0L prep Forum

[wowzers22]

HEllo,

I am reading Getting to Maybe


anything else that I could do to prep? any advice? what worked for you and what didnt?

[toothbrush]

HEllo,

I am reading Getting to Maybe


anything else that I could do to prep? any advice? what worked for you and what didnt?

This is how to prep: spend 1 hour on TLS reading through one of the hundreds of threads that address this issue. We don't need another one.

[wowzers22]

HEllo,

I am reading Getting to Maybe


anything else that I could do to prep? any advice? what worked for you and what didnt?

This is how to prep: spend 1 hour on TLS reading through one of the hundreds of threads that address this issue. We don't need another one.

I did but majority of them are dated back to 2008-2010. I just wanted some recent input thats all thak you thou smile

[despina]

Law school hasn't changed much since 2010, and the best advice is still "relax and enjoy the summer as much as you can because 1L will hit you hard no matter what you do." Good luck!

[John Everyman]

here you go bud:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =4&t=26949

[DoveBodyWash]

lol don't bother with any of that. Read TLS occasionally. Be prepared to adjust your exam strategy for each professor. Enjoy your summer.

[Tanicius]

HEllo,

I am reading Getting to Maybe


anything else that I could do to prep? any advice? what worked for you and what didnt?

This is how to prep: spend 1 hour on TLS reading through one of the hundreds of threads that address this issue. We don't need another one.

I did but majority of them are dated back to 2008-2010. I just wanted some recent input thats all thak you thou smile

This is critical. After the DOMA case was released by the Supreme Court, most of the strategies you would have used to succeed in law school pre-2011 have become completely outdated. It's not unusual for your professor to not even have exams anymore. They tend to grade more based on class participation now.

[despina]

After the DOMA case was released by the Supreme Court, most of the strategies you would have used to succeed in law school pre-2011 have become completely outdated. It's not unusual for your professor to not even have exams anymore. They tend to grade more based on class participation now.

[BVest]

Get your teeth cleaned and take care of any health issues that you've been putting off. Start an exercise routine and have a plan for how to fit it into your law school schedule.

If (and only if) one of your professors (once you know who they are) recorded a lecture series (e.g. Sum and Substance), that's worth listening to. Some on here would extend that statement to if they wrote a supplement, read that. I wouldn't go that far in advance (but that supplement will be of great value to you once the semester starts).

[toothbrush]

Get your teeth cleaned and take care of any health issues that you've been putting off. Start an exercise routine and have a plan for how to fit it into your law school schedule.

If (and only if) one of your professors (once you know who they are) recorded a lecture series (e.g. Sum and Substance), that's worth listening to. Some on here would extend that statement to if they wrote a supplement, read that. I wouldn't go that far in advance (but that supplement will be of great value to you once the semester starts).

We didn't learn professors until like mid august.

OP just take care of you. Save some money. Go to the gym. Break up with GF if she isn't making it for the long haul. And that's it.

[BVest]

Get your teeth cleaned and take care of any health issues that you've been putting off. Start an exercise routine and have a plan for how to fit it into your law school schedule.

OP just take care of you. Save some money. Go to the gym. Break up with GF if she isn't making it for the long haul. And that's it.

Does this mean toothbrush is not endorsing my teeth cleaning advice?

[toothbrush]

Get your teeth cleaned and take care of any health issues that you've been putting off. Start an exercise routine and have a plan for how to fit it into your law school schedule.

OP just take care of you. Save some money. Go to the gym. Break up with GF if she isn't making it for the long haul. And that's it.

Does this mean toothbrush is not endorsing my teeth cleaning advice?

hah, i didn't even catch that.

but really, tooth decay is alpha. if you want partner track, stop brushing

[GouldGirl]

Find out who your professors will be before classes start. Start the inquiry with law school administrators in mid July. Or find out what professors are teaching what sections and have a 2L or 3L recommend the best professors to take. Immediately request to be in the desired section (even if you have to make up an excuse). This will likely work if you do it early enough and because so few students know to make such request you will likely be one of only a few and your request is more likely to be granted. Once you know what classes you will be in START OUTLINING. I know this sounds nuts but here is what I mean and how to do it: (PM me if you need more clarity)

Under the traditional approach to law school, outlining is the final step before taking practice exams. For most students, outlines are finished just days before the exam. They are commonly between 50 and 100 pages. Because it takes so long to complete an outline the outlining process puts a hold on a student’s ability to gain exam practice.
What is an outline, really? It is the first time a student sits down to try and make sense of their course and put it into a working context. Before outlining most 1Ls see their course as discrete parts and areas that are unrelated to one another. Before outlining students never had time to synthesize the information they were learning. Due to the time demands of preparing for classes and the unbelievable amount of time taken up by legal research and writing assignments, outlining was put on the back burner out of necessity.
During the outlining process, students get their first idea of exactly how well they understand the material. This is the moment most students realize there are holes in their understanding. The trouble is that there is not much time left to fill in these holes and the pressure mounts with each passing day.
Because outlining is when students begin to really learn the law, my students start outlining immediately. In the first month of classes I push my students to complete their outlines so that they do not become a barricade to starting exams.
The benefit of early outlining is exactly why it’s a bad idea to wait for your professors to teach you the law. The only reason I have been able to help others to outline so early in the semester is because we did not wait. Because we learned the black letter law in advance we were able to outline in advance.
There are, however, a few trade secrets to how we outline so early. The first is that we use previous outlines. The biggest advantages of previous outlines is that they tell you what a professor will cover, what cases are important and what things the professor will emphasize in class. The right previous outline can be like looking into a crystal ball.

A TRUE STORY
Last year I mentored student that got his hands on a previous outline from a 2L that had recently taken the same course. Like most traditional outlines it was a dictation of the course. During class the professor said the exact same words and phrases that were in the outline.
We were able to use that outline as a template to get ahead of the rest of the class. There was no reason to wait for the professor because we had a crystal ball. Using the outline, we were able to figure out what the professor’s unique qualities were. We highlighted these terms and phrases and embedded them into our outline. At that point our outline was keyed to the specific course without having to wait for the professor.
Another way to get outlines is from a website called Outline Depot. Outline Depot has outlines for professors at most any law school. The only down side is that they are not free. However, if used to get a head start they are well worth the money.
The year before I mentored a student starting a Tort law class with a professor that was new to the law school. The professor was coming from a law school on the East coast and we wanted to get a head start on the material.
We went to Outline Depot and purchased two outlines. One I chose because I liked the formatting and layout. The other I chose because it was the largest file of the outlines available. I always choose two outlines based on these criteria so I can cross-reference and not depend entirely on one source. The longer outlines are great for getting details about what the professor will say throughout the semester. The better-formatted outlines are best for getting a sense of how the professor structures the course. I use previous outlines to help my mentees develop a game plan that is unique to their professor.

Law school is a competition. If you want a competitive edge you must prepare better and earlier than your competition. The sooner you outline the sooner you will know the law and can take practice exams. This is how my menthes have transferred to top tier law schools and/or landed prestigious firm jobs. Will it work for everyone? Of course, it will not. But knowing that there are alternatives to the traditional approach can be empowering for students with alternative learning styles.

[foundingfather]

Find out who your professors will be before classes start. Start the inquiry with law school administrators in mid July. Or find out what professors are teaching what sections and have a 2L or 3L recommend the best professors to take. Immediately request to be in the desired section (even if you have to make up an excuse). This will likely work if you do it early enough and because so few students know to make such request you will likely be one of only a few and your request is more likely to be granted. Once you know what classes you will be in START OUTLINING. I know this sounds nuts but here is what I mean and how to do it: (PM me if you need more clarity)

Under the traditional approach to law school, outlining is the final step before taking practice exams. For most students, outlines are finished just days before the exam. They are commonly between 50 and 100 pages. Because it takes so long to complete an outline the outlining process puts a hold on a student’s ability to gain exam practice.
What is an outline, really? It is the first time a student sits down to try and make sense of their course and put it into a working context. Before outlining most 1Ls see their course as discrete parts and areas that are unrelated to one another. Before outlining students never had time to synthesize the information they were learning. Due to the time demands of preparing for classes and the unbelievable amount of time taken up by legal research and writing assignments, outlining was put on the back burner out of necessity.
During the outlining process, students get their first idea of exactly how well they understand the material. This is the moment most students realize there are holes in their understanding. The trouble is that there is not much time left to fill in these holes and the pressure mounts with each passing day.
Because outlining is when students begin to really learn the law, my students start outlining immediately. In the first month of classes I push my students to complete their outlines so that they do not become a barricade to starting exams.
The benefit of early outlining is exactly why it’s a bad idea to wait for your professors to teach you the law. The only reason I have been able to help others to outline so early in the semester is because we did not wait. Because we learned the black letter law in advance we were able to outline in advance.
There are, however, a few trade secrets to how we outline so early. The first is that we use previous outlines. The biggest advantages of previous outlines is that they tell you what a professor will cover, what cases are important and what things the professor will emphasize in class. The right previous outline can be like looking into a crystal ball.

A TRUE STORY
Last year I mentored student that got his hands on a previous outline from a 2L that had recently taken the same course. Like most traditional outlines it was a dictation of the course. During class the professor said the exact same words and phrases that were in the outline.
We were able to use that outline as a template to get ahead of the rest of the class. There was no reason to wait for the professor because we had a crystal ball. Using the outline, we were able to figure out what the professor’s unique qualities were. We highlighted these terms and phrases and embedded them into our outline. At that point our outline was keyed to the specific course without having to wait for the professor.
Another way to get outlines is from a website called Outline Depot. Outline Depot has outlines for professors at most any law school. The only down side is that they are not free. However, if used to get a head start they are well worth the money.
The year before I mentored a student starting a Tort law class with a professor that was new to the law school. The professor was coming from a law school on the East coast and we wanted to get a head start on the material.
We went to Outline Depot and purchased two outlines. One I chose because I liked the formatting and layout. The other I chose because it was the largest file of the outlines available. I always choose two outlines based on these criteria so I can cross-reference and not depend entirely on one source. The longer outlines are great for getting details about what the professor will say throughout the semester. The better-formatted outlines are best for getting a sense of how the professor structures the course. I use previous outlines to help my mentees develop a game plan that is unique to their professor.

Law school is a competition. If you want a competitive edge you must prepare better and earlier than your competition. The sooner you outline the sooner you will know the law and can take practice exams. This is how my menthes have transferred to top tier law schools and/or landed prestigious firm jobs. Will it work for everyone? Of course, it will not. But knowing that there are alternatives to the traditional approach can be empowering for students with alternative learning styles.

[daleearnhardt123]

Find out who your professors will be before classes start. Start the inquiry with law school administrators in mid July. Or find out what professors are teaching what sections and have a 2L or 3L recommend the best professors to take. Immediately request to be in the desired section (even if you have to make up an excuse). This will likely work if you do it early enough and because so few students know to make such request you will likely be one of only a few and your request is more likely to be granted. Once you know what classes you will be in START OUTLINING. I know this sounds nuts but here is what I mean and how to do it: (PM me if you need more clarity)

Under the traditional approach to law school, outlining is the final step before taking practice exams. For most students, outlines are finished just days before the exam. They are commonly between 50 and 100 pages. Because it takes so long to complete an outline the outlining process puts a hold on a student’s ability to gain exam practice.
What is an outline, really? It is the first time a student sits down to try and make sense of their course and put it into a working context. Before outlining most 1Ls see their course as discrete parts and areas that are unrelated to one another. Before outlining students never had time to synthesize the information they were learning. Due to the time demands of preparing for classes and the unbelievable amount of time taken up by legal research and writing assignments, outlining was put on the back burner out of necessity.
During the outlining process, students get their first idea of exactly how well they understand the material. This is the moment most students realize there are holes in their understanding. The trouble is that there is not much time left to fill in these holes and the pressure mounts with each passing day.
Because outlining is when students begin to really learn the law, my students start outlining immediately. In the first month of classes I push my students to complete their outlines so that they do not become a barricade to starting exams.
The benefit of early outlining is exactly why it’s a bad idea to wait for your professors to teach you the law. The only reason I have been able to help others to outline so early in the semester is because we did not wait. Because we learned the black letter law in advance we were able to outline in advance.
There are, however, a few trade secrets to how we outline so early. The first is that we use previous outlines. The biggest advantages of previous outlines is that they tell you what a professor will cover, what cases are important and what things the professor will emphasize in class. The right previous outline can be like looking into a crystal ball.

A TRUE STORY
Last year I mentored student that got his hands on a previous outline from a 2L that had recently taken the same course. Like most traditional outlines it was a dictation of the course. During class the professor said the exact same words and phrases that were in the outline.
We were able to use that outline as a template to get ahead of the rest of the class. There was no reason to wait for the professor because we had a crystal ball. Using the outline, we were able to figure out what the professor’s unique qualities were. We highlighted these terms and phrases and embedded them into our outline. At that point our outline was keyed to the specific course without having to wait for the professor.
Another way to get outlines is from a website called Outline Depot. Outline Depot has outlines for professors at most any law school. The only down side is that they are not free. However, if used to get a head start they are well worth the money.
The year before I mentored a student starting a Tort law class with a professor that was new to the law school. The professor was coming from a law school on the East coast and we wanted to get a head start on the material.
We went to Outline Depot and purchased two outlines. One I chose because I liked the formatting and layout. The other I chose because it was the largest file of the outlines available. I always choose two outlines based on these criteria so I can cross-reference and not depend entirely on one source. The longer outlines are great for getting details about what the professor will say throughout the semester. The better-formatted outlines are best for getting a sense of how the professor structures the course. I use previous outlines to help my mentees develop a game plan that is unique to their professor.

Law school is a competition. If you want a competitive edge you must prepare better and earlier than your competition. The sooner you outline the sooner you will know the law and can take practice exams. This is how my menthes have transferred to top tier law schools and/or landed prestigious firm jobs. Will it work for everyone? Of course, it will not. But knowing that there are alternatives to the traditional approach can be empowering for students with alternative learning styles.

Hoooollly shit. If this isn't a flame this user needs to be banned.

[Rahviveh]

The only way I see 0L prep being productive is if you knew beforehand exactly who your professors are and what courses youre taking. But usually that info doesn't come out for 1-2 months beforehand, which probably won't be enough time to do serious prep. You would also need to have access to old outlines, syllabuses, casebook assignments, and old exams. For most of this stuff, a current law student would have to be willing to help you out. As such, you will look like a huge fucking douchebag but some people obviously don't care about that. Maybe this would be a good way to make money off gunner 0L's.

[foundingfather]

Find out who your professors will be before classes start. Start the inquiry with law school administrators in mid July. Or find out what professors are teaching what sections and have a 2L or 3L recommend the best professors to take. Immediately request to be in the desired section (even if you have to make up an excuse). This will likely work if you do it early enough and because so few students know to make such request you will likely be one of only a few and your request is more likely to be granted. Once you know what classes you will be in START OUTLINING. I know this sounds nuts but here is what I mean and how to do it: (PM me if you need more clarity)

Under the traditional approach to law school, outlining is the final step before taking practice exams. For most students, outlines are finished just days before the exam. They are commonly between 50 and 100 pages. Because it takes so long to complete an outline the outlining process puts a hold on a student’s ability to gain exam practice.
What is an outline, really? It is the first time a student sits down to try and make sense of their course and put it into a working context. Before outlining most 1Ls see their course as discrete parts and areas that are unrelated to one another. Before outlining students never had time to synthesize the information they were learning. Due to the time demands of preparing for classes and the unbelievable amount of time taken up by legal research and writing assignments, outlining was put on the back burner out of necessity.
During the outlining process, students get their first idea of exactly how well they understand the material. This is the moment most students realize there are holes in their understanding. The trouble is that there is not much time left to fill in these holes and the pressure mounts with each passing day.
Because outlining is when students begin to really learn the law, my students start outlining immediately. In the first month of classes I push my students to complete their outlines so that they do not become a barricade to starting exams.
The benefit of early outlining is exactly why it’s a bad idea to wait for your professors to teach you the law. The only reason I have been able to help others to outline so early in the semester is because we did not wait. Because we learned the black letter law in advance we were able to outline in advance.
There are, however, a few trade secrets to how we outline so early. The first is that we use previous outlines. The biggest advantages of previous outlines is that they tell you what a professor will cover, what cases are important and what things the professor will emphasize in class. The right previous outline can be like looking into a crystal ball.

A TRUE STORY
Last year I mentored student that got his hands on a previous outline from a 2L that had recently taken the same course. Like most traditional outlines it was a dictation of the course. During class the professor said the exact same words and phrases that were in the outline.
We were able to use that outline as a template to get ahead of the rest of the class. There was no reason to wait for the professor because we had a crystal ball. Using the outline, we were able to figure out what the professor’s unique qualities were. We highlighted these terms and phrases and embedded them into our outline. At that point our outline was keyed to the specific course without having to wait for the professor.
Another way to get outlines is from a website called Outline Depot. Outline Depot has outlines for professors at most any law school. The only down side is that they are not free. However, if used to get a head start they are well worth the money.
The year before I mentored a student starting a Tort law class with a professor that was new to the law school. The professor was coming from a law school on the East coast and we wanted to get a head start on the material.
We went to Outline Depot and purchased two outlines. One I chose because I liked the formatting and layout. The other I chose because it was the largest file of the outlines available. I always choose two outlines based on these criteria so I can cross-reference and not depend entirely on one source. The longer outlines are great for getting details about what the professor will say throughout the semester. The better-formatted outlines are best for getting a sense of how the professor structures the course. I use previous outlines to help my mentees develop a game plan that is unique to their professor.

Law school is a competition. If you want a competitive edge you must prepare better and earlier than your competition. The sooner you outline the sooner you will know the law and can take practice exams. This is how my menthes have transferred to top tier law schools and/or landed prestigious firm jobs. Will it work for everyone? Of course, it will not. But knowing that there are alternatives to the traditional approach can be empowering for students with alternative learning styles.

Hoooollly shit. If this isn't a flame this user needs to be banned.

[Yukos]

You don't even need to work that hard the first couple months of 1L. I don't know how working through the summer would be helpful even if you did have your classes/syllabi/books...

[lawhopeful10]

You don't even need to work that hard the first couple months of 1L. I don't know how working through the summer would be helpful even if you did have your classes/syllabi/books...

Figuring out how to take law exams for some people can take awhile and I think the faster people look at exams and think how to take them the better especially considering 1L year involves meeting new people, being in a new town, and a lot of distractions. I agree though once you get exam taking down you really don't need to work hard until the end of the semester and even then if you have been paying attention in class shouldn't feel too stressed.

[Yukos]

You don't even need to work that hard the first couple months of 1L. I don't know how working through the summer would be helpful even if you did have your classes/syllabi/books...

Figuring out how to take law exams for some people can take awhile and I think the faster people look at exams and think how to take them the better especially considering 1L year involves meeting new people, being in a new town, and a lot of distractions. I agree though once you get exam taking down you really don't need to work hard until the end of the semester and even then if you have been paying attention in class shouldn't feel too stressed.

I agree that test taking is it's own unique skill but people are talking about looking at old outlines and syllabi and shit and that seems more likely to lead to burnout than to give you an advantage. I think GTM is well worth the time during the summer though.

[gouldzlaw]

Find out who your professors will be before classes start. Start the inquiry with law school administrators in mid July. Or find out what professors are teaching what sections and have a 2L or 3L recommend the best professors to take. Immediately request to be in the desired section (even if you have to make up an excuse). This will likely work if you do it early enough and because so few students know to make such request you will likely be one of only a few and your request is more likely to be granted. Once you know what classes you will be in START OUTLINING. I know this sounds nuts but here is what I mean and how to do it: (PM me if you need more clarity)

Under the traditional approach to law school, outlining is the final step before taking practice exams. For most students, outlines are finished just days before the exam. They are commonly between 50 and 100 pages. Because it takes so long to complete an outline the outlining process puts a hold on a student’s ability to gain exam practice.
What is an outline, really? It is the first time a student sits down to try and make sense of their course and put it into a working context. Before outlining most 1Ls see their course as discrete parts and areas that are unrelated to one another. Before outlining students never had time to synthesize the information they were learning. Due to the time demands of preparing for classes and the unbelievable amount of time taken up by legal research and writing assignments, outlining was put on the back burner out of necessity.
During the outlining process, students get their first idea of exactly how well they understand the material. This is the moment most students realize there are holes in their understanding. The trouble is that there is not much time left to fill in these holes and the pressure mounts with each passing day.
Because outlining is when students begin to really learn the law, my students start outlining immediately. In the first month of classes I push my students to complete their outlines so that they do not become a barricade to starting exams.
The benefit of early outlining is exactly why it’s a bad idea to wait for your professors to teach you the law. The only reason I have been able to help others to outline so early in the semester is because we did not wait. Because we learned the black letter law in advance we were able to outline in advance.
There are, however, a few trade secrets to how we outline so early. The first is that we use previous outlines. The biggest advantages of previous outlines is that they tell you what a professor will cover, what cases are important and what things the professor will emphasize in class. The right previous outline can be like looking into a crystal ball.

A TRUE STORY
Last year I mentored student that got his hands on a previous outline from a 2L that had recently taken the same course. Like most traditional outlines it was a dictation of the course. During class the professor said the exact same words and phrases that were in the outline.
We were able to use that outline as a template to get ahead of the rest of the class. There was no reason to wait for the professor because we had a crystal ball. Using the outline, we were able to figure out what the professor’s unique qualities were. We highlighted these terms and phrases and embedded them into our outline. At that point our outline was keyed to the specific course without having to wait for the professor.
Another way to get outlines is from a website called Outline Depot. Outline Depot has outlines for professors at most any law school. The only down side is that they are not free. However, if used to get a head start they are well worth the money.
The year before I mentored a student starting a Tort law class with a professor that was new to the law school. The professor was coming from a law school on the East coast and we wanted to get a head start on the material.
We went to Outline Depot and purchased two outlines. One I chose because I liked the formatting and layout. The other I chose because it was the largest file of the outlines available. I always choose two outlines based on these criteria so I can cross-reference and not depend entirely on one source. The longer outlines are great for getting details about what the professor will say throughout the semester. The better-formatted outlines are best for getting a sense of how the professor structures the course. I use previous outlines to help my mentees develop a game plan that is unique to their professor.

Law school is a competition. If you want a competitive edge you must prepare better and earlier than your competition. The sooner you outline the sooner you will know the law and can take practice exams. This is how my menthes have transferred to top tier law schools and/or landed prestigious firm jobs. Will it work for everyone? Of course, it will not. But knowing that there are alternatives to the traditional approach can be empowering for students with alternative learning styles.

Hi GouldGirl

I just started at USC Law (I'm a 1L). Would it be possible for me to ask some direct questions about USC?

Thanks