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Reaching out to you law students and fellow admitted students, should I prepare for the fall law school semester? With all the prep programs out there (lawpreview.com, cleoscholars.com, lawschoolexperience.com), are you taking them and are they worth the cost ($500-$1300)? I know we have to learn the class materials during our first year, but are the skills you learn during these programs worth the cost?

Frankly I'm very nervous about law school - getting called on by professors, sounding like an idiot - have these programs built confidence for others?

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I'm really unsure also. According to everything on this website they are a waste; a close friend of mine did law preview and found it incredibly helpful, he even ended up with a paying job for this summer, his 1L summer. So I don't know what to think. Obviously he is someone who would done well regardless but it seems like it could impart helpful skills.

Im kind of interested in this as well. I know there are books that talk about one L life, but how beneficial will the courses be?

Don't take those courses, they are a waste of time and money.

You might want to check out the book Law School Confidential, I thought it was a good and useful read.

Everyone is nervous, and everyone sounds like an idiot at least once (or thinks they do). Accept that going in, and you'll feel a lot better about it.

I'd read Delaney's Legal Reasoning if you're that freaked out about being called on in class. He teaches a case briefing method in there that's pretty useful -- most people stop briefing cases after a few weeks, but doing it for the first few classes can really help you work through actually reading and understanding the cases. ***

It goes:

(1) Facts
(2) Issue
(3) Holding
(4) Reasoning
(5) Outcome or Disposition

*** Some people will tell you not to read cases. That's an approach. I disagree with that approach, but some people have had success skimming the cases and extracting the BLL from a canned outline or supplement. I'm all in favor of supplements, but I also read all the cases. YMMV.

I may be an uneducated 0L but I think those prep courses are a waste of time and money. I will be 'preparing' by reading a lot, mostly books of personal interest ranging from economic theories to novels; tough I do plan to read through Getting to Maybe, LSC, and maybe skim through some of Glannon's work. Other then that, I will be enjoying my summer before I spend the next 3 years in the library.

I'm not even quite a 0L, more a -1L since I signed a 2 year contract I'm still finishing now and so I'll be entering 2011 (as a 26 y/o), so while my application is basically prepared, I'm not there yet. I'm already reading stacks of law books, law blogs, and such, since I'm basically finished application stuff except for licking the stamps. So, my opinion is near worthless on LS, but this sentence caught my eye:

Frankly I'm very nervous about law school - getting called on by professors, sounding like an idiot -

I kind of think wherever you go in life, there are going to be times you sound like an idiot. (At least that's true for me.) I don't think any expensive course really prepares you for that. Personally, I got over my fears of failing and looking like an idiot by working with difficult children. Not that I think that's what you should do, but maybe take the time to find some way to get over your fear of failure/sounding like an idiot/being out of your league that will work for you. Though I agree that, if you have the money to throw around, it couldn't hurt, if you think that's how you'll feel better. Certainly reading and studying couldn't hurt, unless you're worried you're the type to burnout.

FWIW, I know several of lawyers (people who went to undergrad with me and are now first and second year lawyers), and not one of them took a class like that, but they were already harrowed with the prospect of LS debt and not exactly relish the thought of spending money on anything. One of them, a good friend of mine, sold copiers the summer before LS, and -- in the economy she had to do so in 2006 -- made about 12K, which was likely way more worthwhile, as was facing all that rejection and overcoming, than any course would've been. Another one took a 2-month surf trip to Costa Rica. People do all sorts of things, I guess.

Then again, as I said: my opinion? Not worth that much.

I'm a little undergrad snotball. Ignore me.

However, my friends in LS seem to think that the main advantage these courses confer is an increased sense of confidence from having done something that seemed to be relevant. Kind of an educational placebo effect. (The strongest opinion I've gotten in this direction is from a friend who did take one--I think it was Law Preview, but wouldn't swear to it. Will ask her about it later.)

However, it sounds like you're mostly looking for the confidence boost anyway. If you've got the money to throw around and it sounds like it would make you feel a lot better, might as well. If not, you can presumably get a nice shot of placebo confidence and most/all of the bits of knowledge that'd come up in the courses by picking up a few books like Law School Confidential, Getting to Maybe, etc.

batgirl wrote:I'm a little undergrad snotball. Ignore me.

However, my friends in LS seem to think that the main advantage these courses confer is an increased sense of confidence from having done something that seemed to be relevant. Kind of an educational placebo effect. (The strongest opinion I've gotten in this direction is from a friend who did take one--I think it was Law Preview, but wouldn't swear to it. Will ask her about it later.)

However, it sounds like you're mostly looking for the confidence boost anyway. If you've got the money to throw around and it sounds like it would make you feel a lot better, might as well. If not, you can presumably get a nice shot of placebo confidence and most/all of the bits of knowledge that'd come up in the courses by picking up a few books like Law School Confidential, Getting to Maybe, etc.

Under those criteria, I would recommend:
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I'm also nervous and could use a kicker. On the advice of a buddy I signed up for lawschoolexperience.com. I think I could use an introduction to the socratic teaching style to at least know how to handle it. Maybe I won't feel so embarassed then when I'm called on.

But bottom line - yes, you will probably be fine without any prep, but if you think you'll be ahppier with it, whats a few hundred extra bucks?

I'm actually planning to attend law preview, primarily because two profs from my school teach at the local session. One of them is scheduled to teach civ pro to my section. The other one may or may not end up teaching one of my classes.

It's also been over 10 years since I've been in a classroom. I'm thinking it is worth the cost and a week of vacation time to knock off some of that rust, gain a little exposure to what's going to be expected of me, and possibly gain some insight into what one (possibly two) of my actual profs are going to be looking for on the exams.

Even if it's a total waste of time, it wouldn't be the dumbest thing I've ever done with my money

THANK GOD the OP double posted this very important topic. I shall repeat my question as well:

I'm anxious to hear all you 1L and 2L's as well on this question. Can't believe it hasn't been asked before. What hornbooks, EE's, LEEWS, books, and classes does everyone recommend? Serious replies only. I realize this site has a snarky rep. but this is important!!!!

jmaddox wrote:Reaching out to you law students and fellow admitted students, should I prepare for the fall law school semester? With all the prep programs out there (lawpreview.com, cleoscholars.com, lawschoolexperience.com), are you taking them and are they worth the cost ($500-$1300)? I know we have to learn the class materials during our first year, but are the skills you learn during these programs worth the cost?

Frankly I'm very nervous about law school - getting called on by professors, sounding like an idiot - have these programs built confidence for others?

Any law students out there that took these courses?

jmaddox wrote:Reaching out to you law students and fellow admitted students, should I prepare for the fall law school semester? With all the prep programs out there (lawpreview.com, cleoscholars.com, lawschoolexperience.com), are you taking them and are they worth the cost ($500-$1300)? I know we have to learn the class materials during our first year, but are the skills you learn during these programs worth the cost?

Frankly I'm very nervous about law school - getting called on by professors, sounding like an idiot - have these programs built confidence for others?

jpthomes wrote:I'm also nervous and could use a kicker. On the advice of a buddy I signed up for lawschoolexperience.com. I think I could use an introduction to the socratic teaching style to at least know how to handle it. Maybe I won't feel so embarassed then when I'm called on.

But bottom line - yes, you will probably be fine without any prep, but if you think you'll be ahppier with it, whats a few hundred extra bucks?

I don't know about you, but today's posts by newbies jmaddox and jphomes give me the impression that they're trying to sell lawschoolexperience.com courses . . . check out this thread (contains posts by both of them) from about 3 hours ago http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=118219

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Nice. Then I shoudl get free enrollment right?

My school is offering a "summer enrichment program" for $900, but you really only have to pay $175. It's 6 weeks long, 4 nights a week. I am taking it, and I am also reading "getting to maybe," "PLS," and I already read "Introduction to the Study and Practice of law."

jmaddox wrote:Nice. Then I shoudl get free enrollment right?

Both sound like KILLER GREAT opportunities. What do you think?

You should be preparing for law school. But in the finding a place to live, figuring out how to move all your stuff, and buying a new laptop kind of way. These classes are a waste of time and money, and more often than not are going to hurt your rather then help.

Even if they do teach skills you need to know, you will learn those for yourself within a month of starting school. Don't do it.

EDIT: Upon going back and reading the thread a little closer... I think the OP created multiple accounts and is talking to himself. All these 4 or 5 post total accounts in the same thread has me suspicious.

I know I've talked to my business law professor here at TAMU, and she teaches a class entitled Labor Law and Policy. She told me that many eventual law students find the class extremely beneficial because of the extensive amount of time she spends on case briefs. As a 0L, I obviously can't speak from experience, but she is a lawyer and has told me about many of past students who were and are in law school.

Granted, I will get a needed credit for taking the class so I might as well do it, lol. It's not gonna cost me an extra $1300.

jlnoa0915 wrote: --ImageRemoved--

Sure, if you are thinking of spending the money than this is your best bet to boost confidence.

No

Read stuff, drink stuff, hump stuff and show up.

jlnoa0915 wrote:

batgirl wrote:I'm a little undergrad snotball. Ignore me.

However, my friends in LS seem to think that the main advantage these courses confer is an increased sense of confidence from having done something that seemed to be relevant. Kind of an educational placebo effect. (The strongest opinion I've gotten in this direction is from a friend who did take one--I think it was Law Preview, but wouldn't swear to it. Will ask her about it later.)

However, it sounds like you're mostly looking for the confidence boost anyway. If you've got the money to throw around and it sounds like it would make you feel a lot better, might as well. If not, you can presumably get a nice shot of placebo confidence and most/all of the bits of knowledge that'd come up in the courses by picking up a few books like Law School Confidential, Getting to Maybe, etc.

Under those criteria, I would recommend:
--ImageRemoved--

Blue Label FTW!