There are two typical responses that law students often provide when prompted with the infamous inquiry, So, what are you doing over winter break? The first is generally along the lines of, “Sleeping longer than Rip Van Winkle.” The second usually springs from students’ whose stress levels are still spiking from their last finals, “Reading every supplement for my classes to get ahead for next semester.” Resist the urge to adopt either of these extreme plans and instead, opt for moderation. While you should allow both your mind and body to rest after a taxing semester, you want to refrain from transforming into a complete sloth; otherwise returning for spring semester will feel like a Herculean chore. The following is a list of some suggestions for more well-balanced, winter-break activities: [Read more…] about How to Spend Your Law School Winter Break
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Tips for Selecting Core Course Requirements that May Improve Bar Exam Results
For accreditation, the ABA mandates that law schools offer particular core classes pertaining to the areas of law tested on the bar exam. To adhere to ABA guidelines, law schools will typically require law students to register for at least five of these classes prior to graduation. Although core classes focus on the same material, their titles, credit allocations, and the amount of classes provided, may vary by institution.
There are seven primary subjects that the bar exam tests for: civil procedure, contracts, torts, constitutional law (both I and II), criminal law (which includes criminal procedure), evidence, and real property. As demonstrated by this list, the majority of classes that law students must take to sit for the bar are mandated during 1L year. [Read more…] about Tips for Selecting Core Course Requirements that May Improve Bar Exam Results
Less Common, But Useful Tips For Law School
The law school education system is defined by several popular characteristics, such as grueling workloads, stressful exam periods, and a lack of life apart from law school. Pre-law students are constantly forewarned about the amount of work that is required, and accepted applicants receive a steady stream of advice about these topics from the moment they are registered extending through to the final day of 1L orientation.
Other tips often involve the type of obstacles law students should be prepared for and how to handle them practically, such as learning time management skills or treating law school like a job. By the end of the first week of 1L year, law students are well-informed about two primary things: the importance of maintaining stellar grades and the future difficulties of studying for, and subsequently passing the bar. The list of caveats for law students seems endless, but, in fact, are actually just recycled examples of comparable advice that focus on similarly stressed pointers, namely, balancing time with schoolwork and how to pass exams.
While being aware of and following this guidance is crucial to excelling in law school, there are several items that most law students will encounter, but are frequently overlooked through the guidance process. Oftentimes law students will not be made aware of these extra responsibilities until they are either forced to experience it firsthand, or at the brink of scarcely missing certain deadlines or specifications. The following are some of the obligations that you should definitely be made aware of as a law student.
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Spring Semester Sprint: SOS Suggestions for Snagging a 2L Summer Job
Attention 2L’s: Spring semester has sprung! Do you know what your summer job plans are yet? This summer is crucial to your future legal career goals. Unlike the internship you secured during your 1L summer, 2L summer internships pave the way for possible 3L school-year roles, as well as for potential permanent careers that go beyond law school graduation.
By this point in the year, there are three primary responses that 2Ls typically provide to the question of, how is the job search going? The first relates to those who have already found a position. These law students usually compose the top 10% of the class and were hired by ‘Big Law’ firms during the fall recruiting period. The second refers to law students who used their holiday break to apply or network, and are in the midst of the interview process by early spring semester. Finally, there are law students, those most likely reading this post, who are still seeking that coveted summer spot.
If you are in the final category, do not panic! Check out some of the ideas below to propel you onwards in your successful search for a 2L summer job.
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The Law School Juggler: How to Handle Multiple Commitments
The law school environment is notorious for inflicting stressful lifestyles on law students. For instance, law school forces law students to juggle many responsibilities simultaneously. This is partially because law school not only provides the necessary education to obtain a Juris Doctor degree and pass the bar, but it also serves as a boot camp to prepare young associates for real world practice.
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Checklist For Choosing Your Law School Classes
The selection process for law school classes is much more complex than the course enrollment period you experienced for your undergraduate classes. Although they share certain similarities such as, class times cannot overlap and lottery systems vary by institution (e.g. first come first served, GPA ranking, and arbitrarily assigned numbers), there are many other factors you must consider when creating your law school class schedule for the semester. Use our checklist below as an initial guide to help you generate a potential course list, or as a final reminder to review and keep track of important items when choosing your courses for each semester. [Read more…] about Checklist For Choosing Your Law School Classes