Law School for Dummies
The straightforward guide to surviving and thriving in law school\ Every year more than 40,000 students enter law school and at any given moment there are over 125,000 law school students in the United States. Law school’s highly pressurized, super-competitive atmosphere often leaves students stressed out and confused, especially in their first year. Balancing life and schoolwork, passing the bar, and landing a job are challenges that students often need help facing. In Law School For...
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The straightforward guide to surviving and thriving in law school Every year more than 40,000 students enter law school and at any given moment there are over 125,000 law school students in the United States. Law school’s highly pressurized, super-competitive atmosphere often leaves students stressed out and confused, especially in their first year. Balancing life and schoolwork, passing the bar, and landing a job are challenges that students often need help facing. In Law School For Dummies, former law school student Rebecca Fae Greene uses straight talk, sound advice, and gentle humor to help students sort through the swamp of coursework and focus on what’s important–all while maintaining a life. She also offers rare insight on the law school experience for women, minorities, non-traditional, and non-Ivy League students.
Introduction1About This Book1How to Use This Book2Conventions Used in This Book3Foolish Assumptions3How This Book Is Organized3Icons Used in This Book5Where to Go from Here6Part IConsidering Law School7Chapter 1Exploring the Realities of Law School9Demystifying the Law School Experience9Assessing Whether You Can Make It in Law School11Considering Other Important Factors before Deciding on Law School13Glimpsing the Law School Experience Year by Year14Charting the Law School Course15Chapter 2Appreciating Diversity in Your Law School Class19Everyone Goes to Law School for Different Reasons20Changing Times, Changing Demographics20Chapter 3Choosing the Best Law School for You31Deciding Whether You Want to Be a Big or Small Fish in the Law School Pond31Making Sense of Reach Schools, Likelies, and Safeties32Weighing the Key Qualities of Law Schools33Visiting Law Schools40Chapter 4Using Battle-Tested Application Strategies to Succeed45Demystifying the Application Process46Getting the Most Out of Your Prelaw Advisor52Making Your Application Stand Out: The Steps to Success54Improving Your LSAT Savvy58Navigating the Nuts and Bolts of the Law Schools Data Assembly Service (LSDAS)62Glimpsing What LSAT Scores Can Get You into Law School65Playing the "Weighting" Game66Handling the Outcome of the Application Process67Deciding to Defer69Part IIGetting What You Came for: The Law School Experience71Chapter 5Getting Into the 1L Groove73Performing Five Crucial Tasks before School Starts73Tips for Taming Your Transition78Selecting the Right School Supplies81Attaining the Law School Mind-set82Sanity-Saving Ways to Survive Orientation85Chapter 6Surviving Typical First-Year Classes: A Crash Course87Understanding the 1L Curriculum88Reviewing How a 1L Course Is Organized91Making the Most of Your 450 Classroom Hours Per Year93Handling Your Professors95Yikes! I Was Caught Unprepared97Chapter 7Don't Sweat the Small Stuff: Keeping Academics in Perspective99Law School Isn't a 24/7 Affair100Keeping Active and Healthy106Making Time for Significant Others109Surveying the Law School Social Scene110Part IIIStudying Law: Secret Techniques That Really Work111Chapter 8Thinking and Talking like a Lawyer113Does Law School Really Change You?113Braving the Socratic Method117Reading Cases Like a Pro121Briefing Cases: A Step-by-Step Approach122Recognizing the Importance of Class Participation126Chapter 9Romancing the Tome: Making the Most of Your Study Time129Maximizing Your Study Time130Tackling a Wealth of Information133Getting the Skinny on Outlines136Deciding What to Put in Your Outline140Determining When to Start Your Outline141Getting a Little (Outline) Help from Your Friends143Putting Your Outline to Work for You143Taking (Many) Practice Exams144Discovering the Joy (or Pain) of Study Groups146Chapter 10Assembling Your Personal Study Aid Arsenal151Improving Your Comprehension with Study Aids151Loading Your Study Arsenal with Other Essential Tools158Taking Advantage of the Law Library159Chapter 11The Longest Three Hours of Your Life: Acing Your Law School Exams161Mastering the Most Common Exam Types161Understanding Your School's Exam System170Exam Day Survival Strategies172Part IVYou're Halfway There (2Ls and 3Ls)179Chapter 12One from Column A: Choosing Your Courses181Choosing a Successful Course Load182Revealing Strategies for Selecting the Best Electives187Gaining Credit for Real-World Experience Outside the Classroom193Taking Courses Outside the Law School196Getting a Global Perspective from Study Abroad196Chapter 13Not a Moot Point: Getting Involved in Law School199Benefiting from Extracurriculars200Explaining Law Reviews and Law Journals202Working on Law Review and Law Journal207Arguing for Fun and Profit: Moot Court210Considering Clubs213Jumping on the Research Assistant Bandwagon215Getting Involved Outside of Law School217Part VPreparing for Your Future221Chapter 14Landing Your Perfect Summer Job223Considering Major Factors That Impact Summer Job Options224The Early Bird Gets the Job226Taking Stock of Your Summer Job Options228Picking Through an Assortment of Summer Jobs230Readying Resumes and Cover Letters232On-Campus Interviewing236Managing the Call-Back Interview241Munching Through the Lunch Interview244Writing Thank-you Notes246Chapter 15Getting the Lowdown on Careers247Exploring Practice Setting Possibilities247Setting Goals for Your Job Search259Figuring Out What Legal Employers Really Want263I Accept: Handling a Job Offer Properly265Dealing with Rejection266Playing the Waiting Game266Chapter 16Narrowing Your Focus: Choosing an Area of Practice269Focusing on Some Key Areas of Practice during Law School269Putting On Your Career Counselor Cap271Peeking at 18 Popular Areas of Practice275Chapter 17Thinking Outside the Box: Considering Alternative Legal Careers279Bucking Traditional Legal Careers279Proceeding toward an Ideal Alternative Career282Sampling Nontraditional Legal Jobs285Modifying Your Job-search Tactics289Part VIWrapping Up Your Law School Career293Chapter 18In a Class of Its Own: Preparing for the Bar Exam295Deciding Whether to Take the Bar Exam295The Bar Exam, Explained296Looking at the Character and Fitness Review300Recognizing the Advantages of a Bar Review Course300Using What You Know and Other Tricks to Prepare for the Bar Exam302Chapter 19Moving toward Graduation--and Beyond303Winding Up Your Law School Career303Getting a Professional Graduation Photo304Reflecting on Your Law School Years and Looking Forward to Your Future306Treasuring the Magic of Your Graduation Day310Keeping in Touch with Classmates312Dealing with the Prospect of Being Unemployed at Graduation313Part VIIThe Part of Tens317Chapter 20Ten Plus User-Friendly Law School Resources319Perusing Ten (or So) Useful Web Sites319Surveying Magazines and Newsletters321Chapter 21Ten Best and Worst Things about Law School325Gaining Valuable Public Speaking Skills325Becoming a Better Writer326Discovering How American Society Works327Developing Practical Legal Skills That You Can Use Regardless of Whether You Become a Lawyer327Finding Out How to Look at Both Sides of an Issue328Spelling Disaster: A Lack of Discipline328Being with the Same People 24/7328Not Getting Enough of a Hands-On Education329Facing Stiff Competition from Classmates329Realizing That the Law Is a "Jealous Mistress"330Chapter 22Ten Little-Known Law School Secrets331Working Part-Time during the School Year Helps with Your Financial Aid331Choosing Best-in-Class Study Group Members332Using a Laptop in Class Saves Time Come Exams332Using Commercial Study Aids Throughout the Semester332Not Giving Your Classmates Fodder for Gossip333Getting Friendly with Professors Early Ensures Good References Later333Killing Two Birds with One Stone: Externships for Credit334Getting Course Outlines by Joining a Club334Graduating in December Sometimes Gives You a Leg Up334Making Use of Alums while Job-Searching335Index337
