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I am a very slow reader, and I am afraid this could hurt me in terms of ability to get work done, and cover everything from all angles. I was wondering if anyone had any tips about how I could maximize my efficiency while working/reading.

While this might be an issue when you get stuck on a big doc review/diligence assignment after graduation, it's unlikely to be a problem in law school itself. Assignments for class will require slow, careful reading--< 10 pages/hr is not unusual. The same goes for exams.

I disagree that reading cases for class requires slow and careful reading all the time. I think that as you get through your first semester, you'll start to realize which parts of cases you need to really understand (e.g., the reasoning behind the holding) and which parts you can skim over (e.g., the facts of the cases). Granted this is a skill that you won't have for the first few weeks, especially because what you need to focus on depends on what the professor emphasizes in class, but hopefully by the third month or so of first semester you'll be more efficient.

Take concise notes so you don't have to reread tons of highlighting before exams.

Are you dyslexic? Otherwise, spend the summer learning to read faster. Read a lot of complex material forcing yourself to go just a bit faster than you want to.

You can get away with reading cases at 10 pages/hour, but you'll spend all your time reading. Read 30 pages/hour and learn to separate the useful bits from everything else (again, practice will help) and you'll have more time to actually study.

Thane Messinger has an excellent discussion on this subject in Law School: Getting In, Getting Good, Getting the Gold.

But why are you reading slowly? Is it because you are stopping frequently, or are you reading consistently but slowly? Two different issues.

Assuming it is the latter, I would not worry too much. As an earlier poster noted, reading fast is not particularly important, either during law school or after law school. I would go so far as to say that speed-reading is bunk. Reading fast is a bad idea. Read properly or don't read at all. There is no try.

But what you do need to learn is what to read and what to skip, both during and after law school.

Morten Lund wrote:Thane Messinger has an excellent discussion on this subject in Law School: Getting In, Getting Good, Getting the Gold.

But why are you reading slowly? Is it because you are stopping frequently, or are you reading consistently but slowly? Two different issues.

Assuming it is the latter, I would not worry too much. As an earlier poster noted, reading fast is not particularly important, either during law school or after law school. I would go so far as to say that speed-reading is bunk. Reading fast is a bad idea. Read properly or don't read at all. There is no try.

But what you do need to learn is what to read and what to skip, both during and after law school.

Thanks for the input. Basically I am just a slow reader. Probably around 10 pages an hour, and that's leisurely reading, so I was concerned.

Morten Lund wrote:Thane Messinger has an excellent discussion on this subject in Law School: Getting In, Getting Good, Getting the Gold.

But why are you reading slowly? Is it because you are stopping frequently, or are you reading consistently but slowly? Two different issues.

Assuming it is the latter, I would not worry too much. As an earlier poster noted, reading fast is not particularly important, either during law school or after law school. I would go so far as to say that speed-reading is bunk. Reading fast is a bad idea. Read properly or don't read at all. There is no try.

But what you do need to learn is what to read and what to skip, both during and after law school.

Reading fast isn't about skipping material or not reading carefully. It's about reading quickly while absorbing the material without dwelling on the words. Eliminating things like, eg., voicing the words in your head as you read, which doesn't increase reading comprehension and slows it down dramatically.

To the OP: 10 pages/hour for pleasure reading is really slow. That means you'll read cases at like 5 pages/hour. You'll have 300-400 pages of reading per week in law school, so you're talking 60-80 hours doing the reading...

If you don't have dyslexia or something, you really need to spend some time learning how to read more quickly. It's not hard, and it'll save you a lot of time and wasted effort.

rayiner wrote: You'll have 300-400 pages of reading per week

no

doyleoil wrote:

rayiner wrote: You'll have 300-400 pages of reading per week

no

How much did y'all have?

rayiner wrote:

doyleoil wrote:

rayiner wrote: You'll have 300-400 pages of reading per week

no

How much did y'all have?

200 max

usually less (although, to be fair, i was in the easy section of elements...so those other poor saps may have gotten slammed first quarter)

doyleoil wrote:

rayiner wrote:

doyleoil wrote:

rayiner wrote: You'll have 300-400 pages of reading per week

no

How much did y'all have?

200 max

usually less (although, to be fair, i was in the easy section of elements...so those other poor saps may have gotten slammed first quarter)

Lucky bastard. I had 300+ second semester. Each week in IP was like 100 pages of reading, plus another 75-100 in legal history, then another 75 in con law and 50-75 in property.

rayiner wrote:
To the OP: 10 pages/hour for pleasure reading is really slow. That means you'll read cases at like 5 pages/hour. You'll have 300-400 pages of reading per week in law school, so you're talking 60-80 hours doing the reading...

If you don't have dyslexia or something, you really need to spend some time learning how to read more quickly. It's not hard, and it'll save you a lot of time and wasted effort.

I'm a rising 3L. I have never, ever had 300 or more pages of reading assigned for one week.

Typical assignments are 25-30 pages/2hr class. If you have 12 credits of substantive classes, you're looking at about 180 pages of reading in a week. If you're a slow 10 page/hr reader, that's 18 hours above and beyond class--not great, but hardly a disaster. I read/highlighter brief a bit fast than that (maybe 13 pages/hr), and I have tons of free time during the first half of each semester.

rayiner wrote:
Lucky bastard. I had 300+ second semester. Each week in IP was like 100 pages of reading, plus another 75-100 in legal history, then another 75 in con law and 50-75 in property.

to be fair, good schools don't require con law OR give you two electives as a 1L -

doyleoil wrote:

rayiner wrote:
Lucky bastard. I had 300+ second semester. Each week in IP was like 100 pages of reading, plus another 75-100 in legal history, then another 75 in con law and 50-75 in property.

to be fair, good schools don't require con law OR give you two electives as a 1L -

You think all that "rigor" would involve more reading.

rayiner wrote:

doyleoil wrote:

rayiner wrote:
Lucky bastard. I had 300+ second semester. Each week in IP was like 100 pages of reading, plus another 75-100 in legal history, then another 75 in con law and 50-75 in property.

to be fair, good schools don't require con law OR give you two electives as a 1L -

You think all that "rigor" would involve more reading.

fuck, i've said too much