How do I find out if seminar classes are curved? Forum

[K Rock]

1L picking 2L classes.

Is it standard practice at most schools that seminars are not graded on a curve? Do I have to ask the individual professors teaching the classes or the dean? And if I ask will it seem like I am trying to exploit the system? I tried exploring my schools website but couldn't find the answer.

[purpleparrot]

It should be somewhere in your schools academic policies but I would just ask a prof you like who usually teaches some. They probably get that you hate the curve and want your best shot at high grades. I think my school doesn't "curve" them but doesn't allow more than 50% A's

[A. Nony Mouse]

At my lower T1, all classes were curved. So it varies.

[Myself]

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[K Rock]

Okay I asked administration and found out that they are not curved....so should I take all seminar classes?

[purpleparrot]

There is probably a limit on how many you can take. At my school its only one per semester and 2 max. Also, you should be taking subjects that will be tested on the bar and fill in with what interests you/suits your career path. Seminars won't cover all of that.

[A. Nony Mouse]

No limit at my school, but again, our seminars are curved. The thing with seminars is that they're often "Law and --" courses, which can make your transcript look a little fishy if that's all you have. You wouldn't get a lot of overview of the law, more just narrow slices. Also, trying to write 3 or more seminar papers in a semester would be pretty miserable - in a lot of ways, exams are less work.

(I took almost no bar courses, though, so I wouldn't worry about that part of it.)

[Myself]

Okay I asked administration and found out that they are not curved....so should I take all seminar classes?

It honestly all depends on your school. My school has no limit on seminars. But maybe yours does. Ask them, that's all you can really do. Should you take all seminar classes? It depends on your situation. Are you a 3L with a job already lined up? Then you can probably do whatever the heck you want. Are you a 2L that struck out at OCI? Maybe you can want to take a few harder bar courses mixed in with those seminars. What's your situation?

[Richie Tenenbaum]

Okay I asked administration and found out that they are not curved....so should I take all seminar classes?

Does your school release grade distributions for past classes? If so, look at those first--just because a class is off the curve doesn't mean the professor has a generous curve in a class. Also, consider what classes you are interested in, what professors have a great reputation, what classes might be useful post law school, etc. Basing class selection on solely GPA maximization is a bad decision, imo.

[cinephile]

Okay I asked administration and found out that they are not curved....so should I take all seminar classes?

I originally thought this was a good plan, but seminars actually require more work than lectures for 2 reasons: 1) you have to read every time since the class is tiny and it's awkward and noticeable if you don't contribute and 2) you have to write papers. Honestly, I'd rather cram from an old student outline a day or two before the exam and pull off a B+ than spend weeks researching and writing a paper only to get the same result. Also, large lecture based classes make it easier to skip since they don't know your face.

[Myself]

Okay I asked administration and found out that they are not curved....so should I take all seminar classes?

I originally thought this was a good plan, but seminars actually require more work than lectures for 2 reasons: 1) you have to read every time since the class is tiny and it's awkward and noticeable if you don't contribute and 2) you have to write papers. Honestly, I'd rather cram from an old student outline a day or two before the exam and pull off a B+ than spend weeks researching and writing a paper only to get the same result. Also, large lecture based classes make it easier to skip since they don't know your face.

That's why you have to ask around and find out which professors actually give a good amount of As if not all As.

[cinephile]

Okay I asked administration and found out that they are not curved....so should I take all seminar classes?

I originally thought this was a good plan, but seminars actually require more work than lectures for 2 reasons: 1) you have to read every time since the class is tiny and it's awkward and noticeable if you don't contribute and 2) you have to write papers. Honestly, I'd rather cram from an old student outline a day or two before the exam and pull off a B+ than spend weeks researching and writing a paper only to get the same result. Also, large lecture based classes make it easier to skip since they don't know your face.

That's why you have to ask around and find out which professors actually give a good amount of As if not all As.

That's the hard part: a 12 person class that's taught once every two years isn't going to give you many people you can ask.