Write-on competitions prior to admissions decision Forum

[CMR]

Has anyone participated in these?

[CMR]

Do not many schools do this? At least 4 of the schools to which I've applied are doing the transfer write-on in the next month; it's rather overwhelming considering I have two summer classes and two RA positions, but that's what they make caffeine for I guess.

[engineer]

I just did Columbia's.

However, just after finishing the memo tonight, I received the worst grade I have ever gotten; it screwed up my gpa this semester to the point where the highest gpa I can have is a 3.00... and that's assuming the rest of my grades are 100s! It's probably pointless to even turn this memo in. What would you guys do in my situation?

[tbo123123]

dont sweat it, thats like getting a bogey on the first hole and quitting the course. Did you get a C?

[engineer]

dont sweat it, thats like getting a bogey on the first hole and quitting the course. Did you get a C?

7 credits out of fifteen are in the high sixties. I blew two courses. I'm appealing one grade, because it just doesn't appear right, but the other, well, has to be. The test was scantron. Looks like I better sign a two year lease

[270910]

I just did Columbia's.

However, just after finishing the memo tonight, I received the worst grade I have ever gotten; it screwed up my gpa this semester to the point where the highest gpa I can have is a 3.00... and that's assuming the rest of my grades are 100s! It's probably pointless to even turn this memo in. What would you guys do in my situation?

I'm sure this stings a lot, and I'm really sorry that it had to happen. That kind of thing is the roughest part of law school, and I wish it on nobody. You have my honest sympathy.

That being said... you're kind of the case study in ego. I remember your posts about how your poor performance(s) on exams lat semester were all the professors fault, and your strong performance was the true measure of your potential. How you did well but not extremely well but were still banking on kicking enough ass this semester to make a big transfer and get into Columbia. And to see it not only prove to be false, but to have it happen while you were completing Columbia's write on competition just adds insult to injury. Law school eats egos for breakfast. There's a reason lawyers grow up to be risk averse.

I don't mean to pile on, and I definitely don't mean to insult you. But I couldn't leave it without comment.

[IzziesGal]

Law school eats egos for breakfast.

Amen to that.

[engineer]

I just did Columbia's.

However, just after finishing the memo tonight, I received the worst grade I have ever gotten; it screwed up my gpa this semester to the point where the highest gpa I can have is a 3.00... and that's assuming the rest of my grades are 100s! It's probably pointless to even turn this memo in. What would you guys do in my situation?

I'm sure this stings a lot, and I'm really sorry that it had to happen. That kind of thing is the roughest part of law school, and I wish it on nobody. You have my honest sympathy.

That being said... you're kind of the case study in ego. I remember your posts about how your poor performance(s) on exams lat semester were all the professors fault, and your strong performance was the true measure of your potential. How you did well but not extremely well but were still banking on kicking enough ass this semester to make a big transfer and get into Columbia. And to see it not only prove to be false, but to have it happen while you were completing Columbia's write on competition just adds insult to injury. Law school eats egos for breakfast. There's a reason lawyers grow up to be risk averse.

I don't mean to pile on, and I definitely don't mean to insult you. But I couldn't leave it without comment.

I only performed poorly on one exam last semester, and the professor outright admitted to not reading the exams closely enough. He even apologized and said that I obviously have a command of the material, but he just "didn't have time" to grade the exams appropriately. I have an e-mail that corroborates this claim. My other grades were fine.

This semester, I don't know what happened. I did everything I could, but I guess everyone in my section did it better than I did. Perhaps the problem is that I honestly don't think it's my fault. The grade I'm appealing was posted exactly one week after I took the exam. The prof must have graded at least 15 exams a day for an entire business week to have a turnaround like that. It's just a gut feeling I have--I honestly feel like something is up. Sure, I could have studied more; I could have done better, but that's not the point. I'm just feeling a little sleighted right now. I will ALWAYS own up to my mistakes, but I'm going to maintain my ground on this situation.

[270910]

This semester, I don't know what happened.

People's exhibit A:

I recorded almost all of my property law lectures using a $100 Sony voice recorder. Only one prof allowed recordings, but if you have a disability, my school will actually do all of that for you (as in, they'll require the prof to wear a mic).

Anyway, I typically recorded the lectures and then outsourced them for transcription through guru.com or elance.com. The ONLY reason I did this is because my property prof gives take-home finals which are a mind fuck and a half, and he expects us to quote him verbatim in the exam. I was able to do that.

Anyway, since I treated property like a regular class, I read through the transcripts and highlighted the important parts. Then I created my own table of contents (an outline, basically) with page references. It made the exam tolerable, but we'll see if my grade improves at all.

Oh, one other thing: in class, I NEVER would take notes. I'd listen & absorb. That helped me so much, because when I was studying, everything felt very familiar.

[engineer]

This semester, I don't know what happened.

People's exhibit A:

I recorded almost all of my property law lectures using a $100 Sony voice recorder. Only one prof allowed recordings, but if you have a disability, my school will actually do all of that for you (as in, they'll require the prof to wear a mic).

Anyway, I typically recorded the lectures and then outsourced them for transcription through guru.com or elance.com. The ONLY reason I did this is because my property prof gives take-home finals which are a mind fuck and a half, and he expects us to quote him verbatim in the exam. I was able to do that.

Anyway, since I treated property like a regular class, I read through the transcripts and highlighted the important parts. Then I created my own table of contents (an outline, basically) with page references. It made the exam tolerable, but we'll see if my grade improves at all.

Oh, one other thing: in class, I NEVER would take notes. I'd listen & absorb. That helped me so much, because when I was studying, everything felt very familiar.

That's not one of the grades I've received yet! But don't worry, either way I'll post the results here. The two classes I did poorly in this semester I treated normally. No crazy study habits, just normal stuff.

[sixburgher]

Sorry to hear you didn't get the grades you wanted. Which class was scantron?

FWIW, I'd still turn in the Columbia memo. Go down swinging.

[IzziesGal]

Sorry to hear you didn't get the grades you wanted. Which class was scantron?

FWIW, I'd still turn in the Columbia memo. Go down swinging.

I agree. I am guessing you spent a lot of time on it, and it would be a complete waste to not turn it in. If your transcript is pretty strong and you have some good 1L extracurriculars, I cannot imagine one low grade being the end of your transfer dreams.

[Always Credited]

I just did Columbia's.

However, just after finishing the memo tonight, I received the worst grade I have ever gotten; it screwed up my gpa this semester to the point where the highest gpa I can have is a 3.00... and that's assuming the rest of my grades are 100s! It's probably pointless to even turn this memo in. What would you guys do in my situation?

Hey, if your school grades to a 2.6 curve you'll be good to go

[imchuckbass58]

I just did Columbia's.

However, just after finishing the memo tonight, I received the worst grade I have ever gotten; it screwed up my gpa this semester to the point where the highest gpa I can have is a 3.00... and that's assuming the rest of my grades are 100s! It's probably pointless to even turn this memo in. What would you guys do in my situation?

Well, you have literally nothing to lose by turning in the memo considering you've already done it.

Also, it's an extreme long shot, but Columbia Law Review will notify the admissions office if you qualify for one of the write-on spots. It doesn't guarantee admission, but I have to believe it counts as a pretty big plus. So if you totally aced the writing competition, that could actually help you.

[shmoo597]

Wait wtf, schools expect you to participate in a transfer write on before you even apply/are accepted? My understanding was that I could wait to deal with the write on after I got in....should I be doing these things while waiting for my grades?

[270910]

Wait wtf, schools expect you to participate in a transfer write on before you even apply/are accepted? My understanding was that I could wait to deal with the write on after I got in....should I be doing these things while waiting for my grades?

Depends on the school. Columbia, Harvard, and a few others don't have a separate write on for when transfers are accepted. Many schools do, however. Either way you've either missed the boat at schools with current write-on competitions, or are good to go for schools that don't.

[A'nold]

Sorry engineer, it really seemed like you were going to own this semester. Good luck and don't stop posting on here.

[wannabealonghorn]

man... for UT, they say no separate write-on for transfers AND you cannot participate on regular write-on.

[CMR]

Wait wtf, schools expect you to participate in a transfer write on before you even apply/are accepted? My understanding was that I could wait to deal with the write on after I got in....should I be doing these things while waiting for my grades?

Yeah, it's pretty rough. Most of the schools I applied to are post admissions decision, but 3 or 4 are right now.

Edit: I've already decided that I'm going to have to dump at least one, and probably 2. This leaves me with the question of whether I should do it for the school I'd most like to attend, or for the school I'm most likely to attend.

[upgrade]

man... for UT, they say no separate write-on for transfers AND you cannot participate on regular write-on.

Not for Law Review, but secondary journals were open to transfers joining.

[newyorker69]

Depends on the school. Columbia, Harvard, and a few others don't have a separate write on for when transfers are accepted. Many schools do, however. Either way you've either missed the boat at schools with current write-on competitions, or are good to go for schools that don't.

Oh mannnn I didnt even see that Columbia's write on works this way! This sucks! The site seems to say that any journal besides the Columbia Law Review is open to transfers post decision. Am I correct?

[shmoo597]

Anyone have a good list of t14 schools that don't have a separate write on for transfers? Harvard, columbia....?

[romothesavior]

People's exhibit A

Disco, you seem like you're a pretty knowledgeable guy who knows his shit when it comes to law school, study habits, exams, etc. I've found your posts to be very informative and helpful, and I'm sure I'll put some of your advice to use next year.

But at the same time, you need to come down from your high horse and stop acting like the czar of law school success. There are different strokes for different folks, especially when it comes to succeeding in LS. I know a few people who never took notes in undergrad and they don't take many notes in LS either, and they're all doing quite well. And TLS is full of all sorts of conflicting advice for success in law school, and some strategies work for some people and others work for other people.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have greatly appreciated your insights and advice on law school success, but I think we could all use without the arrogance and the "I-know-more-than-you" attitude.

[Sias]

People's exhibit A

Disco, you seem like you're a pretty knowledgeable guy who knows his shit when it comes to law school, study habits, exams, etc. I've found your posts to be very informative and helpful, and I'm sure I'll put some of your advice to use next year.

But at the same time, you need to come down from your high horse and stop acting like the czar of law school success. There are different strokes for different folks, especially when it comes to succeeding in LS. I know a few people who never took notes in undergrad and they don't take many notes in LS either, and they're all doing quite well. And TLS is full of all sorts of conflicting advice for success in law school, and some strategies work for some people and others work for other people.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have greatly appreciated your insights and advice on law school success, but I think we could all use without the arrogance and the "I-know-more-than-you" attitude.

I didn't really get the holier-than-thou impression from Disco's post. I mean, dude makes a post saying: "Oh, one other thing: in class, I NEVER would take notes. I'd listen & absorb. That helped me so much, because when I was studying, everything felt very familiar." and then comes back a few months later saying he bombed his exams?

Disco has every right to call him out on that. Don't offer up unproven study habits like you know what does and doesn't work in LS.

[A'nold]

On a side note, I would be absolutely finished if I did not take great notes from class. This is the way I outline: I have my class notes open, my class syllabus opened, and I scroll down accordingly while having an E&E in my hand. I go chapter by chapter, class by class, section by section. I take bits and pieces from my notes and an E&E, commercial outline, or another's outline, and try to use my notes and professor's own words (which I bold, underline, etc. during the semester when I think it is important) in making my own outline. Without the prof's. own words, I'd likely be a median or below student.