Westlaw or Lexus Nexus?

[Astro]

Has any one gotten an adderall/ritalin/concerta prescription in preparation for law school?

Any recommendations on which is the most effective?

I'm pretty sure I've had ADD all my life but have always been smart enough to compensate...aside from what I managed to swindle from friends in UG for all-nighters I've never been medicated. I figure now's a good time to start though, just curious if anyone else is in the same boat or has any recommendations...

This is very serious.  Do the following:

1.  Go get a diagnostic test.  It's probably going to cost you a lot if you do it through a licensed psychologist, but some MDs will do it for much cheaper.  However, the array of tests you'll get at the psychologist's office may be more useful once it comes to accommodations for the Bar Exam, which you may qualify for if you have ADD/ADHD.

2.  Get a prescription from an MD.  Start taking the drugs prescribed before the school year starts so you can see what the side effects are.  If you don't like them, switch to another drug.

3.  Take your diagnosis to your school.  You may get accommodations there as well.


And if you don't have ADD/ADHD, don't take these drugs.  The negative side effects potentially outweigh the (meager) benefits to people whose brains aren't wired correctly for these drugs to exert their proper function.

Finally, PM me.

[Astro]

Please, oh please, say this is not for real.

How did you manage studying for the LSAT?

Man, if you are ACTUALLY concerned about dealing with a learning disability, go to a doctor.

I would hope one seeking to uphold the law as a professional might consider this route, as opposed to swindling prescriptions. 

My little brother has ADHD and was only (by a DOCTOR) medicated for a short period of time when he was in first grade. After that, he learned coping skills, like starting everything early, taking breaks, working with other people around, and getting enough exercise so he wasn't antsy. You might try that approach, if you are really worried about the pressures of law school academics.

If you're just being a $#%!, well, quit it. 

This doesn't always work.  In fact, it often doesn't work.  Not saying medication is always required, but sometimes it's useful.  I'm sure OP has learned a number of coping skills by now if s/he has managed to make it to law school.

[JaHerer22]

I'm a little surprised by the naive responses here, I'm not trying to condone prescription drug abuse but college kids taking study drugs is neither new nor rare. I honestly can't think of one friend from UG who wasn't occasionally trying to bum an adderall to help them stay up all night and write a paper. I've taken these drugs many time in the past and I've always had positive results: increased alertness, improved ability to concentrate, and the ability to study for hours and hours without getting bored or tired.

As I said, I never really studied much so I never figured I needed a prescription; I assume that's going to change in law school so a prescription seems more convenient, cheaper, and well...legal. I was just looking for advice on particular drugs and wondering if anyone else felt the same way. Apparently not though, is everyone in law school this uptight and self-righteous or just the ones who frequent the message boards?

[upgrade]

I think the tone you set by the subject is what provoked the responses you received.

I have similar concerns for myself.  I did not study a significant amount outside class primarily because I did not retain very much from reading.  I retained a lot of what was discussed in class and also think that homework (exercises) helped a lot.  Just sitting and reading a book, however, I would become very tired, read the same lines multiple times, and at the end not remember what I should.

[gatornation]

Yeah, I'm going to agree that a lot of these responses are way too harsh. I'm in exactly the same position and wondering the same thing. I am going to see a doctor. Just learning to start things earlier isn't really something a lot of people can do, because the starting earlier is itself defeated by ADD.  I especially laughed at the "how did you study for the LSAT." Most people who have managed to succeed up to this point in life with ADD can do fine on the LSAT, a test that is not designed to be studied for, without a 100 hour KAPLAN course. And yes, before somebody gets indignant, I know prep courses can help on the LSAT, but they are by no means even slightly necessary to do well.

[Astro]

I did alright on the LSAT, but I will say that ADHD severely affected my performance on test day.

[blondie5star]

Firstly, I’m sorry to have come off as a total jerk; I questioned the authenticity of your inquiry.

I am sorry if I offended you. I didn’t mean to make light of what is probably a difficult situation. My brother has been asked numerous times if he has any ADD-type drugs people could buy off of him, and so I assumed you were one of those types. Sorry.

Also, my brother was only medicated for a short time because the prescriptions actually made his concentration worse. Drugs don’t work for everybody, but they do help some.

Also, my dad has adult ADD (he and my brother have formal diagnoses), and he successfully obtained his Master’s in Public Administration without meds, but he has said he sometimes struggled to study. (I wasn’t actually alive yet when he got his MPA, but he has relayed stories to my brother as a way of building academic confidence in him—my brother has had a terrible time getting though school).

My dad had actually wanted to become an engineer, but said he simply could not master enough of the higher math skills. Anyhow, my dad also tried Ritalin at the same time as my brother, but it did not help him much, either. (He discontinued his Rx after about 6 months.)

One thing you could also do is check out what academic support your school offers. You are very, very likely not alone as a person with ADD in law school, and most schools understand this and have academic support for students in a myriad of situations.

[8MAN]

When I got diagnosed with adhd the doctor prescribed strattera. Not as fun as the stimulants. I took it for six months or so and then stopped filling the prescription.  It was expensive.  It did make it easier to stay focused but I did not enjoy the side effects.  ymmv

[mbw]

When I got diagnosed with adhd the doctor prescribed strattera. Not as fun as the stimulants. I took it for six months or so and then stopped filling the prescription.  It was expensive.  It did make it easier to stay focused but I did not enjoy the side effects.  ymmv

I started Strattera in November, before the December LSAT.  I had awful side effects, stopped it two days before the test, but still ended up with a migraine during the LSAT.  I might try Adderall before starting law school in 2009, but well in advance, as I don't want a replay of that experience.

[Harsh Reality]

This man is a genius.  Many of the students who finished at the top of the class were on something.  For 1 year, you finish top 10%, get Law Review, and you're set for the rest of your life.  That's pretty good cost-benefit.

It is only for the naive who don't believe this stuff is going on.  The drug is a huge edge on your competition because you'll never be tired.  It's a cruel world out there but it's reality.