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Starting law school
Posted on 2/15/16 at 1:19 pm
Posted on 2/15/16 at 1:19 pm
I'll be starting law school this fall at George Mason; do any of you have any advice for the first year?
15
Posted on 2/15/16 at 1:20 pm to AllbyMyRelf
Find someone with cheap uppers.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 1:35 pm to AllbyMyRelf
If you see an ambulance, chase it.
j/k Good luck. Lots of lawyers out there, be a good one.
j/k Good luck. Lots of lawyers out there, be a good one.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 2:46 pm to AllbyMyRelf
Pursue the work that makes you happy and able to support your family in a reasonable fashion. Seen too many lawyers live unhappily trying to meet other people's standards of success. Law will open many cool opportunities to you, don't be afraid to take them.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 2:50 pm to AllbyMyRelf
1. Don't be a gunner.
2. If your professors ever offer to grade sample questions or old test questions, take advantage of it.
3. The first semester is about learning how to study and answer questions.
4. Pannoyer vs Neff sucks.
5. Don't forget to have fun. If you don't make sure you keep some hobbies, have a social life, ect, you will go insane.
6. You can't just memorize everything. You will need to understand processes.
7. Your social life basically ends after Halloween until finals are over.
8. Brief every case, use old outlines as a supplement but make sure you make your own. Laws change and those who came before you aren't necessarily any smarter.
2. If your professors ever offer to grade sample questions or old test questions, take advantage of it.
3. The first semester is about learning how to study and answer questions.
4. Pannoyer vs Neff sucks.
5. Don't forget to have fun. If you don't make sure you keep some hobbies, have a social life, ect, you will go insane.
6. You can't just memorize everything. You will need to understand processes.
7. Your social life basically ends after Halloween until finals are over.
8. Brief every case, use old outlines as a supplement but make sure you make your own. Laws change and those who came before you aren't necessarily any smarter.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 3:22 pm to AllbyMyRelf
There's a few things you're guaranteed to panic about:
1. The Curve
2. Final Exams being your entire grade
3. Number of pages you read per night
1 and 2 are something you're not going to get over until you actually experience them. They're not that bad though. If anything, find some security in the fact that you're almost guaranteed a B. If you're someone who has to get all As, change your mindset.
3... you adapt really fast. You may have 40-50 pages in one class, but within two weeks you should know what to look for, what to skim, what to take away, etc. That suddenly becomes a reading you can do in less than an hour.
Other tips
- Grades only matter in your first few years post-graduation. Don't worry too much about them. Personality gets you a long way. Attorneys are a community, not an excel spreadsheet
- Be proactive about summer internships EARLY. Use connections and definitely use career services
- You WILL have a social life. If you're spending 60 hours a week on classes, you're doing something wrong. It's not that much worse than undergrad
- Exams suck... really suck. When people say "don't go to law school", they're talking about exams. Other than that, it's quite pleasant.
- You're going to be surrounded by the most intelligent and decent people you'll ever be around for the rest of your life. Enjoy the experience.
1. The Curve
2. Final Exams being your entire grade
3. Number of pages you read per night
1 and 2 are something you're not going to get over until you actually experience them. They're not that bad though. If anything, find some security in the fact that you're almost guaranteed a B. If you're someone who has to get all As, change your mindset.
3... you adapt really fast. You may have 40-50 pages in one class, but within two weeks you should know what to look for, what to skim, what to take away, etc. That suddenly becomes a reading you can do in less than an hour.
Other tips
- Grades only matter in your first few years post-graduation. Don't worry too much about them. Personality gets you a long way. Attorneys are a community, not an excel spreadsheet
- Be proactive about summer internships EARLY. Use connections and definitely use career services
- You WILL have a social life. If you're spending 60 hours a week on classes, you're doing something wrong. It's not that much worse than undergrad
- Exams suck... really suck. When people say "don't go to law school", they're talking about exams. Other than that, it's quite pleasant.
- You're going to be surrounded by the most intelligent and decent people you'll ever be around for the rest of your life. Enjoy the experience.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 4:51 pm to PAGator
quote:
You may have 40-50 pages in one class
that doesn't seem like a terrible amount...
But, I bet the material is real exciting
Posted on 2/15/16 at 4:56 pm to AllbyMyRelf
Great just what we need, another lawyer.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 5:41 pm to cajunbama
I'm impressed you can spell lawyer, Cajun. Good for you bud
Posted on 2/15/16 at 5:56 pm to cajunbama
Great advice!!
Posted on 2/15/16 at 5:56 pm to AllbyMyRelf
Be prepared to read a lot
Posted on 2/15/16 at 5:59 pm to AllbyMyRelf
1) Be prepared enough for class that, if you're called on, you won't make a fool of yourself.
2) Find a group of folks with whom you're comfortable to study. This is essential during exams.
3) Do not be afraid to see lower grades than you may have ever seen in high school or undergrad.
4) Remind yourself that law school and practicing law are two totally different things. You have to get through the former to learn the latter.
5) Do not develop a God complex like some of your classmates will. Those who do won't have a clue how to interact with your average person.
6) Enjoy yourself as much as possible, because most decent practicing lawyers don't keep hours.
2) Find a group of folks with whom you're comfortable to study. This is essential during exams.
3) Do not be afraid to see lower grades than you may have ever seen in high school or undergrad.
4) Remind yourself that law school and practicing law are two totally different things. You have to get through the former to learn the latter.
5) Do not develop a God complex like some of your classmates will. Those who do won't have a clue how to interact with your average person.
6) Enjoy yourself as much as possible, because most decent practicing lawyers don't keep hours.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 6:34 pm to AllbyMyRelf
Nothing matters until 3 weeks before finals when you need to cram / have a solid outline to memorize.
Also, prepare for class, but depending on the teacher prepare to not have a clue when called on for the first time.
The hardest thing to remember is that you NEED some free time. Law schools is one of those things that can take up literally all of your time if you let it, you'll always feel like you should be doing more studying/reading. Sports is my thing, so no matter how crammed I feel I always take off Saturday's to watch sports and relax. Note: this does NOT apply to finals time
Also, prepare for class, but depending on the teacher prepare to not have a clue when called on for the first time.
The hardest thing to remember is that you NEED some free time. Law schools is one of those things that can take up literally all of your time if you let it, you'll always feel like you should be doing more studying/reading. Sports is my thing, so no matter how crammed I feel I always take off Saturday's to watch sports and relax. Note: this does NOT apply to finals time
This post was edited on 2/15/16 at 6:38 pm
Posted on 2/15/16 at 6:45 pm to AllbyMyRelf
Bang every skank you can
Posted on 2/15/16 at 7:20 pm to AllbyMyRelf
Play golf. Socialize. Find people willing to share the best outlines. Cram. Study with a group for finals.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 7:21 pm to PAGator
quote:
- You're going to be surrounded by the most intelligent and decent people you'll ever be around for the rest of your life.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 8:57 pm to AllbyMyRelf
Best advice I got was to treat school like it was your job. When I was at UGA, I averaged about 3 hours per day in class. I put in an extra 5 in the library or studying elsewhere. Then pick one day per weekend to put in time. That pretty much covered it until cram time at finals.
I benefited from being a little bit older and having spent the previous 4 years in a high stress job, I didn't get too freaked out about grades, finding the perfect outline, or being called upon and grilled in class.
I benefited from being a little bit older and having spent the previous 4 years in a high stress job, I didn't get too freaked out about grades, finding the perfect outline, or being called upon and grilled in class.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 9:35 pm to AllbyMyRelf
George Mason? What was your major..underwater basket weaving with a minor in gender studies?
Posted on 2/18/16 at 11:59 am to Mullet Flap
Graduated summa cum laude with double major in economics and math.
Posted on 2/18/16 at 12:24 pm to AllbyMyRelf
Don't worry about what he says. GMU is a good law school and with the proximity to DC chances are extremely high you'll be making more than anyone in the South
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