Congrats Sands on Law Review...

[jdohno]

I didn't come to law school straight from undergrad so you were already in school mode. I worked for a few years. So I knew I had to get back into that school mode. I'm not saying that prepping is the only way. And it wasn't intensive. A few hours out of my day. But I disagree with just doing nothing over the summer. Law school is a shock to the system. Even doing something two weeks before school starts might not be a big help but it's something. Again it depends on the person. Everyone who told me to relax over the summer didn't do well their first year. So I wasn't going to take their advice. I just wanted to do something that might help my odds of doing well and I got lucky.

I disagree on the prepping issue for the most part.  And, if I was prepping, I would take maybe 2 weeks before classes started and listen to tapes. I don't think anything else out there is going to be as user friendly, especially not a book.  jdonno is right about what's on the bar exam.  I have started looking at questions for the mbe and looking over the format for the bar exam this summer, and roughly half of the bar consists of the first year topics--Contracts, Civ Pro, Torts, Property, Crim Law and Con Law (then add some evidence, which most people take in their second year).  So learn as much during your first year as you can, because this stuff is going to be on the bar exam.

 

[jdohno]

Yeah we have ALWD first year. But Blue Book is used at other schools from the beginning. Did your school give you a chart on the difference between ALWD and Blue Book? Is there a huge difference? That's what I figure that I would have do: give a day for cites. Thanks for your advice. I will set up a schedule.

Not a problem, happy to give you the leg up on law review.  What'd you use to cite, ALWD?  Our school is wierd like that. We use ALWD our first year, and then Blue Book years 2 and 3.  Don't ask me why.

Yes, bruh, even my citation was down to a science.  I methodically sat down and did ALL of the citations the first day. That cleared the rest of my time for reading and writing.  I think had it not been for me making a daily schedule, I would not have made it onto law review.  When your time is constrained like that, you have no room to be disorganized.  I would highly recommend making a schedule based on your strengths and weaknesses.  If you're a slow reader like me, factor a good % of your days for reading only, and then leave the rest for writing if you're a decent writer.  If you're a slow writer then vice versa.

[smujd2007]

Random thought . . .

Sands brings up a good point on the writing assignments. I always set aside a day (during the second semester) where I did nothing but check citations.  I also used this as a way to take a "break" from hard core legal analysis.  Its really sad at times, but my teacher for legal writing was so anal that our citations had to be on point. I'm not just talking about citing as far as Bluebook rules, either.  If two cases explain the same rule of law, but she thought that one case did so better than the other, then if you cited the case that she didn't like she took points off. These teachers are scary . . .they are really nice in a social setting but are like demons when grading your papers.

[Burning Sands, Esq.]

I disagree on the prepping issue for the most part.  And, if I was prepping, I would take maybe 2 weeks before classes started and listen to tapes. I don't think anything else out there is going to be as user friendly, especially not a book.  jdonno is right about what's on the bar exam.  I have started looking at questions for the mbe and looking over the format for the bar exam this summer, and roughly half of the bar consists of the first year topics--Contracts, Civ Pro, Torts, Property, Crim Law and Con Law (then add some evidence, which most people take in their second year).  So learn as much during your first year as you can, because this stuff is going to be on the bar exam.

Oh no doubt.  I agree 110%  Let me clarify, DURING 1L you need to be learning everything you can from all the sources you can. E&E's, Case Briefs, Professor's office hours, classmates, etc.  Everything.  The "Big 6" are mandatory for every state's Bar Exam. They will come back to haunt us in 2 years.  I strongly advocate KNOWING the substantive law classes, and knowing them well. 

As ya'll no doubt have seen on the board, I get into my classes.  That's b/c I don't believe in that breeze by and luck up on the exam type sh!t.  For example, I got cats in my class that really do not understand the big picture of Property Law, but they lucked up and got an A on their property exam b/c they happened to memorize the write mess the week before the exam.  They were able to write a property exam, but they didn't "learn" property law. [Pre-Laws are looking at us like "what the f*ck you talkin about, Willis?]  Like SMU said earlier, there is a HUGE difference between knowing the law and writing a law school exam.  You would think that the two go hand in hand, but unfortunately they don't.  You have to know the law AND you have to able to write a law school exam. 

All that to say, there are a lot of hush-puppy shoe wearin crump cakes out there who skated by first year because they were able to write well on the exams, but you ask them a substantive question about Contracts and they're scratchin their heads.  It will be THOSE cats who take the bar 2, 3, 4 times.  It will be the slow and steady cats who actually know the law who will pass the bar the first time around with no problem.  I've heard this testimony so many times it ain't even funny.  When you actually LEARN the law (lord forbid) during your 1L, the bar exam will not be a problem.  Notice I didn't say the bar exam will be easy - I said it won't be a problem - as in, you will pass it the first time.

Until I learned how to write a law school exam, those exam writing people used to piss me off.  I'm sittin over there with this head full of substantive law, getting B's on tests and this joe schmoe english major comes along, don't know but 3 contract doctrines & gets an A.  Rat bastahds.  That's ok though, I finally caught onto the game of writing an exam AND I still took the time to learn the law while I did it.  So now, come bar exam time I know I'll be straight while they're squirming.

[Burning Sands, Esq.]

Everyone who told me to relax over the summer didn't do well their first year. So I wasn't going to take their advice. I just wanted to do something that might help my odds of doing well and I got lucky.

Well I'm an example of a person who would tell you to relax over the summer and I made law review, so what does that tell ya?

I'm glad you realize that you did, in fact, get lucky with the prepping thing.

I do have to reiterate for the record that I agree with Jdohno on doing SOMETHING before day 1 of law school.  Again, I can't stress enough to the Pre-Law's out there, read Planet Law School.  It will get your mind right so you're not walkin in there blind on day 1.  He keeps it raw & uncut in that book and tells you all the bad sh!t about law school in full detail. It might even make you rethink going to law school. 

[blk_reign]

I relaxed the summer before my first yr and spent the majority of the summer enjoying my family (came out with my JD in the top 10%) .. i graduated in december and began my Master's program in January.. law school in the fall.. so i knew that in order for me to step into the game properly.. i needed to rest for the summer..

i agree with you in that different things work for different people.. however i don't believe that law school is a shock to the system necessarily.. it just lets you know that play time is over and it's time to be serious.. the games that were played in undergrad cannot be played in law school...

if u slacked on studying in undergrad.. step up your game or you will fail... or barely get by


i do suggest that you guys invest in Emanuel's Professional Responsibilty flash cards.. it definitely helped me prepare for the PR exam..

audiotapes will also help a great deal as you are getting geared up to study for the bar exam... sometimes it's easier to retain the information when it's spoken to you.. and u can pop an audiotape in when you drive..work out..eat.. or whatever activity you're doing....

I didn't come to law school straight from undergrad so you were already in school mode. I worked for a few years. So I knew I had to get back into that school mode. I'm not saying that prepping is the only way. And it wasn't intensive. A few hours out of my day. But I disagree with just doing nothing over the summer. Law school is a shock to the system. Even doing something two weeks before school starts might not be a big help but it's something. Again it depends on the person. Everyone who told me to relax over the summer didn't do well their first year. So I wasn't going to take their advice. I just wanted to do something that might help my odds of doing well and I got lucky.

I disagree on the prepping issue for the most part.  And, if I was prepping, I would take maybe 2 weeks before classes started and listen to tapes. I don't think anything else out there is going to be as user friendly, especially not a book.  jdonno is right about what's on the bar exam.  I have started looking at questions for the mbe and looking over the format for the bar exam this summer, and roughly half of the bar consists of the first year topics--Contracts, Civ Pro, Torts, Property, Crim Law and Con Law (then add some evidence, which most people take in their second year).  So learn as much during your first year as you can, because this stuff is going to be on the bar exam.

 

[smujd2007]

I think jdonno and I, like sands and jdonno, will have to agree to disagree on the prepping issue.  But I am going to say one last thing about why I personally don't believe in prepping and I strongly believe in resting. Law is not easy stuff. Its complex in ways that as a pre 1L you can't even imagine yet. If you go in thinking--I've had all of my fun, I've taken that last trip, I've seen all of my family members, tying up all of those loose ends in LIFE, not law school (because, believe me, there is life outside of law school--there has to be)--then you will be more focused and the complexity won't matter, because you'll be motivated to stick with it until you get it. If you haven't done all of those other things, while you are drowning in caselaw, you will be tempted to go do some of these things. This is because you are burned out . . .it has nothing to do with weakness or maturity level. I am different from both jdonno and sands because I went to law school straight from undergrad. They have had to live in the real world for a minute, so prepping might be useful in their situation (even though sands doesn't agree). And they might be able to figure out  But I tell everyone that asks me for advice to get some rest, take a break before law school, because its going to be a long, hard year.

I have heard this advice both from people who have been successful as far as grades and from those who have not.

The dean of my law school himself said, when I told him that I was resting this summer, that it was a very smart and ensible thing to do. Law school is hard. Take some time, somehow, to adjust to it. Take some time to enjoy life. I think this is why so many lawyers wake up one day, and their like 35, working at some law firm, saying: Why the hell amd I here? Believe it or not, your personal quality of life is more important than getting on law review . . .

I didn't come to law school straight from undergrad so you were already in school mode. I worked for a few years. So I knew I had to get back into that school mode. I'm not saying that prepping is the only way. And it wasn't intensive. A few hours out of my day. But I disagree with just doing nothing over the summer. Law school is a shock to the system. Even doing something two weeks before school starts might not be a big help but it's something. Again it depends on the person. Everyone who told me to relax over the summer didn't do well their first year. So I wasn't going to take their advice. I just wanted to do something that might help my odds of doing well and I got lucky.

I disagree on the prepping issue for the most part.  And, if I was prepping, I would take maybe 2 weeks before classes started and listen to tapes. I don't think anything else out there is going to be as user friendly, especially not a book.  jdonno is right about what's on the bar exam.  I have started looking at questions for the mbe and looking over the format for the bar exam this summer, and roughly half of the bar consists of the first year topics--Contracts, Civ Pro, Torts, Property, Crim Law and Con Law (then add some evidence, which most people take in their second year).  So learn as much during your first year as you can, because this stuff is going to be on the bar exam.

 

[HBCU.EDU]

That's why I'm not doing a damn thing for the summer.

I think jdonno and I, like sands and jdonno, will have to agree to disagree on the prepping issue.  But I am going to say one last thing about why I personally don't believe in prepping and I strongly believe in resting. Law is not easy stuff. Its complex in ways that as a pre 1L you can't even imagine yet. If you go in thinking--I've had all of my fun, I've taken that last trip, I've seen all of my family members, tying up all of those loose ends in LIFE, not law school (because, believe me, there is life outside of law school--there has to be)--then you will be more focused and the complexity won't matter, because you'll be motivated to stick with it until you get it. If you haven't done all of those other things, while you are drowning in caselaw, you will be tempted to go do some of these things. This is because you are burned out . . .it has nothing to do with weakness or maturity level. I am different from both jdonno and sands because I went to law school straight from undergrad. They have had to live in the real world for a minute, so prepping might be useful in their situation (even though sands doesn't agree). And they might be able to figure out  But I tell everyone that asks me for advice to get some rest, take a break before law school, because its going to be a long, hard year.

I have heard this advice both from people who have been successful as far as grades and from those who have not.

The dean of my law school himself said, when I told him that I was resting this summer, that it was a very smart and ensible thing to do. Law school is hard. Take some time, somehow, to adjust to it. Take some time to enjoy life. I think this is why so many lawyers wake up one day, and their like 35, working at some law firm, saying: Why the hell amd I here? Believe it or not, your personal quality of life is more important than getting on law review . . .

I didn't come to law school straight from undergrad so you were already in school mode. I worked for a few years. So I knew I had to get back into that school mode. I'm not saying that prepping is the only way. And it wasn't intensive. A few hours out of my day. But I disagree with just doing nothing over the summer. Law school is a shock to the system. Even doing something two weeks before school starts might not be a big help but it's something. Again it depends on the person. Everyone who told me to relax over the summer didn't do well their first year. So I wasn't going to take their advice. I just wanted to do something that might help my odds of doing well and I got lucky.

I disagree on the prepping issue for the most part.  And, if I was prepping, I would take maybe 2 weeks before classes started and listen to tapes. I don't think anything else out there is going to be as user friendly, especially not a book.  jdonno is right about what's on the bar exam.  I have started looking at questions for the mbe and looking over the format for the bar exam this summer, and roughly half of the bar consists of the first year topics--Contracts, Civ Pro, Torts, Property, Crim Law and Con Law (then add some evidence, which most people take in their second year).  So learn as much during your first year as you can, because this stuff is going to be on the bar exam.

 

[smujd2007]

blk . . .when did you take the pr exam?

[blk_reign]

and the church said Amen...
----

SMU I took it 3L

 Believe it or not, your personal quality of life is more important than getting on law review .