1.
DO THE READING. Do all of the reading assigned for your
courses. Do not fall behind; you may never catch up. Do your reading at times
of the day when you are most alert. Also, do your reading in a location where
you will not be distracted or tempted to do something else. Otherwise, you will
find that it takes you far longer than necessary to prepare for class.
2.
BRIEF THE CASES. Take notes while reading. For each assigned
case, write down the legally significant facts, the holding of the case, and
the rationale for the court's decision. This is what is referred to as
"briefing" cases. Your case briefs should be just that-brief.
3.
REVIEW BEFORE EACH CLASS. Review your reading notes (case briefs)
right before class. That way, the cases will be fresh in your mind, and you
will substantially increase your ability to follow the class discussion (not to
mention avoid the embarrassment associated with being unprepared when called
upon by the professor).
4.
GO TO CLASS. Most professors cover some material in class that is not
discussed in the reading, so failure to attend class will put you at a big
disadvantage when you take the final exam. Also, you will receive an
"FW" if you miss more than 20% of the sessions of a course. This is
factored into your grade point average as an "F" and is never removed
from your academic record, even if you retake the course.
5.
PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS. Some misguided students use class time
to shop on the Internet, play computer games or catch up on their e-mail. You
are paying a substantial amount of money for tuition. Do you really want to
spend your tuition money "surfing the net" or playing computer
solitaire instead of paying attention to the class discussion?
6.
PARTICIPATE IN CLASS. Students learn best when they are
actively engaged in the learning process.
7.
TAKE CLASS NOTES. Do not, however, get so caught up in trying to take down
everything your professor says that you are not actively engaged in the class
discussion. Review your class notes before starting your next reading
assignment and analyze how the new cases you read affect those cases you
already have reviewed in class.
8.
PREPARE AN OUTLINE FOR EACH OF YOUR CLASSES. Outlines prepared by more
senior students or commercial outlines are not acceptable substitutes for
making your own outlines. The analysis necessary to prepare a course outline
helps you determine the rules of law applicable to the subject matter of the
course, as well as determine how the rules relate to one another. If you do not
go through this process, you are less likely to master the subject matter.
Also, not all professors teach a subject the same way. In fact, many professors
do not even teach a course the same way from one year to the next. The only way
to get an outline tailored to your course is to make it yourself. Do NOT wait
until the reading period to prepare your outlines; you'll never get them done
in time. Some students like to outline once per week, others once per month.
Still others prefer to outline whenever a topic is completed. Pick whatever
schedule works best for you and stick to it.
9.
CONSIDER FORMING A STUDY GROUP. Study groups can be a
valuable learning tool. Talking through material with classmates can increase
your understanding and retention of course material. You also can obtain
helpful study tips from your peers. If you decide to form a study group, seek
out other students who are well-prepared for class and have similar academic
goals. Do not let your study group meetings become social or gossip sessions.
Also, do not use study groups as a way of sharing the workload. Lastly, if you
find that you are not benefiting from your study group, resign from the group.
10. REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW. Just because you
don't have an exam until the end of the semester does not mean that you should
wait until the reading period to begin your review. This is not undergraduate
school. You cannot cram right before finals and get good grades. Therefore,
make time for frequent review over the course of the semester.
11. ATTEND REVIEW SESSIONS CONDUCTED
BY YOUR PROFESSORS AND/OR THEIR ACADEMIC FELLOWS. Some professors and/or
Academic Fellows hold review sessions prior to exams. This is a great way to
clarify the issues about which you are confused without having to stand in line
outside your professor's office. Moreover, helpful tips regarding how to write
your exam answers in a way that will earn you the most points are often shared
during review sessions.
12. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FEEDBACK
FROM YOUR PROFESSORS. If your professor distributes a practice question and says
that she will review your answer if you submit it by a certain time, DO IT!
This is a great opportunity to get your professor's input and make any
necessary adjustments before your performance is graded.
13. ATTEND THE WORKSHOPS
CONDUCTED BY THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT CENTER. These workshops
cover a number of topics such as outlining, time and stress management, and how
to prepare for and write law school exams-skills essential to success in law
school.
14. TAKE PRACTICE EXAMS. Lots of them. Exams
previously administered by your professor are preferable. This will help you
determine how your professor drafts his or her exams. The Fowler School of Law
Library maintains a number of prior exams prepared by law professors. Whenever
possible, select a prior exam for which there is a sample answer on file. This
will allow you to check your answer against the sample and evaluate your
performance. If there is no sample answer on file, ask you professor if he/she
will review and comment on your answer. Do not, however, wait until right
before finals to ask your professor to review your answer. The earlier you ask,
the more likely your professor will have time to review your answer.
15. CREATE A STUDY PLAN. Many students
complain that they do not have enough time to brief cases, prepare outlines
and/or take practice exams. They're wrong! By planning your time in advance,
you will have enough time to meet all of the demands of law school and have
time to enjoy some outside activities. If you need help managing your time, see
Professor Faulkner.
16. DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST
MINUTE TO PREPARE YOUR LRW PAPERS. Again, this is not undergraduate
school. You cannot throw a paper together the night before it is due and expect
to receive a good grade (or for that matter, a passing grade). Good legal
writing takes time and lots of editing so start working on your LRW assignments
as soon as possible.
17. REVIEW YOUR EXAMS. Meet with your
professors to review your exams after grades have been posted. This is the best
way to determine what you did well and what you need to improve.
18. MINIMIZE YOUR
STRESS. Law school can be stressful, but there are a number of steps you
can take to keep stress to a minimum. Humor is a great stress reliever. Make
time for exercise-carrying 100 pounds of law books every day doesn't count. Eat
fruit, vegetables, and whole grain foods on a regular basis-a diet Coke and a
package of Ding-Dongs are not a balanced breakfast. Don't overdo your caffeine
intake; drink lots of water instead. Get at least seven hours of sleep per
night. Maintain a life outside of law school. You don't need to give up all of
the things you enjoyed doing before you went to law school; you just won't be
able to do them as often. Finally, if you think that your stress level is
getting out of control, talk about it with your significant other, a family
member, a close friend, a faculty member, one of the law school Deans, or
Professor Faulkner.
19. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE
COMPETITION ASPECT OF LAW SCHOOL. Face it. Only one student can finish at the top of the
class. So instead of setting Numero Uno as your goal, focus on doing your very
best. Also, be supportive of and respectful to your classmates. It will make
for a more positive law school experience for you and your peers.
20. GET HELP IF YOU NEED
IT. It is not uncommon for students to be confused about the
substantive law covered in their classes, how to prepare for class, how to
study for exams, how to manage their time or how to take law school exams.
Indeed, it is the rare student who does not have questions about these subjects
from time to time, particularly during the first year of law school. If you
have questions, there are a number of resources available to you. Every
professor holds weekly office hours. The Academic Fellows for your courses also
are available to help you, as is Professor Faulkner. Please visit us if you
have any questions. We're here to help.