THIS IS HOW YOU CAN SUCCEED WITHOUT BEING A TRY-HARD
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 7:46 pm
See title. This method worked for me. This thread will break down how to approach academic/professional life starting with college. Try it!
College
1. don't major in something stupid (a.k.a. liberal arts). Major in engineering/comp sci/business. These majors will make you more employable.
2. DON'T FOLLOW YOUR "PASSION". YOU WANT A JOB, DON'T U?
3. take the easiest classes in one of the above majors to inflate GPA-again, DON'T FOLLOW YOUR INTERESTS (unless they involve the above)
LSAT/LS Apps
1. don't worry too much about it. I didn't study much and managed to get mid-150s.
2. apply to schools where you'll be happy. if you like sunshine, try California or Florida or New Mexico
3. Consider going PT (this will make sense later).
4. go for as cheaply as possible to the best school you can. Don't be a prestige whore (ex. go to a TTT with good $ rather than a T1 with nothing).
5. don't do journals/clubs/etc. complete waste of time. do employers care if you wrote an article on some crap no one cares about? NO!
Law School
1. Congrats, you got in! Enjoy school!
2. 1L year: do some of the readings/HWs, but DO NOT do everything. It's a waste of time. Any "extra exam practice workshops" or whatever are totally stupid and pointless. I did fine and I just chilled with friends most of the time 1L year. You will too. Just memorize for the exams and you'll do great. Probably top 30-50%. And oh yeah, LOOK FOR A GOOD JOB.
3. Summer of 1L: WORK AT A GOOD LEGAL JOB. YOU MUST DO THIS. DO NOT GET AN UNPAID INTERNSHIP. THIS WILL SET A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT. EMPLOYERS WILL SEE THAT YOU'LL WORK FOR FREE. DO NOT DO THIS. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. I'd recommend trying to work for a corporation/paid law firm job. I personally worked in the legal/contracts dept at a mid sized company. Didn't make fat stacks, but made decent $$$.
4. 2L: take the easiest classes possible. AGAIN, DO NOT TAKE CLASSES YOU'RE INTERESTED IN. YOU WANT A JOB, DON'T YOU? THE HIGHER YOUR GPA, THE BETTER YOUR RESUME LOOKS TO EMPLOYERS. THEY DON'T CARE WHAT CLASSES YOU TOOK. also, KEEP WORKING AT THE COMPANY YOU'VE BEEN WORKING AT, OR POSSIBLY UPGRADE TO A BETTER ONE IF YOU CAN. Don't worry about school too much. work as many hours as you can to maximize income and work experience. You'll get good grades because you're taking easy classes. have fun! do whatever makes you happy! i like eating at taco bell and working out and watching movies and sports.
5. 3L: same thing as 2L. Upgrade job if possible. DON'T LISTEN TO ANYONE'S BAR STUDY PLANS (EXCEPT MINE, OF COURSE). DO WHAT I AM TELL YOU TO DO BELOW.
Bar Exam
1. study, BUT DO NOT QUIT YOUR JOB! DO YOU THINK EMPLOYERS CARE MORE IF YOU PASSED A TEST, OR IF YOU HAVE WORK EXPERIENCE? YEAH, THEY CARE IF YOU HAVE WORK EXPERIENCE, NOT IF YOU CAN PASS A TEST.
2. do some MBEs, memorize the law. DO NOT WASTE TIME WRITING PRACTICE ESSAYS OR PERFORMANCE TESTS.
3. do not take time off to study other than maybe the day before the exam. just study for an hour or 2 per day.
4. take the 3 days off to take the exam. go in confidently because you studied for 1-2 hours a day for like 2 months. that's a lot! probably more than you ever have for any test ever.
5. don't change ur routine too much. keep chiiling with friends and lifting and working out
post bar
1. keep working hard at the job you never quit. you've become irreplaceable at this point because you know the company/contracts/policies too well.
2. get your bar results-you'll pass. don't worry.
3. get promoted to corporate/compliance/commercial counsel. make more $/hour than big law try hards. you win.
this is my story. i now work at a F50 company in the legal dept and passed the CA bar on my first attempt. i'm glad i didn't listen to people on here who told me my 153 lsat and tt/ttt law school wasn't good enough.
GOOD LUCK. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS. I WANT YOU ALL TO SUCCEED.
College
1. don't major in something stupid (a.k.a. liberal arts). Major in engineering/comp sci/business. These majors will make you more employable.
2. DON'T FOLLOW YOUR "PASSION". YOU WANT A JOB, DON'T U?
3. take the easiest classes in one of the above majors to inflate GPA-again, DON'T FOLLOW YOUR INTERESTS (unless they involve the above)
LSAT/LS Apps
1. don't worry too much about it. I didn't study much and managed to get mid-150s.
2. apply to schools where you'll be happy. if you like sunshine, try California or Florida or New Mexico
3. Consider going PT (this will make sense later).
4. go for as cheaply as possible to the best school you can. Don't be a prestige whore (ex. go to a TTT with good $ rather than a T1 with nothing).
5. don't do journals/clubs/etc. complete waste of time. do employers care if you wrote an article on some crap no one cares about? NO!
Law School
1. Congrats, you got in! Enjoy school!
2. 1L year: do some of the readings/HWs, but DO NOT do everything. It's a waste of time. Any "extra exam practice workshops" or whatever are totally stupid and pointless. I did fine and I just chilled with friends most of the time 1L year. You will too. Just memorize for the exams and you'll do great. Probably top 30-50%. And oh yeah, LOOK FOR A GOOD JOB.
3. Summer of 1L: WORK AT A GOOD LEGAL JOB. YOU MUST DO THIS. DO NOT GET AN UNPAID INTERNSHIP. THIS WILL SET A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT. EMPLOYERS WILL SEE THAT YOU'LL WORK FOR FREE. DO NOT DO THIS. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. I'd recommend trying to work for a corporation/paid law firm job. I personally worked in the legal/contracts dept at a mid sized company. Didn't make fat stacks, but made decent $$$.
4. 2L: take the easiest classes possible. AGAIN, DO NOT TAKE CLASSES YOU'RE INTERESTED IN. YOU WANT A JOB, DON'T YOU? THE HIGHER YOUR GPA, THE BETTER YOUR RESUME LOOKS TO EMPLOYERS. THEY DON'T CARE WHAT CLASSES YOU TOOK. also, KEEP WORKING AT THE COMPANY YOU'VE BEEN WORKING AT, OR POSSIBLY UPGRADE TO A BETTER ONE IF YOU CAN. Don't worry about school too much. work as many hours as you can to maximize income and work experience. You'll get good grades because you're taking easy classes. have fun! do whatever makes you happy! i like eating at taco bell and working out and watching movies and sports.
5. 3L: same thing as 2L. Upgrade job if possible. DON'T LISTEN TO ANYONE'S BAR STUDY PLANS (EXCEPT MINE, OF COURSE). DO WHAT I AM TELL YOU TO DO BELOW.
Bar Exam
1. study, BUT DO NOT QUIT YOUR JOB! DO YOU THINK EMPLOYERS CARE MORE IF YOU PASSED A TEST, OR IF YOU HAVE WORK EXPERIENCE? YEAH, THEY CARE IF YOU HAVE WORK EXPERIENCE, NOT IF YOU CAN PASS A TEST.
2. do some MBEs, memorize the law. DO NOT WASTE TIME WRITING PRACTICE ESSAYS OR PERFORMANCE TESTS.
3. do not take time off to study other than maybe the day before the exam. just study for an hour or 2 per day.
4. take the 3 days off to take the exam. go in confidently because you studied for 1-2 hours a day for like 2 months. that's a lot! probably more than you ever have for any test ever.
5. don't change ur routine too much. keep chiiling with friends and lifting and working out
post bar
1. keep working hard at the job you never quit. you've become irreplaceable at this point because you know the company/contracts/policies too well.
2. get your bar results-you'll pass. don't worry.
3. get promoted to corporate/compliance/commercial counsel. make more $/hour than big law try hards. you win.
this is my story. i now work at a F50 company in the legal dept and passed the CA bar on my first attempt. i'm glad i didn't listen to people on here who told me my 153 lsat and tt/ttt law school wasn't good enough.
GOOD LUCK. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS. I WANT YOU ALL TO SUCCEED.
