Is anyone doing a summer pre-law program to get ready for 1L?

[UNC0L]

I've heard of a couple summer programs lately, and I'm wondering if they are worthwhile.  Some of them seem like they could be helpful.  But then again, they could be a waste of time.  Anybody know anything about these things, or plan to attend one?

Some of them are offered by colleges and universities, but seem more... philosophical.. more "soft".. less focused on the actual 1L coursework...   like these http://www.lawschoolprepcourse.com/Resources/Articles/UndergradPre-LawProg.htm

Some of them are only for students with low LSATs/GPAs so I probably couldn't qualify... like CLEO http://cleoscholars.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=522&parentID=531&grandparentID=531&nodeID=2

And some are privately run, but seem more like they try to model 1L, like this http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/lss/1101481822.html

Is anybody doing anything like this?  Is there any way that a 6 or 8 week course in the summer could actually help you prepare for 1L? 

If you're signed up for something like this, or considering it, can you tell me which one/where I can look it up?

[sheltron5000]

law preview and bar/bri (i think) are the two big ones. I decided not to do one, I thought about it but changed my mind after reading a few books.

Try law school confidential and LAW 101.

[UNC0L]

I'm primarily interested in getting a jump on some actual coursework---  not on how law school is, generally... but actually reading the cases, outlining, etc...  seeing what the work will really be like. I'll check out "Law Preview". 

[sheltron5000]

That seems to be the big one. It's about a thousand dollars and they do a day of JUST exam writing. Plus it's in like a million cities (more like ten)

I just don't think it's going to be worth it for me. After reading law school confidential and 1000 days to the bar, I feel like I have a good grasp on HOW to study, and Law 101 seems like a really good 1L overview.
Between those, getting to maybe, the guerilla guide, and sites like this, I really am not worried about it.

If you're more worried than me, something like law preview (where they use actual cases/professors from T1 schools) could probably do a lot to settle your mind.

Check out their websites, but register soon or they'll hit you with late registration penalties.

[zippyandzap]

:lol: no

[just Trev]

law 101 by roche, or feinman??

[sheltron5000]

feinman, it's a little dry, and he really needs an editor, but the material is there.

[k0em9u]

I'm primarily interested in getting a jump on some actual coursework---  not on how law school is, generally... but actually reading the cases, outlining, etc...  seeing what the work will really be like. I'll check out "Law Preview". 

My general recommendation would be against doing this. If you are hellbent on "preparing" for law school, get some Crunchtime or E&E books and get a general overview of the law (civ pro, con, torts, crim and property). Reading cases without any form of guidance or direction is, I believe, going to do more damage than good.

Another alternative, and perhaps better one, would be to refresh writing skills, unless you are particularly good at 'business writing". Anyhow, there's no need to feel like you _need_ to prepare in the summer.

I spent my whole 0L summer "f-ing around". Essentially just relaxing, partying with friends I knew I wouldn't see much in the year to come, traveled a bit. Pretty much did anything that had absolutely nothing to do with academics whatsoever.

You're going to spend so many hours learning the law the next year, don't waste your summer doing the same. It isn't going to put you ahead of the curve, and more likely than not just turn you into an anxious gunner Nobody likes a gunner. Even the other gunners don't like a gunner.

[just Trev]

I'm primarily interested in getting a jump on some actual coursework---  not on how law school is, generally... but actually reading the cases, outlining, etc...  seeing what the work will really be like. I'll check out "Law Preview". 

My general recommendation would be against doing this. If you are hellbent on "preparing" for law school, get some Crunchtime or E&E books and get a general overview of the law (civ pro, con, torts, crim and property). Reading cases without any form of guidance or direction is, I believe, going to do more damage than good.

Another alternative, and perhaps better one, would be to refresh writing skills, unless you are particularly good at 'business writing". Anyhow, there's no need to feel like you _need_ to prepare in the summer.

I spent my whole 0L summer "f-ing around". Essentially just relaxing, partying with friends I knew I wouldn't see much in the year to come, traveled a bit. Pretty much did anything that had absolutely nothing to do with academics whatsoever.

You're going to spend so many hours learning the law the next year, don't waste your summer doing the same. It isn't going to put you ahead of the curve, and more likely than not just turn you into an anxious gunner Nobody likes a gunner. Even the other gunners don't like a gunner.

how did this affect your grades?  were you in the top 10%?  i don't mean this in a negative way, i am honestly curious.

[k0em9u]

My school doesn't rank, but based on my GPA I would assume I am somewhere between 10% and 15%. And none of the people I know that are in the "A average range" strikes me as the obsessive crammers either. I honestly think success in law school is more about focusing on the right stuff than going all gung ho about the reading. Always keep the exams in mind. Don't read to impress your professor when called on, read to impress him on the finals.

Edit: I'll throw in another 2 cents here actually. I went to law school with very little pressure, I don't need class rank, and I do not care about class rank. This is not because I'm a super cool surfer dude from Cali, but simply because I am only taking law school to strengthen the career I had before law school. Thus, no pressure of getting into BigLaw. Somewhat ironically, I think this has helped me. It appears to me that I am "freaking out" a lot less than the other people in my class seems to be, especially come exam time. Maybe anxiousness isn't something people can turn on and off, but if you can, I'm gonna recommend going for off.