Forming a reliable study group? Forum

[magp90]

I've never been much of a group studier, but it's something I may like to try out during law school to help digest all of the material. Like most people, I don't really want to waste my time on a shitty group, but figuring out which students would be good study partners seems like a bit of a crap shoot at the beginning.

Do you guys have any tips on forming a productive study group with solid students early on?

[ph14]

I've never been much of a group studier, but it's something I may like to try out during law school to help digest all of the material. Like most people, I don't really want to waste my time on a shitty group, but figuring out which students would be good study partners seems like a bit of a crap shoot at the beginning.

Do you guys have any tips on forming a productive study group with solid students early on?

My recommendation: if you're not a group studier before law school, don't feel pressured to become one.

[magp90]

My recommendation: if you're not a group studier before law school, don't feel pressured to become one.

My instinct is to agree, but it's not really that my personality wasn't suited for group studying in the past as much as my major did not lend itself to sharing work or swapping ideas. I'm usually pretty suspicious about having to rely on other students for information, but I don't want to miss out on something that could really work (provided I weren't part of a toxic group, of course, hence the question).

[cinephile]

I've never been much of a group studier, but it's something I may like to try out during law school to help digest all of the material. Like most people, I don't really want to waste my time on a shitty group, but figuring out which students would be good study partners seems like a bit of a crap shoot at the beginning.

Do you guys have any tips on forming a productive study group with solid students early on?

My recommendation: if you're not a group studier before law school, don't feel pressured to become one.

^ this is good advice.

On the other hand, a study group is a great way to get closer with people and develop more law school friendships. Just see it as a sort of social time.

[dixiecupdrinking]

It can be useful your first year just to make sure you're kind of generally getting the material. Just don't be hesitant to drop out if it seems counterproductive, which it likely will at some point, between people arguing about minor, irrelevant issues and stressing each other out. In general, though, my advice is to talk to other 1Ls about class as little as possible.

[mephistopheles]

key: find people who are at your level of skill or above.

most groups fill with somewhat lame students and the work just doesn't cut it. then, they want your outlines and are willing to trade theirs, but their outlines blow.

[cinephile]

key: find people who are at your level of skill or above.

most groups fill with somewhat lame students and the work just doesn't cut it. then, they want your outlines and are willing to trade theirs, but their outlines blow.

Most groups fill up very early in the year. And you have no idea what other people's level of skill is. Sure, you may have heard them speak in class, but that doesn't really mean anything. And there is something to be said for learning the material better by explaining it to someone who doesn't understand as well.

[Nelson]

Study groups are pointless in an age where profs release model exams with answers and previous years' outlines are plentiful. Don't bother.

[mephistopheles]

key: find people who are at your level of skill or above.

most groups fill with somewhat lame students and the work just doesn't cut it. then, they want your outlines and are willing to trade theirs, but their outlines blow.

Most groups fill up very early in the year. And you have no idea what other people's level of skill is. Sure, you may have heard them speak in class, but that doesn't really mean anything. And there is something to be said for learning the material better by explaining it to someone who doesn't understand as well.

meh, my group formed late in first semester.

[magp90]

key: find people who are at your level of skill or above.

most groups fill with somewhat lame students and the work just doesn't cut it. then, they want your outlines and are willing to trade theirs, but their outlines blow.

Most groups fill up very early in the year. And you have no idea what other people's level of skill is. Sure, you may have heard them speak in class, but that doesn't really mean anything. And there is something to be said for learning the material better by explaining it to someone who doesn't understand as well.

Skill level and motivation level are definitely the points that makes me hesitant about group study. It seems possible that a group could be helpful, but I don't really want it to be a tutoring session for students that are trying to get free answers. I'm sure there's a middle ground, but I still wish there were some magic way of figuring out who would be good partners... maybe orientation?

[cinephile]

^ No, there's no way of knowing the "skill" level of your peers. That is, if by skill you mean grades (if by skill you mean understanding, then maybe). Often those who speak up in class with great confidence and spout opinions that sound right don't do that well. Like, maybe the super shy, quiet girl who has never speaks up and gets flustered during cold calls ends up at the top of the class. Or the guy who goes out and gets drunk every night of the week is at the top of the class. Like there is literally no way of telling. Plus, the guy who parties constantly might be a secret genius, but he may not be helpful in a study group - maybe the material just makes sense to him but he has no clue how to explain it to others. Same with the shy kid, is this someone who can articulate things well?

[magp90]

Yeah. It's just a crap shoot. We'll see how it goes, I guess...

[cinephile]

Just study with people you like. And then be sure to save enough time to study by yourself (and meet with your professors to ask questions).

[magp90]

Just study with people you like. And then be sure to save enough time to study by yourself (and meet with your professors to ask questions).

Fair enough! Thanks for the advice