Lecturers vs. Textbook? Forum

[NICIAS]

I'm a recent college graduate and a prospective law school student. Throughout my four years as an undergraduate, I took chemistry, biology, history, economics, and many other courses. For each of my lecture-based classes, there was a textbook. I found that if I mastered the textbook material, I would almost invariably understand (completely) the lectures and get an A in the class. So, given that background:

In general, is it possible to struggle in a law class AND completely comprehend the accompanying books?

(Even if it is absurd, suppose that it is possible to completely comprehend the accompanying books.)

[Cavalier]

depends on the class

[Geist13]

Yes it is very possible, nay normal, to struggle in the class while understanding the book material. The reason is that the material is mind-numbingly simple. You'd be an absolute moron to struggle with comprehension. Yet, there is a curve, so by definition at least half of every class has to "struggle."

I'd say at least half of the students pay attention to neither the book or the lecture. Some of them will do incredibly well and land the best jobs available. Others will crash and burn. What is guaranteed is that you will all understand the material. Comprehension has nothing to do with whether you struggle or not.

Clarification: I'm defining struggle in terms of grades. You can define it another way, but you'd be wrong. That is the only struggle.

[kalvano]

The problem is not comprehension, it's giving the professor what they want on an exam.

[r6_philly]

The problem is not comprehension, it's giving the professor what they want on an exam.

I agree.

Some professors tend to disagree with everything in the casebook. Mastering the text book gives you the proper context to learn what the professor has to say (and subsequently test you on the exam).