I don't type quickly...am I screwed?

[wcombs65]

I've heard from a few people that the ability to type quickly is a very valuable skill in Law School.  I do not type well, however, and certainly can't type without looking at the keyboard.  Is this something I should address before I enter my 1L year??  I know it's kind of a weird question but any advice would be helpful.

[redjay]

you don't need to be able to type at all. i do type in class and on exams, but next year I think I am going to switch to the old pen and paper. The people who take traditional style notes seem to pay attention better than everyone else. As for the exams, you may want to make sure you dont make a lot of mistakes typing, otherwise people seem to get by just fine writing the exams. Though, for something like torts where you are writing pretty much constantly on the exam, the computer was definitly nice to have. Either way, your typing skills shouldn't make or break your law school career.

[Peaches]

You can get by without it, but realistically you should still correct your typing problems. 

Google "free touch typing", cover your hands with a paper towel and start doing drills. 

[jacy85]

Agreed - you can do without, but when it comes time to practice, life will be easier and more productive if you can touch type.  It's easy enough to work on, and once you learn, you're set.

In addition to the google search, I'm pretty sure yahoo games or somewhere has typing games with fish or something; and my friend used to have a super mario brothers-themed game.  The games may seem silly, but it's probably more entertaining now and then instead of just doing the drills.

Good luck!

[slacker]

You're not screwed for class. In some ways it could be a benefit. You might even be forced to take good notes rather than attempting to transcribe conversations.

Where you'll be hating life, though, is when it comes to your legal writing assignments. For this reason, I'd concur with the others. Time to learn some touch typing skills.

[Waiting for Those Letters]

I just wanted to know if you can take the law school exams on paper. Completing them on the computer sounds a little intimidating... I don't know why.

[dewayne_wayne]

It is a valuable skill.  As was suggested, try to improve it.  But don't let it be a barrier for you.  I am a lousy typist - but exclusively take notes on laptop because I can't hardly read my own handwriting.  I take all my exams with ink on bluebook because I am more comfortable with that.

One note:  a professor once told me that he charted typers vs. writers, and that typers scored on average 1/3 letter higher than writers on exams, and that he thought this was due to speed.  So, in that regard, I wish I could bust out 75/wpm.  I've had other professors level the playing field by limiting bluebook pages and laptop character counts to whatever they roughly equate to. 

[Jhuen_the_bird]

I just wanted to know if you can take the law school exams on paper. Completing them on the computer sounds a little intimidating... I don't know why.

You can, but it's not really intimidating once they teach you how to do it, and it is SO much better!  I promise that it is SO much better than writing by hand ... you know how in bluebooks you have to cross out and scribble and draw arrows?  Well, obviously, none of that when doing exams on computers ... it's fabulous!  And you finish much quicker, and you don't have a crampy hand when you're finished.

[pomrlaw]

have any of you had problems with taking exams using a mac?

just wondering, I had considered getting a new one, but it seems I hear there may be probelms with exam programs not working, etc.

[Jumboshrimps]

No sweat. Law school is the ultimate tool for learning to type fast. Your first Torts exam is the equivalent of six months of Mavis Beacon.