A typical law school class involves a professor cold-calling students, asking questions about the cases or hypotheticals. Sometimes the professor hides the ball, and sometimes it takes quite a while for a student to answer “correctly.” As a new law student, I was not sure what to take down in the two-hour period. I knew that it was not advisable to transcribe every word, and that key points are generally made obvious, but there are plenty of in-betweens! And of course, after class, I wanted to make sense of my notes and identify the major takeaways.
After speaking to professors, fellow classmates, and attending more classes, I find that these principles are helpful to taking and reviewing class notes: [Read more…] about How to Effectively Take and Review Class Notes
Most law school classes are graded using one final exam. Understandably, this causes a lot of stress. Moreover, given that students are exposed to the same lectures and readings, I have often wondered how professors differentiate between papers that mostly look the same.
The classic law school exam is an issue spotter, which tasks students with spotting and resolving all the legal issues in a large fact pattern. However, I have noticed that some professors also like to change up the issue spotter or use additional exam formats like multiple choice or policy questions. For each type of questions, there are different skills and strategies for success. 
I have noticed that study habits vary from law student to law student. Some like to meet up with a group regularly, some study exclusively alone, some visit office hours, some prefer to consult supplements or videos, some seek a tutor or lean on their teaching assistants, or use a combination of any of the above. Of these, 
A common question that 1Ls have, and one that I am fielding now as a 2L, is how to prepare for class. With many tens of pages of dense cases and the prospect of cold calling, it is normal to feel anxious wondering whether you are reading closely enough, whether your notes and briefs are enough to help you survive a cold call, whether you are catching the right things to highlight…
Some students enter law school with an idea of what they want to practice as a lawyer, but many others do not. It is okay not to know! The law pervades all industries and facets of society, and the three years of law school is the time to explore and learn through classes, clinics, and summer jobs. As an undecided 1L, I found that my options actually broadened as I became exposed to new areas and concepts. However, there is a plethora of resources, inside and outside of law school, for anyone like me.