What to Expect in Law School

Expert advice given by:
Joyce Savio Herleth, Director of Academic Advising
Joel K. Goldstein, The Vincent C. Immel Professor of Law

Prepare For the First Week

Accept that law school will challenge you. "Prepare to work hard," says Herleth. It doesn't matter whether you were in the top of your class in undergraduate school. The law challenges each student to stretch his or her understanding, perception, and analytical skills. There will be a steep learning curve, and the classroom will be frustrating at times. But you wouldn't be here if we did not think you had the skills to succeed. You need to resurrect those skills you developed for dealing with challenging situations, and you will need to develop new skills—such as how to study for a single final examination with no other immediate feedback. One way to feel more in control during these initial stages of your law school career is to adjust your time commitment to law school. Treat law school like your full-time job. Give yourself an adequate amount of time to learn and understand your class material. Working consistently throughout the school semester allows you to absorb material effectively and avoid unnecessary stress. Give yourself time to learn the process.

Accept Confusion

Everyone is confused at first, and the time it takes for students to 'get it' varies. "I tell students not to get frustrated with the ambiguity, not to feel anxious because they are confused," says Goldstein. "Students will say they don't understand and I say, 'You should be worried if you DO understand at first.' These are difficult concepts to comprehend and it's expected that students will be uncertain or confused. Work at the course materials, and go see your professor to clear up any confusion. The time right before exams is exciting for a teacher because students are starting to put the whole course together. The light bulb is going on and people are starting to understand."

Adopt New Study Techniques

The focus of the learning is different in law school than it is in many undergraduate programs. "While you need to recall legal principles and rules, and be familiar with key case law and statutory provisions, you must also develop an ability to recognize patterns in cases that will help predict future decisions," says Herleth. "The training you receive is not so much in the current case law, but in the analytical process by which the cases are being decided. First years need to adjust their study habits to focus on the analytical as well as the factual. Those that developed an ability to succeed by cramming and memorizing for an examination will find the need to spend time each day with the material, often reviewing a series of cases in order to identify patterns of legal thought. Students who relied on themselves to learn and digest information will find that discussing the cases and their opinions with other students is great preparation for the classroom Socratic method."

Enjoy the Give and Take

The typical law school class is a combination of lecture and question and answer, or Socratic dialogue. Professors ask questions about the material the students have prepared. "Some questions about what happened in the case (who filed the lawsuit, what was his grievance, what did the other party contend) have the effect of encouraging students to read carefully, paying attention to the details and the specifics in the case," says Herleth. "Other questions about what could have happened are designed to move that student beyond the facts of the case and into the discussion of legal principles. Such questions focus not on the text, but on the analytical process: what did the plaintiff argue? What do you think about the argument? What argument would you have made? Let me change the fact and see if you make the same argument. Why not? In the Socratic class the questions often turn out to be much more important than the answers. Moreover, this Socratic process should help you prepare for your exams. Discussing both case law and the professor’s hypotheticals help you understand the nuances of the various rules of law and when such rules should be applied. Knowing what facts trigger a discussion of particular rules is a big step to recognizing issues on your law school exams."

Identify Common Struggles in the First Year

Realize that many students encounter the same types of struggles in the first year. Frustrations can usually be resolved with the help of faculty or academic advising. Recognize the process as opposed to the substance. "Students come in really geared toward substance," says Goldstein. "They want to learn the law. But, in the first year you're learning the process of how to learn the law. That frustrates a lot of students because they haven't quite made that shift to learning the process and not a particular subject."

"People with backgrounds in Science or Math can have trouble with law school exams because they are sort of surprised by the format," comments Goldstein. "Those people are accustomed to giving an answer. But in law school exams, what you're graded on isn't just the bottom line. It's the analysis that matters, how you apply the legal rules and principles to the facts. When I sit down with people at the end of the first semester, I explain how they can correct it second semester."

Know how you learn. "We each have a learning style, a way we like to process information," says Herleth. "Students need to identify their strengths and weaknesses because the successful practice of law requires an ability to see the big picture and the details. Students have to remember their natural learning style in order to address new challenges."

Read, Read, Read

Law school requires a tremendous amount of reading, so students should keep up on a daily basis, rather than trying to cram the reading in before exams. "It's really important to read the cases," says Goldstein. "I tell people there is really no short cut. Law school, especially in the first year, doesn't lend itself well to cramming. The way to learn legal analysis is by reading the cases and coming prepared to class every day. So, not only does cramming not work, but I think it's a huge mistake to rely on commercial outlines. If you short circuit the process, you're really going to be in trouble later on."

Read and reread material as many times as is necessary for comprehension. "In the beginning, it's very slow going," Goldstein says. "Every time you read a sentence, you encounter a word or concept you don't understand. It's a new vocabulary, but once the language starts becoming familiar to you, you read the cases much more quickly, and it's not really as difficult. But, in the beginning, you may have to read a case three times."

Observe Your Classmates

Witnessing fellow students analyzing a problem can help give students confidence that they too can perform. "If I analyze a problem, they say, 'he's the professor, of course he can do it,'" says Goldstein. "But, if they see the person next to them analyzing a problem for the class, they'll think, 'that was pretty good, I should be able to do that.' It can be helpful when students see other students engaging in legal analysis."

Expect Faculty Involvement

Law school presents many challenges, but students have support and help from faculty members. "We're giving students a lot of tools to help them form their own approach to the law," says Herleth. "Although the academics are very demanding, we have committed faculty members to assist students. Our professors help students determine exactly what the Socratic method is, what it is exactly they are supposed to be doing and when, how law school differs from their previous education and how they need to adjust their approach to studying. We don't just put you in the classroom to sink or swim. The faculty, your professors, are there to guide you through. In addition, the Office of Academic Advising and the Career Services office present many workshops that help you better understand law school and prepare for your future legal career. Take advantage of those presentations. Ultimately, it is your job to ask questions, seek answers, and take advantage of all the available resources.