<p>Just wondering... How long does it take to get a JD?</p>
<p>Law school is a three year program leading to the J.D.</p>
<p>Is it quite hard?</p>
<p>Difficulty is relative, but law school is certainly a lot harder and more intense than college.</p>
<p>Sally (and others through or in law school),</p>
<p>I am interested in hearing about the workload required in law school. Is there a rough way of equating it to the level of work that might be required to complete a certain number of credit hours per semester in undergraduate school?</p>
<p>when you compare the work in college to law school you really just can't compare the number of hours -- the type of work is just different. you read cases differently than you read textbooks -- the same number of pages of reading means much different things -- it is not uncommon for students who could easily get through hundreds of pages of work a week in college to find themselves challenged by a few dozen pages of work. </p>
<p>you read a case and think you understand it -- then you go to class and realize you didn't. so the next case you read even more carefully trying to figure out what the professor will try to unearth from it -- you think you got it only again to feel you were wrong. eventually you realize that no matter how much you find in that case, there will more that the professor's questioning will unearth. and thats another thing too -- in college, classes much more passive (at least in my experience) -- you read, you listened to a lecture, you took a test and tried to spit back what you read and heard. in law school, they really do use the socratic method for the most part (for anyone who has seen The Paper Chase) -- the professor doesn't stand their and lecture to tell you the answers -- he/she uses questioning to try to get the students to find the answers -- sometimes the answers are clear (there is a clear rule of law), but many times it isn't - especially during that first year, it seems. you focus on tiny distinctions to see if there are really any differences between cases.</p>
<p>then another factor with respect to workload is what you take on outside of just the class room - eg, do you do law review or moot court? we're not just talking about "extracurrics" like in college where you might decide to join if you have time -- these are additional activities that many feel will distinguish them in the job market and many bright students choose to participate (if they are academically able to do so). and they can involve huge commitments of time outside the classroom.</p>
<p>the first year is the hardest -- most of the courses (depends on the school exactly) are required. you are learning a new way of learning. there is a lot of pressure -- the amount that comes from others depends on the school, but there is also alot of self-generated pressure to do well. once you start taking electives you are more likely to be in fields where there are more tangible answers (or at least it begins to feel that way). most people i knew felt by third year that things were manageable and that their only worry was preparing for the bar exam -- which, especially if you attend a top law school, you will have in no way been prepared for by your law school.</p>
<p>unbelievablem ,</p>
<p>Thanks for your description. When I was in graduate school for engineering, I worked all day, everyday, with little time for fun, friends, family and other things. But, I was 23 and did not really need to pay attention to other things. Now, 5 years later, I have a wife and a child on the way, and I know the same type of effort to the exclusion of everything else would not be smart. I guess my concern is whether or not it is reasonable to expect to be able to do well without devoting every waking hour to it.</p>
<p>I think that was an excellent summary, unbelievablem.</p>
<p>The only thing that I will add is that if you look at the size of a law school textbook, and imagine that there are cases/passages/chapters that you will have to read multiple times to make any sense of what is there, you can imagine the workload from the reading alone. On top of that, during your first year, you will spend approximately 15-18 hours per week just in class -- and another big difference from college is that the vast majority of law students will always go to class -- focusing on every word your professors say, both because his or her insights are valuable (and helpful if you don't fully understand what you read for class) and because the socratic method means that at any moment you could be in the spotlight, answering the professor's next question. After class, there is, of course, more reading for your classes. Many, if not most, students also spend time outside of class putting together outlines of class, reviewing their notes, reading commercially available outlines, if necessary (Gilberts, Emanuels), looking at treatises, and reading those footnotes! You will also be taking legal writing during your first year, where you learn to do legal research and write briefs, memoranda, etc. There will be varied amounts of work that come from your legal writing course over your first year -- sometimes you will be overwhelmed and other times you will have only moderate additional work to do. </p>
<p>I think that the biggest difference here is that catching up is difficult, if not impossible, to do. If you haven't "gotten it" by the end of the semester, no amount of cramming for finals is going to save you. Your entire grade for each semester in law school is based on your final exam -- and your professor won't know which exam is yours (everything is graded blindly to encourage students to speak their minds in class and share what may be controversial opinions) so all of that brownnosing you did will mean nothing to your grade. There are no make up exams and no opportunities for extra credit. Your first year grades will be all you have to show to potential employers during on campus interviews first semester second year, so you need to do well. Things change a bit second and third year, as you take more seminars and classes that may have different formats.</p>
<p>At the beginning of the second semester of your first year, you will also start the job hunt for a summer job. You will draft a resume and dozens of cover letters. You will go on some interviews. All of this takes place while classes are ongoing and the work is piling up. </p>
<p>Of course, I think that the most difficult semester in all of law school is first semester second year, when you are interviewing, going on call back interviews, working on law review/journal (very time consuming!) and taking 16 credits or more of classes. Ouch!</p>
<p>CareerChange have you taken your LSAT yet and are you in this cycle for admissions? Out of curiosity how much work experience do you have?</p>
<p>CareerChange,
I went to law school with a bunch of people who had families and children and/or other important obligations, like caring for a sick relative. They all managed to make it through. That said, I'm not certain what any of their grades were, but I do recall that they were not involved with law review/journals, which take up an inordinate amount of time. </p>
<p>Sally</p>
<p>Hazmat,
I take the LSAT in a month and yes I will be in this cycle. I finished the MS in December of 01 and have worked since-roughly 4.5 year. </p>
<p>Sally,
Was there any resentment toward these people for not being as engaged, etc?</p>
<p>i also knew several people in law school doing it with young families -- one common factor from what i recall was spouses who were increbily supportive. also realize that although there will be many law students who are not straight out of college, having a family to worry about will put you in a different place than many (though probably not all) of your colleagues. </p>
<p>i recall one classmate with young children telling me about how hard it was to find a preschool for her child when her family relocated in order for her to attend our school -- she then referred to another classmate who had commiserated with her by complaining about how relocating had resulted in his having a problem finding a parking spot for his car -- she didn't have much sympathy for him needless to say. different times of life make different issues seem important.</p>
<p>but then again, since there will be many students who do not attend straight out of college, chances are you wouldn't be alone in your situation. i would suggest that if you continue to pursue law school one of the things you look at is whether a school you are interested in generally has many married students with families -- it would probably help both you and your family if you are in a situation where there will be others similarly situated. seeif you can talk to someone in that situation to see what they have to say.</p>
<p>I took my exam in June, and am also applying in this cycle, w/o your work experience. I also will have a masters but not in engineering. I have looked into some joint law programs but there is heavy emphasis on work experience so I feel that I am not a good candidate for say MBA joint. </p>
<p>I wish you good outcomes.</p>
<p>Was there any resentment toward these people for not being as engaged, etc?</p>
<p>Absolutely not. All of my classmates with families were just as much a part of our classroom life as any other classmate. I was very friendly with many of them. No, they didn't head out drinking with us, and they weren't at too many parties that I can recall, but everyone was always really psyched when they would bring their kids up to school, and they were treated no differently than anyone else. I do recall that many of the married with family students did tend to be better friends with the other married with family students, but you would expect that since they probably had a lot in common. I remember thinking that it was really great to have students from so many different backgrounds, with so many different experiences and maturity levels in school with me. It really made some of the classroom discussions very interesting (and we often stayed way beyond the end of class to watch and participate in some of the (sometimes very passionate) debate and discussion). </p>
<p>Depending on how cut-throat the law school you would go to is, the other students may actually be pretty psyched that you're not competing with them for law review or moot court.</p>
<p>Do you have to have a pre-law BA or so to go to law school? What if i took criminology as a BA and wanted to go, would that be alright?</p>
<p>I would recommend staying away from majors like "pre-law" and "criminology".</p>
<p>I have a technical background, and I'm wondering if I can be admitted for law school. What kind of preparation should I do before apply?</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>I would recommend staying away from majors like "pre-law" and "criminology".</p>
<p>what does this mean?</p>
<p>It means that typically people who major in those are, ironically, the least prepared for law school.</p>
<p>I am a stay at home mom. I completed my Master’s in bilingual/bicultural education in December 2009. I substituted for one year after graduating. I am very interested in attending law school but am unsure of ability to attend a traditional campus. I have been reading up on Concord University and the JD program they offer. Everything about this program, including tuition, works for me for the exception that I would not be able to sit for the Illinois State Bar examination. I am not looking to have a fast paced career after graduation or work for any prestigious law firms. All I would want to do is work in my community and enjoy my family. Any ideas or additional information about online law schools? Also, what would I be able to do with a JD from an online law school?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>