Same section as a friend? Forum

[adampres]

My good buddy and I are attending the same law school this fall. Should we request to be in the same section? We're both very committed students, and I'm sure we'd benefit from being able to study and review for the same professors. But I do wonder if there would be any weird issues with the curve and competition.
Does the advantage of a good study partner outweigh any disadvantages?
Thanks.

[kalvano]

Don't let the curve become some big competition. Some people will do better than you, others will do worse. It's only a bother if you make it into one.

[reverendt]

Pretty much all the friends you will make in school will be from your section. They will be your friends, and you will be competing against each other. Get used to it. They're not your enemy. It's a "may the best man win" situation.

[adampres]

Alrighty. Thanks guys. Matter solved. I guess I was just a little tentative because people have mixed feelings about being in the same section as a significant other, but I guess that is mostly for reasons other than the curve and competition.

[Gideon Strumpet]

They probably won't take requests for section assignments anyway. But the same "problem" comes up whether you're in a section with your friend or just make friends in your section.

As long as neither of you are douchebags, and as long as you stick to some basically sound methods, you will likely get more benefit from studying together than you would ever "lose" by helping the other do a little better than they otherwise would.

First year sections are 90-100 students, and the middle of the curve is huge at most schools; like 60% of the class. Even at the far A/A+ end of it, there is still plenty of room for both of you to succeed; if you get edged out for that A+, it won't be because you studied with a friend.