Chicago Class of 2012 Forum

[dresden doll]

You will not, and should not, study during the weekends. Law School is simply not that demanding.

dear god, please let this be true

Yeah, I am afraid weekends are to be sectioned off for drinking escapades on Gothic grounds and trolling Chicago bars.

Doylie, I can't live in Regents. SO must commute to Schaumburg so we have to live somewhere downtown or his commute will be evil.

Schaumburg is far away. Does he work at Motorola?

I would say take the train to Arlington Heights and then take another bus, but that sounds like a world of pain. You're probably aware of a faster commute.

Drinking escapades are great.

Yes, that is exactly where he works. We're thinking downtown would be a reasonable compromise - about an hour for him and 20-30 minutes for me.

And please, please tell me drinking escapades happen often at U of C.

[Mr. T6]

They happened very often to a contigent of our class. I did not hang out with them, but they went out an average of three, sometimes four, nights per week.

I hung out with a good friend from another Midwestern state and someone else until we had a falling out. We did not drink.

[pehaigllleises]

They told me my move in date roughly a month ago, but I'm moving in at the beginning of August.

Why so early?

My fiance needs to be in Chicago in August and September anyway, so I'm leaving my terrible job a month early and moving a month early to hang out in Chicago with him and be happy and learn the ropes.

[keylimelove]

They told me my move in date roughly a month ago, but I'm moving in at the beginning of August.

Why so early?

My fiance needs to be in Chicago in August and September anyway, so I'm leaving my terrible job a month early and moving a month early to hang out in Chicago with him and be happy and learn the ropes.

Fun fun.

Since everyone in Regents will be within steps of each other, I say everyone joins together to throw a multi-level/floor-wide party once everyone settles in.

[marburger06]

They told me my move in date roughly a month ago, but I'm moving in at the beginning of August.

Why so early?

My fiance needs to be in Chicago in August and September anyway, so I'm leaving my terrible job a month early and moving a month early to hang out in Chicago with him and be happy and learn the ropes.

Fun fun.

Since everyone in Regents will be within steps of each other, I say everyone joins together to throw a multi-level/floor-wide party once everyone settles in.

Yay I agree...I'm moving in August 2nd. I'm in South Tower though, so I'll probably be making the trek over to most of you...

[doyleoil]

Since everyone in Regents will be within steps of each other, I say everyone joins together to throw a multi-level/floor-wide party once everyone settles in.

Yay I agree...I'm moving in August 2nd. I'm in South Tower though, so I'll probably be making the trek over to most of you...

+2 on the regents party

[usaojeff]

I'll be in the North Tower beginning right around Labor Day (if not on Labor Day itself). Nothing to do except see the sights and have beers with y'all, so I'm down to get together whenever.

Hope to see/meet you guys soon!

[SR1313]

Misconception. Young adult females are at significantly less risk of being victims of crime than males of the same age (after controlling for additional risk factors.) People only think its more common because the media pays more attention to attacks on women.

Maybe the media pays more attention because being raped is a pretty serious thing. I'd rather lose my wallet. In fact I'd rather be at high risk of losing my wallet than at low risk of being raped.

[Mr. T6]

If anyone ever wants a Corona or has any questions about the Law School, I live in North Tower # 902. I don't really do much, so feel free to stop by.

Just throwing it out there. I got a lot of good advice from Bosco last year.

[seeker63]

Nah, my friends and I are going to have cars and go out frequently. Plus, I'm from a cold Midwestern state.

i heard from somewhere that during the really cold periods, everyone hibernates, stays holed up during the weekends, and plans their grocery runs and any other activities requiring outside activity way in advance in order to avoid dying from the cold. is this true? does that mean i can't go out at all (assuming i won't be studying my ass off for classes on the weekends) during the winter? this seems terribly depressing.

It gets very cold in the winter. But you'll have so much work to do that you won't have time to reflect on how depressing it is.

[seeker63]

You will not, and should not, study during the weekends. Law School is simply not that demanding.

dear god, please let this be true

Yeah, seriously. Some of the best students never did shit on the weekends, and some of the worst knocked themselves out with studying. It's all about exam aptitude.

This year, I plan on studying maybe two hours a day, if that. I probably won't even read the cases. I heard that Evidence, Corporations, and Legislation require more statutory acumen, which I haven't developed, but I can't imagine that'll suck up too much time. *knocks on wood*

I studied every day for most of the day. Some do, some don't. I recommend studying significantly longer than Mr. T6 recommends.

[Mr. T6]

I found very little correlation between hard work and grades, but YMMV. I got one of the highest grades in a class for which I never took notes, never opened the casebook (I didn't even buy the casebook), and never stayed after class to ask those obnoxious podium-rusher questions. In case you think I'm boasting, let me add that I got median in a class in which I did all those things, in addition to supplements, study groups, and mauve highlighters.

[lucydog]

Am I the only one who applied for non-New Grad university housing? I applied and sent in my deposit a couple of weeks ago and I am still waiting to hear back.

[seeker63]

I found very little correlation between hard work and grades, but YMMV. I got one of the highest grades in a class for which I never took notes, never opened the casebook (I didn't even buy the casebook), and never stayed after class to ask those obnoxious podium-rusher questions. In case you think I'm boasting, let me add that I got median in a class in which I did all those things, in addition to supplements, study groups, and mauve highlighters.

Good for you. I wouldn't recommend anyone else follow this strategy though, because the casebook is generally quite helpful. REading cases and discerning what's important is what law is all about.

[seeker63]

Am I the only one who applied for non-New Grad university housing? I applied and sent in my deposit a couple of weeks ago and I am still waiting to hear back.

You'll be waiting for awhile. Their typical turnaround is probably about 2 months. Hunker down.

[Mr. T6]

I found very little correlation between hard work and grades, but YMMV. I got one of the highest grades in a class for which I never took notes, never opened the casebook (I didn't even buy the casebook), and never stayed after class to ask those obnoxious podium-rusher questions. In case you think I'm boasting, let me add that I got median in a class in which I did all those things, in addition to supplements, study groups, and mauve highlighters.

Good for you. I wouldn't recommend anyone else follow this strategy though, because the casebook is generally quite helpful. REading cases and discerning what's important is what law is all about.

Discerning legal issues is what law is all about. I'm well-aware. However, even when I did this, my grades were variable.

At the beginning, you should definitely read the cases and figure out what the issues are, why the court ruled as it did, et cetera. After a quarter or two, it's up to you. But it shouldn't take you longer than a few hours to read the cases -- absolute maximum. If you're working on the weekends, you must be inefficient or a Southern girl who drank too many Red Bulls.

The bottom line is exam aptitude. Everyone learns the law. Everyone knows what they need to know in order to do well. But it's like cooking: everyone can buy the ingredients, but only a few people apply it in a way that rises above and beyond the median.

[reminiscent]

The bottom line is exam aptitude. Everyone learns the law. Everyone knows what they need to know in order to do well. But it's like cooking: everyone can buy the ingredients, but only a few people apply it in a way that rises above and beyond the median.

that's.. intimidating.

[Mr. T6]

The bottom line is exam aptitude. Everyone learns the law. Everyone knows what they need to know in order to do well. But it's like cooking: everyone can buy the ingredients, but only a few people apply it in a way that rises above and beyond the median.

that's.. intimidating.

If it makes you feel better, almost anyone who puts in a good faith effort, including practice exams and issue-spotting, can snag the median. What's hard is rising above it.

[reminiscent]

that's.. intimidating.

If it makes you feel better, almost anyone who puts in a good faith effort, including practice exams and issue-spotting, can snag the median. What's hard is rising above it.

i s'pose that's some comfort. you mentioned you lived in new grad. i'm living there, too (i hope). i was looking at the floor plans and i only see one kitchen for 3 floors. am i reading the floor plan wrong? also, does the kitchen ever get crowded, especially during mealtimes? or get really disgustingly dirty? shanks, t6

[Mr. T6]

You're correct. There is one central kitchen for the entire building.

It can be crowded, but seldom too crowded, if you catch my drift. Usually, if I wanted to cook, I would arrive at either 5 or 7 PM. 6 is the worst hour. Otherwise, it's fine. It was practically a private kitchen by 8 PM. I also ate out frequently, a byproduct of laziness and good friends.

Janitors keep the kitchen clean. As you and your cohorts are cooking, the garbage piles up, but you can rest assured that it will be clean by the next day.

[seeker63]

I found very little correlation between hard work and grades, but YMMV. I got one of the highest grades in a class for which I never took notes, never opened the casebook (I didn't even buy the casebook), and never stayed after class to ask those obnoxious podium-rusher questions. In case you think I'm boasting, let me add that I got median in a class in which I did all those things, in addition to supplements, study groups, and mauve highlighters.

Good for you. I wouldn't recommend anyone else follow this strategy though, because the casebook is generally quite helpful. REading cases and discerning what's important is what law is all about.

Discerning legal issues is what law is all about. I'm well-aware. However, even when I did this, my grades were variable.

At the beginning, you should definitely read the cases and figure out what the issues are, why the court ruled as it did, et cetera. After a quarter or two, it's up to you. But it shouldn't take you longer than a few hours to read the cases -- absolute maximum. If you're working on the weekends, you must be inefficient or a Southern girl who drank too many Red Bulls.

The bottom line is exam aptitude. Everyone learns the law. Everyone knows what they need to know in order to do well. But it's like cooking: everyone can buy the ingredients, but only a few people apply it in a way that rises above and beyond the median.

This is defeatist. If you don't put the time in, of course grades will be variable. And they're still variable if the time is put in. The mean of the variation just tends to be higher.

[Mr. T6]

What time do you suggest?

Reading supplements? Usually irrelevant. (plus/minus Senor Helmholz)

Reading the cases again? I'm not sure how that would help you. You already know the legal issue and how the court reasoned through it.

Outline? It's better to do that toward the end, so you understand the big picture.

Take practice exams? I always did all of them, fully-timed.

One hits diminishing marginal returns quickly in Law School. Worse, you can detract from your test day performance by learning irrelevant material that the professor neither wants nor expects to see on the exam.

But . . . whatever works for you. I think that all of our class gunners would have performed equally well with less prep. You reach a point at which you know 1) the law 2) how to apply the law, and then it's whoever best unpacks a few fact patterns within three or four hours.

I'm not saying, "Don't study." I'm saying, "Read the cases, outline, take practice exams, and then give it a rest." The aforementioned should not cut into your weekends.

[Mr. T6]

Risky Business is an excellent movie. I should watch more early Tom Cruise.

[seeker63]

What time do you suggest?

Reading supplements? Usually irrelevant. (plus/minus Senor Helmholz)

Reading the cases again? I'm not sure how that would help you. You already know the legal issue and how the court reasoned through it.

Outline? It's better to do that toward the end, so you understand the big picture.

Take practice exams? I always did all of them, fully-timed.

One hits diminishing marginal returns quickly in Law School. Worse, you can detract from your test day performance by learning irrelevant material that the professor neither wants nor expects to see on the exam.

But . . . whatever works for you. I think that all of our class gunners would have performed equally well with less prep. You reach a point at which you know 1) the law 2) how to apply the law, and then it's whoever best unpacks a few fact patterns within three or four hours.

I'm not saying, "Don't study." I'm saying, "Read the cases, outline, take practice exams, and then give it a rest." The aforementioned should not cut into your weekends.

It depends on the class, of course, but in many classes rereading the notes again and again was helpful. Cases, not so much except for big ones where understanding analysis was important. And supplements help to clarify the course in general, or specific issues where the prof wasn't clear.

You can't save outlining until the end, though. There's not enough time to make a comprehensive outline if you wait. I made a comprehensive outline for every course containing everything important, and outlined this to create a sleeker model towards the end. This takes substantial effort, but it puts the entire course to memory. I wouldn't have been able to do this had I waited even until the middle of the quarter to begin outlining.

[lucydog]

Am I the only one who applied for non-New Grad university housing? I applied and sent in my deposit a couple of weeks ago and I am still waiting to hear back.

You'll be waiting for awhile. Their typical turnaround is probably about 2 months. Hunker down.

Boo. I guess I should be looking for other housing options as well in case things don't pan out.