Did any "median pwned" people actually raise their marks after first semester of 1L? Forum

[mootness]

j/w if this is possible or likely in case i get "median pwned" after exams.

[ymmv]

Yes, it's very possible.

[EzraFitz]

Know a few people who went from below median to top third. Also, they went from barely studying to rockstar students too, so they earned it for sure.

[Desert Fox]

[PourMeTea]

yes. i've seen people with huge GPA increases during the spring. anecdotally, i've also seen huge GPA drops.

[cannibal ox]

yes. i've seen people with huge GPA increases during the spring. anecdotally, i've also seen huge GPA drops.

Seconded.

[A. Nony Mouse]

yes. i've seen people with huge GPA increases during the spring. anecdotally, i've also seen huge GPA drops.

Seconded.

Yep.

[Companion Cube]

Stop speculating, it won't do any good. Talk to profs and see what went wrong. Look at test memos and model answers. Focus on figuring out what your professor is looking for so you don't waste time learning crap that doesn't matter. It's not difficult to do well on a law school exam once you figure out how to take them.

[EzraFitz]

Stop speculating, it won't do any good. Talk to profs and see what went wrong. Look at test memos and model answers. Focus on figuring out what your professor is looking for so you don't waste time learning crap that doesn't matter. It's not difficult to do well on a law school exam once you figure out how to take them.

This too. Speculation will only freak you out and take up mind space. The best thing you can learn for each exam is what that professor wants, and how they think. Better than any cookie cutter supplement out there imo.

[xael]

here you go

for those who don't want to read the whole thing:

1/30/2013:

So just finished my first semester. C+, B- and a B. Pretty bad. I'm trying to stay optimistic and think I can do better this semester but honestly I don't even know what I could do differently.

I always went to class. I always paid attention in class. I always did the reading. I made my own outlines, using outlines from older students for reference and to fill in the gaps. I talked to people who had my professors about tips and exam info. I went to office hours. I participated in class. I read GTM. I did every single practice exam I could for each class. I went over them with classmates and felt good about them. I thought i understood the material and felt good about the exams when I was done with them.

10/30/13:

Just thought I should give an update to this. For those of you unfortunate enough to be in my position after 1L, don't give up hope.

I made a conscious effort to fix my exam-taking techniques, ended up with two A's and an A- my second semester. Going to a V100 in NYC next summer.

So, just because you get a few bad grades your first semester doesn't automatically mean "drop out" like some in this thread said. Hope this offers some inspiration.

[BigZuck]

yes. i've seen people with huge GPA increases during the spring. anecdotally, i've also seen huge GPA drops.

Seconded.

Yep.

Fourthded

[White Dwarf]

So much of your first semester grades depends on how prepared you were for law school exams generally. The curves can be a bit arbitrary as well.

It only makes sense that by the 2nd go-around, most students will have figured out how to take exams and be ready to put out a great product. I would imagine 2nd semester grades are a much better predictor of future success than 1st semester's. You'll also have some students who did surprisingly well who will either coast a bit, or simply regress towards the mean.

[ballouttacontrol]

I studied significantly less after that and improved significantly. 1st semester where I stressed and tried to study my ass off killed over cumulative forever, but once I went back to treating like UG and not giving a fuck and just cramming for the final I started doing well again

[morrissey]

Know a few people who went from below median to top third. Also, they went from barely studying to rockstar students too, so they earned it for sure.

This is me exactly, except I'm closer to top 25% going into second semester of 3L. Study smarter, find a better study group if that's your thing, and, like Ezra said, work on being a stronger student.

[pancakes3]

what do you mean "actually" ?

[mootness]

"Actually" here means "in fact," according to your knowledge of reality or personal first-hand experience, rather than purported "knowledge" through imaginative speculation, psychic intuitions or through some unreliable whisper you heard.

[mootness]

Ugh guys I totally missed this issue on my exam today. It was one of those things you raised so you could dismiss it. BAHHHHHHH!

[jbagelboy]

One of my friends went from dead on median after first semester to at least top third and is now possibly one of the best students at the school. He stepped up his studying a little but it was really more luck and learning how to do law exams.

[patfeeney]

And here I am, about to enter my second half of law school and I'm still utterly incapable of getting above a B+ (bottom 30% of class) in anything. I've changed my study habits, I've focused on practicing with the material rather than just rote memorization, I've stopped pulling all nighters and focused on just learning smarter.... and I'm not doing any better.

Like, what the hell could I possibly be doing wrong at this point? I spent the weeks before the semester reading other peoples' approaches, I reached out to friends when I was in a dead end, I put in all this effort... and I'm getting absolutely nothing out of it. I've soiled my chances of getting any clerkship, of possibly TAing or being a research assistant, all of this damage pretty much irreversible... just, like, what the hell?

[mootness]

And here I am, about to enter my second half of law school and I'm still utterly incapable of getting above a B+ (bottom 30% of class) in anything. I've changed my study habits, I've focused on practicing with the material rather than just rote memorization, I've stopped pulling all nighters and focused on just learning smarter.... and I'm not doing any better.

Like, what the hell could I possibly be doing wrong at this point? I spent the weeks before the semester reading other peoples' approaches, I reached out to friends when I was in a dead end, I put in all this effort... and I'm getting absolutely nothing out of it. I've soiled my chances of getting any clerkship, of possibly TAing or being a research assistant, all of this damage pretty much irreversible... just, like, what the hell?

I'm sorry to hear about your frustration. Your type of situation is exactly what I don't want to get into. I'm sure others here can give you better advice than I can.

[ballouttacontrol]

I never got better than a B+ on any exam that was the standard law school exam, e.g., 3 hours to vomit as much bullshit onto a paper as possible. I did significantly better in the rest of my classes by taking classes that had grades depend on other kinds of testing: multiple choice tests, papers, take homes, etc.

If for some reason you care about trying to get some A-'s (not sure why you would at this point) just take some seminars or something with a paper and try really hard to write a good paper.

[patfeeney]

I never got better than a B+ on any exam that was the standard law school exam, e.g., 3 hours to vomit as much bullshit onto a paper as possible. I did significantly better in the rest of my classes by taking classes that had grades depend on other kinds of testing: multiple choice tests, papers, take homes, etc.

If for some reason you care about trying to get some A-'s (not sure why you would at this point) just take some seminars or something with a paper and try really hard to write a good paper.

Surprisingly, I think I do worst at multiple choice exams. My evidence exam this semester was half multiple choice and I completely bombed it. The two multiple-choice exams I had 1L year were also my two worst exam scores in law school.

[pancakes3]

have you talked to your profs about it?

[jbagelboy]

I never got better than a B+ on any exam that was the standard law school exam, e.g., 3 hours to vomit as much bullshit onto a paper as possible. I did significantly better in the rest of my classes by taking classes that had grades depend on other kinds of testing: multiple choice tests, papers, take homes, etc.

If for some reason you care about trying to get some A-'s (not sure why you would at this point) just take some seminars or something with a paper and try really hard to write a good paper.

Surprisingly, I think I do worst at multiple choice exams. My evidence exam this semester was half multiple choice and I completely bombed it. The two multiple-choice exams I had 1L year were also my two worst exam scores in law school.

if it makes you feel any better, I've never received an honors-range grade on a multiple choice law school exam either (with one weird exception, tax, which wasn't really MC)

multiple choice is really fucking stupid IMO

[NoDayButToday]

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