"What was your least favorite class/thing about law school?" Forum

[Anonymous User]

What are interviewers looking for when they ask this question? Obviously you don't want to say something negative about a professor or suggest that you dislike an important subject, but is it kosher to say things like "I'm not a fan of the Socratic method," "I thought the class was overly policy-focused/overly doctrinal", etc. What sorts of things are not OK to dislike about law school?

[dougroberts]

You can dislike a teaching method that placed too much emphasis on history that is not necessarily valid anymore, at the expense of practical modern teaching. For example, a professor who dwells on the past too much. But don't use this is the interviewer seems aged as he or she may like history.

[InLikeFlint]

I think you're over thinking this one. Pick a topic you liked in a class and say "I thought my prof rushed through subject Y, I wish we'd spent more time on that and less time on X, which I didn't enjoy as much."

Or maybe pick an ethnicity and convey that they make up a larger portion of the class than you would like.

[5ky]

I think you're over thinking this one. Pick a topic you liked in a class and say "I thought my prof rushed through subject Y, I wish we'd spent more time on that and less time on X, which I didn't enjoy as much."

Or maybe pick an ethnicity and convey that they make up a larger portion of the class than you would like.

I seriously lolled.

[Heartford]

My least favorite was a class where the professor just lingered too long on every point. like he was teaching to the lowest common denominator. We would read the casebook, and then go over it in class, and then again at the beginning of the following class, with review sessions throughout the term. But this was for really simple concepts. I got an A but it was my least favorite course so far. I can't tell an interviewer that story though because I would come across as impatient or entitled or arrogant.

I think maybe I'd just pick my lowest grade and say "I had a rough time with [x], but I did actually come to really enjoy it towards the middle of the semester," to try to flip the negative into positive?

[dr123]

I think you're over thinking this one. Pick a topic you liked in a class and say "I thought my prof rushed through subject Y, I wish we'd spent more time on that and less time on X, which I didn't enjoy as much."

Or maybe pick an ethnicity and convey that they make up a larger portion of the class than you would like.

I seriously lolled.

haha, +1

[missinglink]

ss

[Anonymous User]

Also, if you're a transactional person, this might be an opportunity to gripe about the litigation focus of all of 1L (but only if your interviewer is also a transactional person).

[TheFriendlyBarber]

I always respond with "law itself."

[Borhas]

professors who think they are more intelligent than they actually are

call them out on it, but only if you are about as intelligent (and/or correct) as you think you are

[dailygrind]

The price tag.

[Grizz]

That I don't have a 4.0

[Cupidity]

Favorite thing about law school:

The fact that I have liscense to drink all the time, so long as I call it "networking."

Least favorite thing:

Needing to go to a 9:00am class after a long night of "networking."

[Cupidity]

On a serious note:

The answer I have been using so far is "friendship" or "camraderie," and the fact that, unlike my undergraduate work, that it was essential in law school for me to work as a team, study with friends, and discuss cases and past exams in order to perform well on exams. And that the fact we all go through the same sort of struggles and hardships together forms a strong bond.

Thoughts? I think this sells the "I'm a team player" angle, but at the same time, It's a bit of a soft, warm and fuzzy, not substantive response.

[GeePee]

On a serious note:

The answer I have been using so far is "friendship" or "camraderie," and the fact that, unlike my undergraduate work, that it was essential in law school for me to work as a team, study with friends, and discuss cases and past exams in order to perform well on exams. And that the fact we all go through the same sort of struggles and hardships together forms a strong bond.

Thoughts? I think this sells the "I'm a team player" angle, but at the same time, It's a bit of a soft, warm and fuzzy, not substantive response.

I think you're answering the opposite question as the one posed in the OP.

[emciosn]

On a serious note:

The answer I have been using so far is "friendship" or "camraderie," and the fact that, unlike my undergraduate work, that it was essential in law school for me to work as a team, study with friends, and discuss cases and past exams in order to perform well on exams. And that the fact we all go through the same sort of struggles and hardships together forms a strong bond.

Thoughts? I think this sells the "I'm a team player" angle, but at the same time, It's a bit of a soft, warm and fuzzy, not substantive response.

Not the OP's question but I like it. Making a mental note of this if I'm asked what my favorite thing is.

As for least favorite this I would say, for example, spending so much time on Pennoyer v. Neff when that is not really the current state of the law. Then end with something that says just because you dont like it doesn't mean its not valuable.. blah blah blah

[Verity]

Looking forward to the camaraderie.

[Anonymous User]

If it's the end of the day, and you're funny, say OCI. The interviewers will be exhausted and laugh.