Will This Work For 1L? Forum

[Roger Goodell Castro]

18 credits is average at the undergrad I was at... 21 is where ppl started to doubt one's skills..

Sounds like my undergrad school was a lot more intense than yours.

[Burger in a can]

I say go for it if you want to. I agree with the majority of posters here in that this amount of work is totally unnecessary for success, and also that it's not a guarantee for receiving even median grades. If you ask me, sipping a cold beer on the couch once in a while in exchange for some relaxation is also an important studying technique. But if it makes you feel better to be all neurotic about it, it's all you.

[Journeybound]

OP, I'd suggest that you focus more on what you are currently studying instead of trying to read ahead. The facts and reasoning in the cases are complicated, and its always best to have it fresh in your mind going into the socratic battlefield. Even if you have good briefs on what you read, you won't be able to flip through them fast enough to take on the rapid fire, complex questions that law professors love to ask.

Instead, I would recommend that you spend your time thoroughly understanding the material before and after class. I spent 14-16 hour per day Monday through Friday, and about 6-8 hours on Saturday and Sunday studying. I was married, so I dedicated about 2 solid hours to my wife each evening to eat dinner and maybe watch some TV or take a walk with her. I had to wake up early and go to bed late (think 1-2am) to pull it off. 5 Hour energy helped me get through the sleepy afternoons. Anyways, back to the strategy. USE YOUR SUPPLEMENTS sooner than mid October. Read the relevant sections before you read the case for the first time so that you know what will be happening, and you can focus on the relevant parts. Then thoroughly read the case. Then go back and re-read the supplement. When you get done with class, look at your notes and fill in any gaps by talking to fellow classmates and re-reading the supplement. After about 2-3 weeks of classes, you should know more or less where you are going and be able to start outlining. I spent Fridays, Saturdays, and part of Sundays outlining. My outlines were roughly 60 pages per class. Then about 3 weeks before finals I started making flash cards. I made about 100-200 cards per class. It basically boiled down my outline. Then during reading week I committed to memory my flash cards and I took a few practice exams.

I finished at the very top of my class (top 3%, transferred to MVBP). I feel that you can work harder than all of your classmates, but it doesn't mean anything if you aren't working efficiently. Learn the material as you go instead of trying to get ahead. And use those dang supplements (as long as you aren't replacing your normal reading with them). I used emanuels, gilberts, one EE (torts), and some other concise hornbooks.

And don't worry about burning out. It looks like you can handle it. I started to burn out half way through my second semester. But after receiving virtually straight As my first semester, I was able to concentrate more on the benefit of studying instead of its cost.

Good luck. =p Sorry about the grammar, I'm watching the Boise game while writing this. 2L is much better!

[zanda]

18 credits is average at the undergrad I was at... 21 is where ppl started to doubt one's skills..

Sounds like my undergrad school was a lot more intense than yours.

lol the undergrad that accepts 3s on AP tests?

[missinglink]

..

[yours]

guys, the top high schools forum is that way......

[Duralex]

FWIW, some of us will crack supplements (or at least treatises) for every class simply because we like to look shit up that doesn't make sense to us, or crave context/background while trying to wrap our minds around a doctrine. If you are so inclined, I don't see a reason to fight it--but also don't worry about retaining any material your professor isn't covering (or at least alluding to.)

[Bankhead]

whoa. chill dude.

[takehold]

18 credits is average at the undergrad I was at... 21 is where ppl started to doubt one's skills..

Sounds like my undergrad school was a lot more intense than yours.

lol the undergrad that accepts 3s on AP tests?

Haha seriously. At my school, a 3 gets you absolutely nothing...that is, if you even somehow managed to get admitted with such a high proportion of 3s.

Anyway, back to the main topic, while I am not a 1L, that regimen sounds too intense and inflexible. Planning is helpful, but it can be detrimental if you get more devoted to an established plan than your actual needs as you go. Still, OP, your apparent studiousness should help you, as long as you don't overdo it. Best of luck.

[TTH]

OP, don't let people tell you what you're capable of doing. In high school I was told by counselors, teachers, and my peers that I wasn't capable of taking six AP classes all at once; I proved them wrong by get a 3 or higher on all seven exams (English had two exams). In college a counselor told me I couldn't handle taking 18 credits one semester; I proved her wrong with a 4.0 that semester. People will always try telling you what you can't do; I'm here telling you what you can do. If you truly do have a wife as awesome as the one you described, and if you truly do have the will to put in all those hours of study, then I think your plan sounds awesome. Your odds of getting a 4.0 will be fairly high. Best of luck to you, buddy.

3's on AP? Are you retarded son?

No, I'm not retarded as evidenced by the 4.0 during my 18 credit semester. Are you retarded? Most colleges give free credits for 3s and higher. In other words, if you get a 3 in chemistry you've tested out of the college chemistry requirement; if you get a 3 in biology you've tested out of biology. You don't get a grade for those courses, but it's nice not to have to take those classes again. It's great for people like me who know in high school that they have no interest in the hard sciences and would like to get those courses out of the way BEFORE going to college. People like you need to listen before saying/writing things you know nothing about. Besides, you missed the whole point of the post. I was telling the OP not to let people tell him what he can't do.

Don't tell this guy what he can't do either.



My guess is that by October 17, OP will be playing bubble spinner in class and lamenting how burned out he is and how much he hates lawl skool.

Also, this Roger Goodale Castro guy is my favorite new poster. Keep up the good work. Deep down inside, everyone is furiously jealous that they didn't do well for a semester of undergrad. That's why no one here goes to the best law schools in the country.

[lawblahblah]

Thank you for all the input, I thought it was going to be dead since my last regularly scheduled 15 minute internet browsing break (kind of joking, but not really).

Quick note on the rigid aspect. Goals are huge for me. They are not do or die, but definitely push me. I plan out my entire week on Sunday and do a fairly good job of making it through by the end of the week (I have been doing this since I was 19). Each Sunday I also re-evaluate my long term goals and adjust if the ultimate goal (GPA) deems necessary, based on what I learned during the week. Now that I think about it I realize it would be difficult for anyone to really evaluate my schedule without knowing my professors and the exams I am going to take. Of course, the general thoughts have been helpful and I have brought them into consideration moving forward.

That being said, the whole idea behind the schedule was flexibility (shock and disbelief). I knew from the beginning that I wanted to read every page of assigned reading, that was a given. What I didn't know was exactly what within the reading and class to focus in on. That is becoming clearer each day, and I put much of my energy into making that picture clearer. Once the reading is out of the way it will be late enough in the semester that I hope to have the image to a point that I can use my time much more effectively. Also, the system in no way dictates time allotments per class. I would just rather choose how to and if to implement supplements, spend time taking tests, and outlining, once I have a better understanding of what really matters, and once I have a overall view of the class. It seems to me that I will be much more efficient and relaxed during the last month and half leading up to finals. My days of the week breakdown after I am done with the reading is extremely subject to change at this point (I was not clear at all about this in my original post). Basically I want to have flexibility and time once I know what the hell I am doing. Again, I have no way of knowing if this is going to work, but it's my best guess after taking GTM, LEEWS, 1L success threads on TLS, advice from 2L and 3Ls at my school, my professor's teaching style, and exams/sample answers into consideration. We'll see in January.

On a side note, someone said something about my wife, and yes she is that awesome. We chose not to have her work this semester so that she could help me in any way possible. It's partly a trade off though, she will be doing 1L next year or the year after, so I will be taking on much of her role at that point.

Sorry if it's hard to read, my time is almost up, had to type fast.

[lawblahblah]

OP, I'd suggest that you focus more on what you are currently studying instead of trying to read ahead. The facts and reasoning in the cases are complicated, and its always best to have it fresh in your mind going into the socratic battlefield.

I just wanted to point out this particular post b/c I feel it is by far the strongest argument against my plan. Thanks for the advice (not just the quoted part, but the whole post). Class is not an issue (b/c it is insanely chill), but I am afraid that when I go back to look at it my understanding will be too shallow to really start digging in at the level I want to. I feel like I am getting everything and I don't feel lost in class, but I'm not all that confident in my ability to evaluate the level of understanding required at this point. I guess with class, it could also turn out that I am not getting everything out of it that I should be b/c I am not as in tune with the material since it is not fresh. Any system has downsides and risks. You just have to try and build safeguards into your system and limit the risks as much as possible. This issue is one I am particularly aware and concerned about. Thanks again.