Advice for a 0L hell bent on being near the top of his class?

[randomdude]

Most profs won't go over practice exams with you.  Think about the 30 minutes times 65+ people it would take.  They may have a single practice exercise for the whole class.

Get some past A answers.  Fedsoc may have them, as may other orgs.  Find 2L friends or something.

[GA-fan]

tag

I saw some people recommended NOT starting on outlines until november...

Anyone think this idea is risky or do many people agree that it can be done effectively and comprehensively?

I'm going to start a version 1 of 3 outlines in september.  Every section/chapter we complete, or every 2 weeks.  I plan to process the information early and spend november reviewing old stuff and finishing off the last parts.

I want to be able to see the whole forest hence version 2, and 3 which will be condensed outlines but I want to know every tree (Version 1).  Version three will focus down to what I need to prepare for the exam.  i don't know how this will work out since this will be the first time.

Wow. You are gonna be really friggin busy. Good luck with that and report back to us in a year. I agree you should make your own outlines, but this might be overkill. Just don't be too wedded to the idea that you have to do this, and be willing to adjust as your schedule requires.

Not sure if I posted this earlier, but here's what I did:
1) keep up with all the readings day-to-day and take copious notes in class.
2) start an outline mid-semester, and complete it on weekends. It should be done the week before finals.
3) sign up for BARBRI and go to all the lectures (including Whitebread's How to succeed  on LS exams).
4) use barbri test prep materials and practice questions.
5) read Getting to Maybe. There is a lot of good info on how to include what your prof really wants.
6) take a ton of practice exams, including any and all from your professor as well as those from Harvard, American, Florida that have previous exams online and open to students from other schools.
7) I didn't use any supps 1st semester save the BARBRI practice questions.

I ended up well inside the top 5% of my class, so obviously it worked for me. It's definitely not innovative or rocket science. Not saying it will work for you, but don't think you have to do lots of work beforehand to do well.

On a side note, start networking as soon as you get to LS if not before. Volunteer for student organizations, local public interest legal services or even your local soup kitchen. And invent a reason to go to your state bar meetings and any alumni events your school hosts (ex: football homecoming picnics, etc). The earlier you start to make an impression and get your name out, the more opportunities you have for it to stick in the minds of hiring partners.

[jarhead]

i had planned on being very active joining organizations of interest etc, but i've been advised that 1Ls usually don't have time for a lot of extra curriculars and that they aren't really expected to participate until after the first year. any truth to this? did any of you top []%ers participate in extra curriculars. I'm interested in entertainment law where connections are everything so I'm worried about not doing anything with the entertainment law society until 2L, law school is only 3 years after all.

[GA-fan]

You won't have much free time, but this is why it's so effective. You'll be one of the only 1Ls with this experience, and the 2Ls will already have their jobs. So you'll have no competition with the visiting attorneys.

1L is busy, yes, but you'll have plenty to time to participate if you make it a priority. You caon't study all the time!

[jacy85]

You can do stuff during 1L, but I wouldn't run for any positions in any groups until second semester 1L at the earliest if that's possible.  Wait until 2L to take leadership/committee positions.

And for me, outlining in september is pretty useless.  I usually start mid October, and by mid November at the latest I'm pretty up to date.  Then I start reading through my outline, shortening and condensing it.  By doing this, I learn the material.  Once I have my "final" version, I still end up highlighting, writing notes into it, and I absolutely tab it.  If a class is open book/open notes, I put my tabbed outline in a binder, and then print out all my notes, tab those by lecture/class, and then maybe tab my book.  Having my notes and book easily accessible has saved my butt more than a few times, and has meant the difference between getting an A vs. a B+.

[tacojohn]

On the outlining in September vs. waiting until near the end of the semester, it's all about what you're comfortable with.  If you have free time, and it's eating at you that you haven't started outlining in September, then start your outline.  Just remember, you're going to have to spend some time editing and refining it because there will be connections between the material at the beginning and end of most classes.

As long as you understand what an outline is supposed to be, a personalized summary of the information in the class which mostly gets its value from its creation, you can start it anytime you like.  Just make sure you start it early because it will lose some value if it's simply a list of shortened notes.

[tuesday]

tag!

[john jacob]

so what are some common traits for people who are mid-bottom of their class?

[Bob Loblaw Esq.]

so what are some common traits for people who are mid-bottom of their class?

common trait = gunner.

[john jacob]

so what are some common traits for people who are mid-bottom of their class?

common trait = gunner.

elaborate? I would think that alot of the people hitting top 5% are gunners...