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This questioned is geared towards those that took a year or more off between undergrad and law school. How did you guys get back into the mode of school, like assigned reading, studying, note taking. I'll be a year out when I start law school, just looking for some tips. I mean I work at a law firm now, but after work it's not like I have any work at home, I relax, do what I want. I feel it might be hard for me to get back into that school "mode". Thanks!

FEAR.

Just know that if you are not in the top of your class - which requires reading everything, especially at first - your law school investment will turn out to be a bad gamble. You will not get a six figure job. And it will be getting a little too late in life to begin an entirely new masters degree / PhD education tract in the event you are in the bottom of your class (which, if you are, you should seriously consider dropping out).

At least, thats what worked for me. But, I'm a cynic. I'm sure there are other approaches, especially if you don't so much care about making money.

Hah yea fear is a good motivator, and I'll no doubt try to read everything (although I heard you don't really need to read the case book), it's just I am a slow reader to begin with, and this past year haven't done anything educationally related, how do you get the rust off with more than just fear?

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A year? Are you serious? I mean I am also going to be a year and half out, but I am not worried at all. Remember, some are 10 years out, many are 5. If they do fine then you don't have to worry.

I have been out of undergrad for 57 years. I think I'm the oldest applicant this cycle. 92 years old, thank god.

Flanker1067 wrote:A year? Are you serious? I mean I am also going to be a year and half out, but I am not worried at all. Remember, some are 10 years out, many are 5. If they do fine then you don't have to worry.

Of course. Remember that the law school plan is top 5% (T2/TTT), Top 10% (T1), Top 1/3 (T14), Top 50% (T6) or killself. You wouldn't want to "killself," would you?

Black-Blue wrote:

Flanker1067 wrote:A year? Are you serious? I mean I am also going to be a year and half out, but I am not worried at all. Remember, some are 10 years out, many are 5. If they do fine then you don't have to worry.

Of course. Remember that the law school plan is top 5% (T2/TTT), Top 10% (T1), Top 1/3 (T14), Top 50% (T6) or killself. You wouldn't want to "killself," would you?

so true.

corporatelaw87 wrote:Hah yea fear is a good motivator, and I'll no doubt try to read everything (although I heard you don't really need to read the case book), it's just I am a slow reader to begin with, and this past year haven't done anything educationally related, how do you get the rust off with more than just fear?

Read the casebook. Remember, A's are earned at the margins. Those few little on-point tidbits you drop in from an obscure note in the casebook may be the difference.

savesthedayajb wrote:

Black-Blue wrote:

Flanker1067 wrote:A year? Are you serious? I mean I am also going to be a year and half out, but I am not worried at all. Remember, some are 10 years out, many are 5. If they do fine then you don't have to worry.

Of course. Remember that the law school plan is top 5% (T2/TTT), Top 10% (T1), Top 1/3 (T14), Top 50% (T6) or killself. You wouldn't want to "killself," would you?

so true.

Credited minus the smiley emoticon.

Keep your brain active and review the best study strategies for you.

But getting back into the swing was a little easier for me. I taught high school during my break.

corporatelaw87 wrote:This questioned is geared towards those that took a year or more off between undergrad and law school. How did you guys get back into the mode of school, like assigned reading, studying, note taking. I'll be a year out when I start law school, just looking for some tips. I mean I work at a law firm now, but after work it's not like I have any work at home, I relax, do what I want. I feel it might be hard for me to get back into that school "mode". Thanks!

Read and study and read and then study more. Read material relevant to your academic discipline. Everything else should be easy and second nature. You don't necessarily forget how to be a student, but you will have to combat laziness and a change of routine.

Ha, shit. Thought this thread was about transition from 1L first semester to second.

Attucks wrote:Ha, shit. Thought this thread was about transition from 1L first semester to second.

That was my first thought too... .

"And it will be getting a little too late in life to begin an entirely new masters degree / PhD education tract in the event you are in the bottom of your class (which, if you are, you should seriously consider dropping out)."

This is horrible advice. There are many successful attorneys who graduated in the bottom half. Class rank will obviously help you land your first job, but there are many other factors that go into it, and after landing a job it's sink or swim; no one cares about your class rank five years out. If everyone followed your advice, eventually there would be only person left in law school. There always have to be people in the bottom half, and even though it's not ideal, it's not enough in itself to make it so that someone should drop out of school. By the way, I am not in the bottom half of my class, but I know people who are and I believe some of them will make better lawyers than me.

I still haven't

Don't do what I did and revert back to being super lazy because you don't have a boss. I did hardly any work, but I still hit median. ITE median T25 = fail.