<p>i always find it funny when people ask for advice on how to do well in law school. believe me, i was no different as a 1L, but i quickly realized that you need to find your own way to do well. one thing that is true regardless of how you study: you will work much harder than you did in undergrad, and probably more than you ever have in an academic setting. </p>
<p>there is no one correct method. also, i’ve used different methods for different classes. the bottom line however, is that i’d estimate 75% of students in any given class will have very comparable knowledge of the law. almost all law school exams are NOT about knowledge (everyone has a similar amount of it before an exam), it is about being able to spot key issues, analyze them, and articulate your thoughts in a clear way during a pressure-filled 3 hours. </p>
<p>so in essence, the answer is do what you need to in order to not only synthesize what you need to know, but to prepare you for the actual exam.</p>
<p>If the Big Law ship has sailed and someone is making 55-60k a year with 200 k in law school debt, would this be better for someone who thinks they will love the job? I could go make that same money right after college with my engineering degree, but I have had an engineering internship and know that I wouldn’t like the work. Honestly, if I could still live reasonably with that debt and payload, and enjoy my work, I would be happy. No, it’s not ideal, but who cares. Nothing is ever really ideal, and the economy sucks, anyways.</p>
<p>how are you sure you’d enjoy practicing law substantially more than engineering to warrant 200k in debt? </p>
<p>200k in debt is crushing when big law is no longer a possibility and you are stuck with a position that only pays around 50-70k.</p>
<p>however, note that, depending on what school you get into/currently go to, you should have a strong chance at big law with a engineering degree. students with hard science/engineering backgrounds are much more in demand for ip work and employers will be less “choosy” in that grades or personality don’t matter nearly as much when compared to big law hiring for other practice areas.</p>
<p>LaBarrister: if you could stomach engineering while going to law school at night, why not do that? You could pay for most of it as you went, then take your five figures of student loan debt and get almost any decently-paying lawyer job and be able to make ends meet. </p>
<p>ksannyu: “Why do employers only look at 1/3 of a student’s overall law school perofrmance?”</p>
<p>Usually, students who get BigLaw jobs upon graduation had those jobs during their 2L summer (which functions like a two-month interview process for the firm); they interviewed for those 2L summer jobs during the first semester of 2L year. At that time, only 1L grades are available.</p>
<p>Also, Law Review and law journals select students at the end of 1L year or the beginning of 2L year; if a law firm wants a student who is on Law Review, then that again depends on 1L grades. (My journal had a write-on competition that did not factor in grades at all, but many journals use 1L grades, at least in part, for admission.)</p>
<p>Take timed practice tests. Timed. You shouldn’t worry too much about elegant explanations and discourse during the exam. What you want is quick and dirty. Identify as many issues and quasi issues as possible, spit out possible resolution and move on. This is why taking timed tests are so important in my view. You have to train your brain to hit an issue quick and move on. There is a tendency to get into long winded discussions over multiple cups of coffee when you’re studying in groups. Its interesting, but I don’t think it helps for finals.</p>
<p>So…you don’t want people to tell you the truth unless they believe a truth that conforms to your hopes? Okay then.</p>
<p>If there were a formula to getting high grades 1L year, everyone would do it, and the curve would still award A’s to a small fraction of the class. There isn’t any formula. Your 1L grades are largely out of your control. Most of the class will be smart and work hard. People who do everything right sometimes tank. It doesn’t make sense to go to law school unless you can accept that risk.</p>
<p>I guess that working as a chemical engineer while attending law school at night is an option. I should also head to an oil company for employment if I want the most bang for my buck, right?</p>