Cornell 1L taking questions Forum

[HBBJohnStamos]

I like One Note a lot. If you don't like the standard format, there are tons of templates you can load onto the notebooks.

[KingRajesh]

2Ls - Any reviews of note taking software? Any free programs that aren't terrible? Is LexisNexis NoteMap useful for note taking, outlining, or neither?

Paid
OS X - Circus Ponies: Very good.
Windows - One Note: Very good.
OSX & Windows - Word in Note Layout view: Adequate.

Free
OS X - Growly notes: haven't used, heard good things.
Any platform - OpenOffice: haven't used for notes, haven't heard of anyone using it.

One Note in Microsoft Office is SO credited.

I can't take notes using anything else.

[top30man]

I like One Note a lot. If you don't like the standard format, there are tons of templates you can load onto the notebooks.

OneNote is the greatest program ever.

[Other25BeforeYou]

Any platform - OpenOffice: haven't used for notes, haven't heard of anyone using it.

I used OpenOffice for notetaking/outlining through all three years of law school. Worked just fine.

[muddup]

Can anyone give some insight as to how to deal with Clermont's Civ Pro MC questions on the exam? Should I focus more on reading the cases right now?--or actually learning the black-letter civill procedures?

[PinkCow]

Can anyone give some insight as to how to deal with Clermont's Civ Pro MC questions on the exam? Should I focus more on reading the cases right now?--or actually learning the black-letter civill procedures?

Seriously. I did well, and IMO a sense of humor and a chilled out attitude helps more than any degree of study. Just have a general idea of where the stuff is in the book/the black-letter outline.

[HBBJohnStamos]

I like One Note a lot. If you don't like the standard format, there are tons of templates you can load onto the notebooks.

OneNote is the greatest program ever.

*sketchily looks for other dude using one note in civ pro*

[msblaw89]

I feel like Arbiter has been MIA. Arbiter usually posts at least.... 5 times per day!

[top30man]

I like One Note a lot. If you don't like the standard format, there are tons of templates you can load onto the notebooks.

OneNote is the greatest program ever.

*sketchily looks for other dude using one note in civ pro*

Im watching for you.

[cahwc12]

this probably has been asked before but hopefully you don't mind answering it again:


How do you like the library and studying in the library? How much do you study per day and would you say you study more/less/about the same compared with other students in your class?

I'm a bit of a studious homebody and one of the major draws of cornell to me is that it seems to favor that student-type... do you find that's the case, or is it a common misconception?

[msblaw89]

this probably has been asked before but hopefully you don't mind answering it again:


How do you like the library and studying in the library? How much do you study per day and would you say you study more/less/about the same compared with other students in your class?

I'm a bit of a studious homebody and one of the major draws of cornell to me is that it seems to favor that student-type... do you find that's the case, or is it a common misconception?

Personally, I don't study in the library I actually find the library distracting. I do my best work in my own apartment. There are plenty of students though who probably spend more time at the law school than at their own apartments. So far, how much you study seems irrelevant ...it's how well you study. For example, I spent about an hour on a particular reading and felt fairly confident that I extracted all of the relevant facts/issues/legal reasonings etc. I was able to answer all of the questions I was directly asked, and I was able to silently answer all of the other questions. Another student claimed that she studied the case for four hours...and it was pretty obvious that she struggled with the material. I think this is all very dependent though on the class as well. Civ Pro is arguably more difficult to grasp than Torts...so you may have to study more for Civ Pro in order to grasp the material.

Diclaimer...I am a 1L and have only been in class for two weeks

[HBBJohnStamos]

I'm a bit of a studious homebody and one of the major draws of cornell to me is that it seems to favor that student-type... do you find that's the case, or is it a common misconception?

I'm a nerd too and I feel pretty comfortable here.

[Arbiter213]

I feel like Arbiter has been MIA. Arbiter usually posts at least.... 5 times per day!

You know full well I've been traveling.

[iMisto]

...

[Lacepiece23]

Anyone else put off all their reading from this weekend until today? Just hoping I'm not alone out there.

[Lacepiece23]

this probably has been asked before but hopefully you don't mind answering it again:


How do you like the library and studying in the library? How much do you study per day and would you say you study more/less/about the same compared with other students in your class?

I'm a bit of a studious homebody and one of the major draws of cornell to me is that it seems to favor that student-type... do you find that's the case, or is it a common misconception?

To give you another answer to you questions I am a 1L who lives about two minutes away from the library and still have yet to step inside of it. I do all my work in my room and feel like I am much more productive. I study everyday from like 6am to 4pm including class time and I take an hour to work out usually 4-5 days per week. I definitely haven't felt overwhelmed at all so far. I have a friend that doesn't even start doing work until around 7pm every single night. Different strokes for different folks everyone works and learns differently.

[HBBJohnStamos]

Anyone else put off all their reading from this weekend until today? Just hoping I'm not alone out there.

Yup. Did most of my LRW memo yesterday though.

[spiritniffler189]

How many people get onto law review each year? And I heard it's a certain number get on strictly w/ grades, the rest are composite score btwn writing comp and grades...is that right?

(I'm a 1L but don't want to come off gunner-ish. Thanks!)

[clone22]

How many people get onto law review each year? And I heard it's a certain number get on strictly w/ grades, the rest are composite score btwn writing comp and grades...is that right?

(I'm a 1L but don't want to come off gunner-ish. Thanks!)

about 16 people grade onto CLR (but your writing competition has to be in the top 2/3 of the class). The rest are composite-on, with about 10 being strictly write-on.

Don't worry about it for now, just focus on grades. And crap, I know a number of people who got V10 offers without being on law review, so being on law review might or might not be crucial to getting a prestigious job

[HBBJohnStamos]

How many people get onto law review each year? And I heard it's a certain number get on strictly w/ grades, the rest are composite score btwn writing comp and grades...is that right?

(I'm a 1L but don't want to come off gunner-ish. Thanks!)

about 16 people grade onto CLR (but your writing competition has to be in the top 2/3 of the class). The rest are composite-on, with about 10 being strictly write-on.

Don't worry about it for now, just focus on grades. And crap, I know a number of people who got V10 offers without being on law review, so being on law review might or might not be crucial to getting a prestigious job

Curious though, how many people total are offered positions on LR each year?

[Arbiter213]

It's like you guys aren't in school to enter a profession where half of you will be doing research professionally:

http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/resear ... bylaws.cfm

A. Grade Associates

At the conclusion of their first year of study, invitations will be extended to the top sixteen students based on their cumulative grade point average. To be considered "eligible," a student must participate in the writing/editing competition, and receive a score which places the student in the upper two-thirds of the writing/editing competition, i.e., a student will not be eligible if the student's score falls within the bottom 33.33 percent of the writing/editing competition. In addition, an invitation will be extended to any student ranked in the top two in each section if the student has not already been extended an invitation. In addition, all eligible students with grade point averages tied to the cut off grade (determined to the hundredth of a grade point) shall be selected. [Amended April 2008, December 2008, April 2009]

B. Writing/Editing Associates

1. The minimum number of second year students to be afforded associate status through the writing/editing competition shall be 20 percent of those completing the competition or 12, whichever is less. A higher percentage may be selected if a larger number of competitors have demonstrated superior ability.

. . .

C. Composite Associates

1. The Cornell Law Review believes that grades and writing ability are generally effective indicators of the qualities that will contribute to the Law Review. However, the Law Review recognizes that these criteria are not perfect, and often operate to exclude students who possess qualities that will benefit the Law Review. To improve the overall quality of its publication, the Law Review hopes to expand its membership to include persons from traditionally underrepresented groups as well as persons with diverse viewpoints, perspective, and experiences: To achieve this goal of a more diverse membership, and to reduce the potential for unfairness in the selection process, the Law Review will extend invitations to fourteen Composite Associates. [Amended February 2005]

2. The additional 14 students shall receive invitations based on a composite score consisting of the sum of the student's grade point average, writing/editing competition score, and a personal statement score calculated according to subsection I.C.2.b. A composite score shall be determined for all students who have not received invitations based on grades or writing alone. No student shall receive an invitation as a Composite Associate unless the student's grade point average or writing score exceeds 2.70.

a. Competitors for Composite Associate invitations may complete a personal statement describing the diversity of perspective they will bring to the Law Review. The diversity committee will review the personal statements to determine personal statement scores. The Law Review's Editor-in-Chief shall select the members of the selection committee. In making their determinations, the committee shall consider the applicant's ability to add diversity to the Law Review on the basis of the applicant's unique law experiences. Factors may include prejudices faced and perspective offered as members of racial or ethnic minority groups or as economically disadvantaged persons. The committee may also consider character strengths shown in overcoming particular personal tragedies or hardships. The committee shall take steps to ensure the anonymity of persons submitting personal statements.

b. The diversity committee members shall each, in their discretion, award qualified students personal statement scores of any amount up to and including 1.0. Each diversity committee member can decide the range of points to give personal statements not to exceed 1.0 and the committee is not required to share that information with anyone not a member of the diversity committee. The scores of the five members shall be averaged for each competitor and this average shall be the final score for each competitor's personal statement. For example, a person who is given personal statement scores of 0.5, 1.0, 1.0, 0.5, and 0.0 by each of the diversity committee members will have an average of 0.6. If this person has a grade point average of 3.0 and a writing score of 2.7, then that person will have a composite score of 6.3 (3.0 + 2.7 + 0.6 = 6.3). Students not submitting a personal statement will also be eligible to receive an invitation as a Composite Associate. For example, a person who has a grade point average of 3.4 and a writing score of 3.4, but has a personal statement score of zero, will have a composite score of 6.8 (3.4 + 3.4 = 6.8 ).

[HBBJohnStamos]

Thanks.

[iMisto]

As a 0L, I apologize now.

Is getting offered a LR position ridiculously hard? It seems like Cornell goes to great lengths to ensure people who really want it have an opportunity to get on.. or am I misinterpreting the information?

Also, is it extremely helpful to be on LR if you want BigLaw?? How detrimental is it if you don't get on? Lastly, is it so time-consuming that it can adversely affect your grades?

Why am I already stressing about this?

[ithacais]

Can anyone give some insight as to how to deal with Clermont's Civ Pro MC questions on the exam? Should I focus more on reading the cases right now?--or actually learning the black-letter civill procedures?

I did well on Clermont's test and I think the best way to prepare is to do all of the questions in the book during the week before the exam. I also found reading the Black Letter Outline the night before the exam to be helpful. A lot of the answers can be found in the outline and it was good to have it fresh in my mind.

[ithacais]

Is getting offered a LR position ridiculously hard? It seems like Cornell goes to great lengths to ensure people who really want it have an opportunity to get on.. or am I misinterpreting the information?

Huh? ~42 LR spots are available. Most people (with the exception of the JD/MBA folks and some outliers) participate in the competition. Getting on isn't easy.