Before law school, try finding a lawyer in your local community who would be willing to mentor you and pursue opportunities to shadow or participate as a volunteer in cases.
Experiences will help you to decide whether the legal profession is a suitable career choice. Furthermore, they will serve as invaluable insight for application and interview processes.
Prepare for the Bar Exam
Law school admission and passing the bar exam should be two of your top goals, so it’s crucial that you begin planning for these goals early to maximize your chance of success.
One of the best things you can do for yourself is taking plenty of practice tests. This will allow you to become comfortable with the format and learn information across a variety of topics; additionally, this practice test process can give insight into your strengths and weaknesses.
Create a study schedule. This will ensure that you stay on track with your studies and avoid burnout, including food, sleep and any other obligations into it.
Finally, professional academic support should not be underestimated. Most law schools offer dedicated academic support officers that can give advice and guidance for succeeding in law school as well as connect you with like-minded classmates. Speak with this individual before entering law school about any concerns you might have so they can offer immediate help – they are there to support!
Get to Know Your Professors
Your law school professors can be invaluable resources throughout your law school journey. They understand the system, can offer guidance on academic and professional success, may be the first to hear of a job opening within their field and could serve as one of your reference writers in four years’ time. Therefore it’s crucial that you establish positive relationships early with each one.
As soon as possible, attend admissions fairs or forums hosted by your undergraduate institution and LSAC. Doing this will give you an understanding of the law school application process, helping to equip you to apply more successfully.
Next, develop a study plan for yourself during your 1L year and beyond. Without an effective study plan in place, students find it challenging to keep up with assigned reading. When creating your plan, be sure to account for time for reviewing cases, creating outlines and taking practice exams – not forgetting time spent with family and friends as well as hobbies!
Create a Study Plan
One factor that makes law school feel like a full time job is its expectation that students devote significant amounts of time studying. This is particularly true for 1Ls who must quickly grasp legal concepts through reading cases. As 1Ls transition into classes and understanding the law on their own through case reading, they often become overwhelmed and stressed out trying to balance classes, study time, and other engagements all at the same time – therefore creating an early study schedule is vitally important.
Employing your class schedule and syllabus, create a schedule for yourself that includes hours dedicated to studying, reading and writing each day. Don’t forget meals, sleep and any outside commitments outside school! Furthermore, note any dates designated for outlining, sample exams or any other assignments.
Keep a calendar or planner with multiple color markers for each course or topic that you are working on, making it easier to track where you should focus your energy. Be flexible; some days may call for taking a break; or perhaps there is an important family or work event you must attend.
Practice Exam Questions
To prepare for the bar exam, it is wise to take multiple practice exams throughout your semester. This will enable you to understand how rules should be applied more rapidly on test day as well as understand which questions typically appear on a bar examination.
Practice questions can often be found at the back of textbooks or as standalone online resources. When taking practice questions, resist the urge to peek at notes or the answer! Part of what makes practice questions helpful is their active learning component – but peeking can disrupt this process and diminish its efficacy.
As you prepare for law school, make sure to take advantage of networking opportunities with students and alumni from your prospective schools. They could serve as valuable contacts when job hunting comes around or may even act as recommenders when applying. It’s crucial that these relationships be formed early so you have a solid network when law school begins!
Ask for Help
Building the skills to navigate law school successfully is essential, yet challenging for many students. Working with an undergraduate career center counselor or pre-law advisor to develop these capabilities may prove invaluable; such assistance could include helping determine how your background and transcript might prepare you for law school and which courses might strengthen them further.
As part of your application process, it is also crucial that you ask pertinent questions. Doing so demonstrates your serious interest in law school and helps ensure you understand how its programs and features align with your academic and career objectives.
Many students are surprised to discover that asking for assistance can be seen as an option, particularly first generation law school students who may fear their professors will view them differently if they admit not understanding course material or being unable to complete certain types of assignments. Seeking assistance ensures you’re receiving top instruction and support throughout your legal school career.