Illinois Law 1L Taking Questions Forum

[Kilpatrick]

As to whether they are hard? No class in law school is hard. But good grades in your substantive classes will largely determine your future so those classes should definitely be your priority.

Love it.

Well, let me clarify. Law school is hard. But none of the subjects are so difficult that you can't understand them. The curve is what makes it hard, not the material.

[oldtimer]

As to whether they are hard? No class in law school is hard. But good grades in your substantive classes will largely determine your future so those classes should definitely be your priority.

Love it.

Well, let me clarify. Law school is hard. But none of the subjects are so difficult that you can't understand them. The curve is what makes it hard, not the material.

No... I "love it" because I get it. That is basically what I expect to encounter because I already know that the concepts themselves are not incredibly difficult to grasp. It's the work load that makes it tough not the subject matter.

Like you said, the real hard part is getting good grades in your substantive courses when a strict curve is employed and other people are more comfortable with the work load than you may be. That is something that will likely be a huge adjustment for most people coming straight out of undergrad, but certainly one that can be made more readily when you know in advance that it's coming.

[DreamsInDigital]

I think the tips y'all are giving on professors is awesome. I know it's difficult to speak badly about professors on here, but I would love it if any of you PMd me anything particularly egregious I should know about my professors. (if there even is anything)

Contracts - Kar
Property - Reynolds
Criminal - Johnson
Writing - Pea
Research - Davidson

Also, do you guys think it is a good thing that I have both research and writing the first semester? Or is this going to make my second semester brutal?

[oldtimer]

I think the tips y'all are giving on professors is awesome. I know it's difficult to speak badly about professors on here, but I would love it if any of you PMd me anything particularly egregious I should know about my professors. (if there even is anything)

Contracts - Kar
Property - Reynolds
Criminal - Johnson
Writing - Pea
Research - Davidson

Also, do you guys think it is a good thing that I have both research and writing the first semester? Or is this going to make my second semester brutal?

I thought research and writing were both year long courses??? That may have been my previous school, though now that I think about it. Good question though... if not, I would think the second semester might be a little more intense.

[Kilpatrick]

Everyone has research and writing the first semester. Research is just a fun little fluff class that only lasts like 8 weeks and they teach you how to search for stuff on Westlaw and Lexis. By the time the real work for Writing starts, research will be over. Then second semester you have basically the second part of Writing, with the same teacher, called Intro to Advocacy.

[DreamsInDigital]

Everyone has research and writing the first semester. Research is just a fun little fluff class that only lasts like 8 weeks and they teach you how to search for stuff on Westlaw and Lexis. By the time the real work for Writing starts, research will be over. Then second semester you have basically the second part of Writing, with the same teacher, called Intro to Advocacy.

Ah, def good to know. Thanks.

[oldtimer]

Everyone has research and writing the first semester. Research is just a fun little fluff class that only lasts like 8 weeks and they teach you how to search for stuff on Westlaw and Lexis. By the time the real work for Writing starts, research will be over. Then second semester you have basically the second part of Writing, with the same teacher, called Intro to Advocacy.

Ah, def good to know. Thanks.

+1

Thanks!

[SaintClarence27]

It's not easy, but research and writing are important classes to do well in if you can. There are at least a few 1L summer gigs that only hire if you make honors/high honors in legal writing or research, and it's a good resume boost. It's worth it to bang out research well - especially since you're going to have to learn the material eventually anyway. 2nd semester writing isn't important, other than passing and actually learning the material.

For Johnson's crim - I would absolutely recommend going to the office hours the TA does - the practice will really help for the exam.

[Kilpatrick]

Crim's not going to have TAs this year. Only Property and Torts

[SaintClarence27]

Crim's not going to have TAs this year. Only Property and Torts

Really... I'm sure johnson will do it then - even better.

[DreamsInDigital]

Crim's not going to have TAs this year. Only Property and Torts

Really... I'm sure johnson will do it then - even better.

Ok. So this might sound a little dumb; but what exactly do you do during office hours?

In college I was never the type of student that went to office hours, so I don't really understand them. It just seems a little awkward to me, but I guess I have to do it.

If I don't really have questions, should I still to office hours? Should I go prepared to do a lot of talking, or is it mostly just listening to the professor/TA?

[SaintClarence27]

Crim's not going to have TAs this year. Only Property and Torts

Really... I'm sure johnson will do it then - even better.

Ok. So this might sound a little dumb; but what exactly do you do during office hours?

In college I was never the type of student that went to office hours, so I don't really understand them. It just seems a little awkward to me, but I guess I have to do it.

If I don't really have questions, should I still to office hours? Should I go prepared to do a lot of talking, or is it mostly just listening to the professor/TA?

Law school is not about understanding the material. Everyone understands the material. It's about synthesizing the material so you can get it out quickly, efficiently, and correctly on a three hour exam. Going to office hours is really exam prep - practicing problems with the professor there to tell you what HE is looking for on the exam.

[Chupavida]

.

[SaintClarence27]

Law school is not about understanding the material. Everyone understands the material. It's about synthesizing the material so you can get it out quickly, efficiently, and correctly on a three hour exam. Going to office hours is really exam prep - practicing problems with the professor there to tell you what HE is looking for on the exam.

I'd disagree with the idea that everyone gets the concepts. Johnson gave out Cs to people who just didn't understand core ideas. I also heard people teaching each other stuff that was just plain wrong around finals. That's not to say it's easy to get an A. Even if half the class were totally lost, there would still be plenty of people to fight over the 10ish A+, A, and A- grades.

Well "everyone" is a bit of hyperbole. Really, 85% of the people have the material down cold.

[adammac17]

anyone want to give us an update on how OCI is going? what kinda grades were needed to get interview/callbacks etc?

[SaintClarence27]

I got 3 screeners, and I'm median, no law review. No callbacks (yet - at least one of them hasn't done them yet).

[Kilpatrick]

anyone want to give us an update on how OCI is going? what kinda grades were needed to get interview/callbacks etc?

It's a little disappointing. I think people were hoping the Chicago market would recover by this OCI but it doesn't look like it. Summer classes are still small. If you're number one in the class you'll have your pick of BigLaw jobs but any less than that and nothing is guaranteed. There are people in the top 10% with multiple offers and there are people with not a single callback yet and everything in between.

Whatever you do, no matter what your grades are, do not rely solely on OCI.

[lawschoolgrapedme]

how do you feel about your falsified admin stats?

[STLMizzou]

Quick Question:

I have been living in Chicago since August, so I claimed residency (because I will have been here a year before starting Law School and I am here for something besides law school).

Should I get an IL drivers license? Or register to vote in Cook County? I don’t have my car up here, I left it in Missouri, and I really don’t want to have to bring it up again to take a driving test…

[anthropologieaddict]

~

[STLMizzou]

Damn, I was hoping the fact that I am living here for a year before even starting school and working here in a full time job the whole time I would be able to claim residency.

I was under the assumption that would be sufficient and that the problem with residency comes from students who don't live here until they go to school here.

[ChattelCat]

Damn, I was hoping the fact that I am living here for a year before even starting school and working here in a full time job the whole time I would be able to claim residency.

I was under the assumption that would be sufficient and that the problem with residency comes from students who don't live here until they go to school here.

http://www.usp.uillinois.edu/residency/residentreg.cfm if you've been in IL a year (other than to attend school) you're a resident.

[STLMizzou]

Thank you!!

[flatlander]

Just wondering if any 2L/3L's could provide some info on when grades are usually released. I heard that they usually are pretty late, like Jan. 10th?? Also, after 1 semester of grades are you able to get a rough idea of what your rank is, like do they give 10% ranges for each gpa or anything?

[Ludo!]

Just wondering if any 2L/3L's could provide some info on when grades are usually released. I heard that they usually are pretty late, like Jan. 10th?? Also, after 1 semester of grades are you able to get a rough idea of what your rank is, like do they give 10% ranges for each gpa or anything?

Early January is usually the date they give for grade release, and then the actual release will be a few days before. Last year they came out January 6th or 7th I believe. This is actually pretty early compared to a lot of schools. At least in the 1l grade waiting thread last year we were one of the first schools to have our grades out.

A day or two after grades are out they will send out an email with the grade distributions and tell you the gpa cutoffs for top 1/3, top 25%, top 20%, top 15% and top 10%. If you are in the top 10% you will get a separate email giving you your actual numerical rank.