NOT going to class

[michaelmclees]

Not attending class as a 1L will get you into trouble sooner or later.  You won't know what topics your professor finds important and it will put you in bad habits for later.  Attend, Read, Participate, Study, Repeat.

You may pass your classes; you may even make an A once in a while depending on how steep your school's curve is.  But when you eventually find yourself with a D or an F, you'll be hard pressed to justify the behavior you described.  And what will that do to your confidence when the Bar Exam rolls around?  Nothing good.  I promise.

[TheDudeMan]

You base this on what?  I got good grades all through law school and missed plenty of classes.  What you say is flat out wrong.  Class attendance, while helpful, is not necessary to succeed in law school. 

[michaelmclees]

You base this on what?  I got good grades all through law school and missed plenty of classes.  What you say is flat out wrong.  Class attendance, while helpful, is not necessary to succeed in law school. 

I base this on the fact that after 3 years of law school, I noticed trends.  People who seldom read or attended class tended to make lower grades than their more studious counterparts.  You're argument is sort of like the one you hear smokers make, "I know 3 people who smoked all their lives and never got cancer."  Are you seriously advising a 1L to not attend class?

[M_Cool]

really?  cuz all I noticed was that people ASSUMED this kind of stuff when in reality it was some random person you didn't know even attended your school with the highest grades

[michaelmclees]

Not attending class may have worked for you guys.  But I'm sticking with my original advice.  Participate in class and you'll be better off than you will be if you don't.  I really don't see how this is at all controversial.

[TheDudeMan]

Not attending class may have worked for you guys.  But I'm sticking with my original advice.  Participate in class and you'll be better off than you will be if you don't.  I really don't see how this is at all controversial.

It's not controversial.  It's just wrong.  You should attend class, yes, but because you paid for it.  It has no correlation to grades at most higher ranked schools.  Maybe at TTT's where they count class participation and the profs make exams based around lectures to monitor attendance, but the reality is the kid with the hornbook and an outline from a friend who never came to class can easily blow you out of the water on exam day if he preps properly.

[xxspykex]

^ that. Profs take attendance because the ABA requires them to do so. If you miss more then something like 4 classes you get dropped from the class (depending on how long each of your classes are and how many days a week they meet).

Actually, the ABA requires attendance, but they don't require law schools to take attendance.... My school and many other higher ranked schools don't take attendance.

I'd put money on it that my school is probably higher ranked then yours and profs take attendance. Also the lectures are extremely interesting and helpful considering the profs here are some of the most insane, crazy smart, write the treaties and commercial codes on the topic type of people. I find it hard to believe at a high ranked school that you don't find the classes helpful.

EDIT- Nevermind. I got it. Nice flame. feminine hygiene product.

[T. Durden]

can you still pass all of your classes during ur first year even if u dont go to them?
I find most of my classes very disorganized and unhelpful. It seems like we are constantly
just talking about random hypotheticals that doesnt really relate to what we learn from the book.

To put it briefly, I dont think i am getting ANYTHING out of my classes and even some things I do get, I seem to forget very quickly (or could have learned the same thing by reading casebook myself)
So, is it possible to pass your final exams without going to class?
Has anyone done this as 1L? Any input would be appreciated.

My highest grade in law school (A+) came in a class that I went to literally ~10% of the time.

There is, however, a caveat: I had taken two classes with the prof before. Maybe this helped me better understand what he was looking for, etc. come exam time?

[LawStudent999]

Go to class,most schools have attendance policies anyways. It generates good will with the professors, and in most classes you can avoid the Socratic method by volunteering.. I'm no gunner by any means, but I volunteer on a consistent basis and my professors really don't call on me- they call on the students who don't volunteer or who, as stated, don't show.

[moneymanager]

I miss class all the time, have good grades, go to a good school, and have a Biglaw offer.  Get over yourself dude.  If you want to go to class because you want to, awesome, but don't act like you need to go to succeed in law school because you flat out don't.

This, and other similar comments regarding class attendance, seem to help make the case for distance/internet based law schools.