your profession and not just an isolated set of exams. Undergraduate courses that fulfilled
Law class and note-taking requires different strategies than undergraduate classes because of format, content, and pace differences.