First year law school classes vary from school to school. However, the majority of schools follow a traditional law school curriculum that includes some basic first year (or 1L) classes. You can read about the exact first year law school classes you are likely to see here.
The traditional law school curriculum includes the following classes: Read more
Looking to improve your law school grades?As first semester grades roll in, many students find themselves to be disappointed. If you are disappointed with your grades, you should keep in mind that the curve your first year of law school is very tough. Very few A’s are given. The vast majority of students get B’s and C’s. Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean that you can’t change your strategy your next semester and improve your law school grades. If you are looking to improve your law school GPA, it is a good idea to take an inventory of your study habits your last semester and look for ways to improve them. Start by asking yourself the following questions: Read more
Should I Join a Law School Study Group?Some students love study groups. Others would much rather study by themselves. If you have been studying solo thus far in law school, you may be wondering if you are missing out by not taking part in a law school study group. If you are considering joining a study group, there are a few things to keep in mind: Read more
Last Minute Tips on How to Write Law School Exam Answers “….Then Dave saw Paul put his hand in his coat pocket and grab something. Before Paul could take his hand out of his pocket, Dave took out his gun and immediately shot Paul in the head. Paul died within seconds of being shot. The prosecutor charges Dave with first degree murder. You are counsel for Dave. What arguments will you make?”
Before discussing when to start outlining in law school, let’s answer a more important question:
Outlining is the process of condensing all of your class notes, cases, and everything you learn throughout the semester into something that is manageable and easy to learn. In law school, you will be expected to make an outline for each of your substantive law classes (such as Contracts, Criminal Law, Torts, Civil Procedure). The only course you will not be expected to make an outline for is any Legal Research or Writing class you may have. (For an in-depth guide to outlining, see this post.) Read more
If you are having trouble learning the law, it is helpful to try new strategies. The best way to revamp your study time may be to figure out what your learning style is and then use it to study in a way that suits you the best. There are plenty of good learning style quizzes out there, including this very good one. Read more
How should I study for multiple-choice questions on law school exams?
Traditionally, law school exams did not contain multiple-choice questions. However, it has become more popular for law school exams to include a section of multiple-choice questions. Some professors even use exams entirely composed of multiple-choice questions. If multiple-choice makes up a component of your exam, how should you study for it? Read more
Open Book vs. Closed Book Exam: Should I prepare any differently? Yes and no.
In some ways, you should prepare for an open book exam the exact same way as you would prepare for a closed book exam. You should make good outlines and know them cold. You should commit your outlines to memory. You should never feel as though you depend on your outline being in front of you to answer a question – even if you have the option to consult it throughout the entire exam. The best students barely consult their outlines at all during an open book exam. Read more
Final exa
ms are just around the corner. An outline is your best tool for learning all of the law that you need to know in time for your final exams. An outline will help you condense the material that you have learned over the semester into something that is manageable and easy to learn. A stellar outline can make the difference between an A and a B, or a B and a C. Here are some tips for creating law school outlines: Read more
Understanding the primary differences between law school and college will help you in two ways:
On the morning of your final exam, there are a few things you should do. Here is a law school final exam day checklist of things to consider doing the morning of your final exam.
1. Eat a healthy breakfast. Include some carbs, some protein, and some caffeine (if you are used to it…but don’t overdo it!)
2. Read some news articles or do something to get your brain working, but not anything that is too intense. (Some people do crossword puzzles or sudoku!) Read more
Final exams are happening right now in every law school. Here are some last-minute tips for writing law school exam answers. These come from our law school exam course guide. To read more tips, download our free ebook here.
Five Tips for Writing Law School Exam Answers:
1. Show your work! Even if you do not use “IRAC” explicitly, still make sure that you have provided a logical analysis of all of the issues. Don’t make statements like, “Sarah will not be liable for battery because there was no actual contact that occurred…” without defining the elements of battery. A lot of students tend to be conclusory – and lose points because of it. To avoid this, make sure you are spelling out the rules of law as well as the analysis that gets you to whatever conclusion you arrive at for each issue you spot. It’s like when you were taking math tests in college or high school… you probably had to show your work to get full credit. Think of law school as being the same. Show your work. Spell out the rules of law before arriving at conclusions. The rule statements and the analysis that you provide gets you the most points anyway. Read more
A good law school study schedule can make a big difference in your grades. A good study schedule can also save you stress, give you a sense of control and lower your anxiety during law school. If you are looking for a way to improve your law school grades and lower your stress level, consider creating and following a hand-crafted study routine.
Note: if you haven’t yet downloaded our free guide on how to succeed in law school, do so here!
Even better, join our FREE law school prep course here! We discuss how to create a study schedule in great detail!
Resolutions of a Successful Law StudentWant to make a New Year’s resolution that will have the side effect of making you a better law student? Here are some New Year’s Resolutions that will help you to succeed in law school:
1. Exercise regularly. Exercise is good for your body and your brain. Not only can it give you a nice study break and re-energize you, but it can also help you to learn and encode information.
Wondering how to make a law school study group as effective as possible? A good law school study group can make the difference between a high GPA and a low GPA. When done right, a good law school study group will enlighten group members, clarify difficult concepts, and better prepare everyone for the final exam. If you are planning on forming a law school study group this semester and you want to make sure you get the most out of it, follow these tips. Read more
