Getting to Maybe Forum

[Law Guy]

Gah, too many examples.
Give me a simple list to memorize, damnit!

I guess there is something Socratic about making us formulate the patterns in our own way though.

Any thoughts? Disagreements?

[hypocampus]

All these books are silly and, in my opinion, a waste of time that you could be spending on, you know, actually learning something.

[Law Guy]

All these books are silly and, in my opinion, a waste of time that you could be spending on, you know, actually learning something.

Why do you think that they are a waste of time?

[hypocampus]

There are way too many of them. That means that either a.)they are all useless, b.)they are each only marginally useful (waste of time), or c.)only one is useful, but you have no idea which.

[snowboarder2713]

This book is the only book I've come across that law students a like said "It's a great book" or "I really should have read it sooner". Either way, just read it to learn more about the exam process and what teachers are generally looking for.

[Law Guy]

This book is the only book I've come across that law students a like said "It's a great book" or "I really should have read it sooner". Either way, just read it to learn more about the exam process and what teachers are generally looking for.

So far I'm learning a lot. I just wish that it was more condensed and abstract so that I could move on with my life.

Are you in LS? (I'm only 0L)... If so, have you found that any specific "forks" are more common than others? Do any specific "forks" pop up more often in any specific classes?

[EmmyD]

There is a lot of repetition in GTM; I can't say whether or not it's good, because I haven't done my exams yet.

There are way too many of them. That means that either a.)they are all useless, b.)they are each only marginally useful (waste of time), or c.)only one is useful, but you have no idea which.

There's a pretty good consensus out there among law students, faculty, and admins that GTM is actually the book to read. My reading list from Michigan even included. I don't understand what more you want.

[EmmyD]

By the way, there's a difference between reading GTM and actually following it come exam day(s). I am surprised to see that most simply don't follow it.

[upgrade]

The middle third of the book could probably be distilled to ten pages.

[Ipsa Dixit]

I thought it was a very useful book and I suspect it helped me with exam performance.

I did not start reading it until about the middle of the semester. Not sure how useful it will be without having had some law study under your belt (the examples won't make much sense otherwise.)

[Formerbruin]

I thought it was a very useful book and I suspect it helped me with exam performance.

Top 10% at a T14 after 1L. Take from that what you will.

[EmmyD]

I thought it was a very useful book and I suspect it helped me with exam performance.

Top 10% at a T14 after 1L. Take from that what you will.

How do you know your rank when you go to Boalt?

[Formerbruin]

Well, there is a way to find out if you're top 10% or not, at least compared to past years, by comparing your grades to those required for Order of the Coif.

[hypocampus]

There's a pretty good consensus out there among law students, faculty, and admins that GTM is actually the book to read. My reading list from Michigan even included. I don't understand what more you want.

I don't "want" any more, and I think that people who read it are perfectly reasonable individuals, but in my opinion, these books (much like the "getting into law school" books) are useless. The reason is that personal success is dependent on two things that are highly malleable and subjective: 1.)figuring out the way that YOU best aggregate information and 2.)figuring out the way that a PARTICULAR professor likes that information presented based on past exams. Anything that tells you otherwise is misleading, potentially in a detrimental way. Anything that tells you that, exactly, is correct, but a waste of money because I just told you for free.

[legalanalysis]

I found this book to be helpful. I also read Delaney's book and I thought that was good too.

Many people also use LEEWs though I didn't my 1L year and did pretty good. However, I did buy it from a recent grad and plan to listen to it over the summer (the remaining weeks that is).

I find that most people use these books/plans in law school but most don't want to admit to it. I find that many students, not all, won't really confess to what they are doing in school in terms of studying. But many are doing a little bit of everything. Hope that helps.

[Eremite]

The middle third of the book could probably be distilled to ten pages.

The whole book could be distilled to 150 pages and would be a much, much more useful text. I found the book to be very helpful, but it is a testament to the enduring annoyance of reduncy. Getting to Maybe needs to be gotten to an editor.

[ProdigyDub]

Getting to Maybe is the single best thing I read 1L year, and I'm in a similar position grade-wise to formerbruin (I'm at a slightly lower-ranked school, but with a better rank, so I'd say it's a wash).

I highly, highly, highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

[SeanSatori]

Getting to Maybe is a good book as a counterpoint to Planet Law School. I definitely enjoyed the book, but it is just the author's opinion on what they want to see. I like his type of teaching more than some others, but during first year, you aren't going to get much of a choice (if at all) about what and how you are going to be taught.

Neither of the books really do jack for preparing you for school in my opinion. If you want to know what your professor wants on the exam, pay attention. It's that simple.

Learning to listen, or in the case of the hide-the-ball teachers, learning to recognize misdirection, is a fundamental part of being a lawyer.

[thesealocust]

edit: n/m

[Leeroy Jenkins]

[thesealocust]

edit: n/m

[KLW12]

I read it a few weeks ago and thought it was informative. Not having any information or context made it difficult to get through at times. I'll probably read it again 6 or 7 weeks into the semester. Delaney's How To Do Your Best on LS Exams is good and includes a lot of info on outlining and so forth.

[lawlover829]

This book is the only book I've come across that law students a like said "It's a great book" or "I really should have read it sooner". Either way, just read it to learn more about the exam process and what teachers are generally looking for.

+1

[sour apple]

I thought it was boring and couldn't get through it.

I did LEEWS and found that extremely helpful. I know a lot of people here advocate doing both? I finished at the top of my class at a low T1, fwiw.

[ChattelCat]

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =3&t=80543