One approach to 1L success from someone ranked #1. Forum

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théo

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by théo » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:14 pm

FantasticMrFox wrote:Your level of discipline is very humbling to lazy me
+1

I would love to have your work ethic.

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Stringer Bell

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by Stringer Bell » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:16 pm

OP, how many wpm do you type?

I thought a little about doing some 0L gunning, but due to the advice from this site, I've redirected any time that would have been spent towards that aim on increasing my typing speed. Do you think that is wise?

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T14

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by T14 » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:21 pm

Thanks for the tips.

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sanetruth

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by sanetruth » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:22 pm

Gemini wrote:
NYC Law wrote:Worked out well for Xeoh (#1 at UCLA, no socializing)
Is that the trick? :lol:

IS there any #1 out there who DID socialize?
If adding a smidgen of social life to this regimen is the difference between being #1 and being, say, top 10%, I'd say it's worth it.

Coming out of law school with zero friends/connections (other than profs) seems to be missing the point somewhat.

edited to fix quotes
Last edited by sanetruth on Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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NYC Law

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by NYC Law » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:23 pm

sanetruth wrote:
Gemini wrote:Is that the trick? :lol:

IS there any #1 out there who DID socialize?
If adding a smidgen of social life to this regimen is the difference between being #1 and being, say, top 10%, I'd say it's worth it.

Coming out of law school with zero friends/connections (other than profs) seems to be missing the point somewhat.
What do you think this is, Business School?

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cinephile

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by cinephile » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:24 pm

Thanks for the guide, look forward to following it in a couple of months!

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Dany

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by Dany » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:30 pm

sanetruth wrote:Coming out of law school with zero friends/connections (other than profs) seems to be missing the point somewhat.
What? The point of law school is to get an education and get a job. He's not missing the point. You might have different priorities or place a higher value on socializing, but that doesn't make it the point of law school.

Congrats on a great year, OP. The guide was really helpful, and while I don't think I'll be nearly as dedicated as you, I'll definitely be taking away a lot of your advice!

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NYC Law

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by NYC Law » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:32 pm

Dany wrote:
sanetruth wrote:Coming out of law school with zero friends/connections (other than profs) seems to be missing the point somewhat.
What? The point of law school is to get an education and get a job. He's not missing the point. You might have different priorities or place a higher value on socializing, but that doesn't make it the point of law school.

Congrats on a great year, OP. The guide was really helpful, and while I don't think I'll be nearly as dedicated as you, I'll definitely be taking away a lot of your advice!
TBF connections and networks play a major role throughout your legal career from what I've read, so I think it does matter later on.

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Dany

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by Dany » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:35 pm

I didn't say they weren't important. Regardless - connections or no, pretty sure OP will do just fine.

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DreamsInDigital

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by DreamsInDigital » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:36 pm

only skimmed it so far, but this is an awesome post. Will def be using this to help me out (albeit, i doubt I will be as intense as you).

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Dany

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by Dany » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:38 pm

DreamsInDigital wrote:only skimmed it so far, but this is an awesome post. Will def be using this to help me out (albeit, i doubt I will be as intense as you).
I think this is the general feeling. :D

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by PleaseHelpThanks » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:39 pm

Gemini wrote:
NYC Law wrote:
sanetruth wrote:
downing wrote:With such a busy schedule it looks like it may have been challenging to make friends and/or attend social gatherings. Did you find that your focus and drive on a singular target diminished the importance of being part of the social web (not counting meeting with professors) that may have otherwise been interesting?

Would you consider doing an AMA for Reddit? (just out of curiosity; not a mod or anything)
Was going to ask a similar thing. Based on the schedule, it looks as though you allocated almost no time towards socializing with other people. (the only time i noticed it mentioned was your saturday schedule).

I feel like such a lack of social exposure would be detrimental not just to your mental health, but also to your career. Am I missing something?
Worked out well for Xeoh (#1 at UCLA, no socializing)
Is that the trick? :lol:

IS there any #1 out there who DID socialize?
I know someone(personally) who was #1 all three years... He literally read every single supplement on every subject, read and briefed every case, and had no social life whatsoever. He studied just like OP... So...yeah...here's to 12 hour work days!
Last edited by PleaseHelpThanks on Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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downing

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by downing » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:42 pm

Dany wrote:
DreamsInDigital wrote:only skimmed it so far, but this is an awesome post. Will def be using this to help me out (albeit, i doubt I will be as intense as you).
I think this is the general feeling. :D
I will intenser be

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sanetruth

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by sanetruth » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:43 pm

Dany wrote:
sanetruth wrote:Coming out of law school with zero friends/connections (other than profs) seems to be missing the point somewhat.
What? The point of law school is to get an education and get a job. He's not missing the point. You might have different priorities or place a higher value on socializing, but that doesn't make it the point of law school.

Congrats on a great year, OP. The guide was really helpful, and while I don't think I'll be nearly as dedicated as you, I'll definitely be taking away a lot of your advice!
What i'm saying is that I think some of his time could safely have been allocated towards a social life, which in turn breeds connections, at little to no cost to his performance. The benefit that he gets out of that re-allocation is worth it. Would you rather be #1 without any friends/connections? Or top 5/10% with? And who is to say he even would have dropped from #1 if he networked a little bit?

To convey to 0Ls that networking is not important would be misguided.

BUT OP DIDN'T EVEN SAY THAT! This all started because I was trying to see how much time (if any) he did allocate to socializing, because he left it out on his schedules.

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FantasticMrFox

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by FantasticMrFox » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:44 pm

Dany wrote:
DreamsInDigital wrote:only skimmed it so far, but this is an awesome post. Will def be using this to help me out (albeit, i doubt I will be as intense as you).
I think this is the general feeling. :D
I don't think I can follow most of the advice ha

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Stringer Bell

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by Stringer Bell » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:46 pm

sanetruth wrote: What i'm saying is that I think some of his time could safely have been allocated towards a social life, which in turn breeds connections, at little to no cost to his performance. The benefit that he gets out of that re-allocation is worth it. Would you rather be #1 without any friends/connections? Or top 5/10% with? And who is to say he even would have dropped from #1 if he networked a little bit?

To convey to 0Ls that networking is not important would be misguided.

BUT OP DIDN'T EVEN SAY THAT! This all started because I was trying to see how much time (if any) he did allocate to socializing, because he left it out on his schedules.
OP said they are at a t30-40 school. #1 overall vs. top 10% could be a legitimate distinction for post grad opportunities.

tipler4213

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by tipler4213 » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:49 pm

Well done, dude.

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Dany

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by Dany » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:49 pm

sanetruth wrote: Would you rather be #1 without any friends/connections? Or top 5/10% with?
At a T40, #1.

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NYC Law

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by NYC Law » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:50 pm

I'm just waiting for the day a #1 at HYS posts... then again, they probably don't have time.

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sanetruth

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by sanetruth » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:50 pm

Stringer Bell wrote:
sanetruth wrote: What i'm saying is that I think some of his time could safely have been allocated towards a social life, which in turn breeds connections, at little to no cost to his performance. The benefit that he gets out of that re-allocation is worth it. Would you rather be #1 without any friends/connections? Or top 5/10% with? And who is to say he even would have dropped from #1 if he networked a little bit?

To convey to 0Ls that networking is not important would be misguided.

BUT OP DIDN'T EVEN SAY THAT! This all started because I was trying to see how much time (if any) he did allocate to socializing, because he left it out on his schedules.
OP said they are at a t30-40 school. #1 overall vs. top 10% could be a legitimate distinction for post grad opportunities.
Ok, I will concede that because OP stated his goal from the outset was to transfer, favoring the highest possible class rank would be preferable to any student networking.

However, as a guide for all OLs, this type of approach (or part of it) should be differentiated from someone not planning on transferring. Connections are important, and socializing is important.

Also, think about the guy who follows OPs agenda to a tee, but doesn't have his wits about his quite as much, doesn't grab top of the class or even close to it, and is at median with zero friends/connections. That person is automatically less well off than their peers at the same class rank. Just saying.

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FantasticMrFox

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by FantasticMrFox » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:56 pm

sanetruth wrote:Also, think about the guy who follows OPs agenda to a tee, and is at median with zero friends/connections.
that would indeed be sad :cry: but from what I read in this guide, this hypothetical person would be way below median if he/she didn't follow the agenda (albeit with some friends and connections)

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Gemini

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by Gemini » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:58 pm

Let's not forget OP is married and out of UG 10+ years. He probably already has a great set of friends. So if he didn't make any great friendships in LS, that's fine for him.



He DID network, however it seems to only be with the professors.

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Shooter

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by Shooter » Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:09 pm

Hi OP,

Congrats on the great year! I'm just wondering, with a strong work history and a 177 lsat, how did you not get T6 to begin with? Was it a uGPA thing?

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by stylishlaw » Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:13 pm

Shooter wrote:Hi OP,

Congrats on the great year! I'm just wondering, with a strong work history and a 177 lsat, how did you not get T6 to begin with? Was it a uGPA thing?
Most likely. <3.5GPA shuts you out completely from T6

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Corwin

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Re: Guide to 1L Success from someone ranked #1.

Post by Corwin » Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:52 pm

Thanks a lot for writing this up.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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