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Law School Outlining: Can Your Outline Be Too Long?

February 19, 2012 By Lee Burgess 2 Comments

Students often ask me if it’s possible for a law school outline to be too long. My answer? Absolutely!

When is an Outline Too Long?

Outlines can definitely be too long. What is too long? 100 pages is too long.

Most law schools have at least one outline floating around that is a transcript of every word ever spoken by a professor. Is that the perfect outline? Generally speaking, no.

But, Lee, it’s a complete transcript of the course! Everything I need to know is in there, right?

Well, sort of.

Law School Outlining: What’s the Point?

February 13, 2012 By Lee Burgess 4 Comments

When I work with law students on exam prep, their first questions are always about outlines:

“Are outlines really important?”
“What makes a good outline?”
“How long should an outline be?”
And my favorite, “Do I really need to make my own?”

My Thoughts on Outlining for Law School Exams

Here are a few of my thoughts on outlining for law school exams.

How to Tackle Procrastination & Get the Law School Grades You Want

February 13, 2012 By Lee Burgess 4 Comments

So many of my students struggle with procrastination. Really, who doesn’t? I procrastinate as long as possible on making a dentist appointment or doing unwanted paperwork.

But when you are in law school, procrastination can cause serious problems.

Why is Procrastination Such an Issue in Law School?

Law school is a marathon — not a sprint. It takes hard work and discipline to study daily (and to take much needed breaks) and generally you are the only one setting up the study schedule. The only accountability is the test looming far in the future.

If you have a tendency to procrastinate, this is a recipe for disaster that can lead to disappointing exam results. Why?

The Law School Semester’s Half Over: 7 Questions to Consider

January 29, 2012 By Lee Burgess Leave a Comment

At the law school where I teach, we’re approaching the halfway point. What do you need to be thinking about at this point in the semester?

Final Exams.

That’s right. It’s that time of the year already.

Why it Pays to Prepare Early for Your Law School Exams

Most law school classes only have one final exam, and your entire grade depends on it. Those three or four hours determine your grade for the entire course! Quite a lot of pressure on a single exam, right?

This is why it’s so critical that you start looking toward that exam NOW and make sure that you’re doing everything you can to achieve success on exam day!