Monday, January 6, 2014

How to Succeed in Law School

When I first got accepted to law school, I was worried that I would have no more fun for the next three years of my life. The truth is law school can actually be fun and you still get to have your entertainment just like everyone else, but you do need to be disciplined along the way.

The first step to succeeding in law school is paying attention in class. All professors are unique, but in general, the gold is in the professor's words during class discussion or lecture. If you pay close attention and take detailed notes in class, you're going to save yourself a lot of time and heartache down the road.

Reading is also vital. The worst thing you can do is fall behind in your classes. At first, you may feel comfortable with your understanding of the curriculum and decide you are OK - and you may actually be in good shape - but law school homework can pile up incredibly fast and leave you behind in a hurry. If you stay on top of most of your assignments, you'll be in great shape.

One more important tip is to take advantage of the opportunities presented to you. If you have the chance to take a practice exam or attend a class tutoring session, by all means do so. These types of extended learning opportunities give you a chance to sharpen your knowledge of the subject and find out any important topics you may have missed.

These three bullets to academic success are as simple as they sound. You will need to put in the work, but for every minute you study, you will reap the rewards.