Just an FYI, I continue posting every Wednesday at 8 am at the University of Baltimore Blog.
http://ubaltblog.blogspot.com/
Recent Posts:
Halloween, November 4, 2009
Bar Bowl, October 28, 2009
Ongoing Orientation, October 22, 2009
Continue checking that space for now. Like I said, every Weds.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
MidTerms
Well, midterms week continues. So don't expect much, but I did make it a point to wake up early after going to bed late this morning and do my post for UB.
Check it out by clicking here.
Check it out by clicking here.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Blogging: Is it worth it?
This is a topic I have very briefly discussed previously. Why bother with the blogging? Sometimes I don't know why I bother, especially when I feel like I have nothing to write, or worse, I already feel like I have written and read too much for anyone to survive.
Nonetheless, there have been some benefits, and overall this continues to be a positive activity for me.
One positive is that it does keep me thinking and writing. It is way to easy, after sitting through class all day, then going home and reading thousands of cases, to just sort of devolve into a lower life form. I think it is good for me to have to sit down once a week and put some thoughts together, with correct grammar and spelling.
Having said that, writing at a blog level is NOTHING compared to writing at a legal level. After spending hours writing, re-writing, then re-writing some more, it is relaxing to be able to just sit down and write.
The networking has already opened up some interesting contacts, including being able to connect with law school consultants across the nation. Also, I have been able to connect, on some level at least, with some fellow law students. In case you haven't noticed, I Don't Wear Skinny Jeans has been added to the reading list. Check out that one. Very entertaining. Also a bit of a contrast to my law school experience.
I am going to continue to work on the how I study post, but in the meantime, some news.
I have been selected to blog for the University of Baltimore this semester, on the school's blog. My posts will be going up every Wednesday, so be sure to check that out, by clicking here. It is another Blogger blog, so if you are reading this you can read that one. I don't know much about the nature of that blog just yet, but I think I will be focused more on my experience as a student, and less on the legal world or links from YouTube as this blog. I am going to sit right now and read all the other posts that people have left to get a better idea of the style and content.
Cheers all.
Nonetheless, there have been some benefits, and overall this continues to be a positive activity for me.
One positive is that it does keep me thinking and writing. It is way to easy, after sitting through class all day, then going home and reading thousands of cases, to just sort of devolve into a lower life form. I think it is good for me to have to sit down once a week and put some thoughts together, with correct grammar and spelling.
Having said that, writing at a blog level is NOTHING compared to writing at a legal level. After spending hours writing, re-writing, then re-writing some more, it is relaxing to be able to just sit down and write.
The networking has already opened up some interesting contacts, including being able to connect with law school consultants across the nation. Also, I have been able to connect, on some level at least, with some fellow law students. In case you haven't noticed, I Don't Wear Skinny Jeans has been added to the reading list. Check out that one. Very entertaining. Also a bit of a contrast to my law school experience.
I am going to continue to work on the how I study post, but in the meantime, some news.
I have been selected to blog for the University of Baltimore this semester, on the school's blog. My posts will be going up every Wednesday, so be sure to check that out, by clicking here. It is another Blogger blog, so if you are reading this you can read that one. I don't know much about the nature of that blog just yet, but I think I will be focused more on my experience as a student, and less on the legal world or links from YouTube as this blog. I am going to sit right now and read all the other posts that people have left to get a better idea of the style and content.
Cheers all.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Awesome Professors
Today my contracts teacher was discussing a scenario where a man walked through Brooklyn with today's equivalent of $250,000 cash in his hand.
Next thing I know, he is waving a wad of dollars around, and he has this ridiculous baseball cap that says "BROOKLYN" on the front, and he is standing outside the classroom, knocking on the door, asking to be let in.
And now I know all about revocation timing.
Next thing I know, he is waving a wad of dollars around, and he has this ridiculous baseball cap that says "BROOKLYN" on the front, and he is standing outside the classroom, knocking on the door, asking to be let in.
And now I know all about revocation timing.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
I swear, I was only there because it was closer!
Wow, it has been forever since I posted! The work load has been getting steadily heavier though.
Also, I am planning a tutorial on how I am taking notes so far, but it is going to take me some time to put it together.
In the meantime, I studied in another library today. Since the University of Maryland is about two blocks from my apartment, I walked over there instead of taking mass transit over to UBalt.
What is very cool is that the schools have a system where you can get into either library with just your student ID, no need to sign any forms.
U Maryland's library is a lot newer than ours, but I guess in three years when the new building is done for UB (and I am off practicing law somewhere) ours will be the newest in town. So U Maryland did have some nice furniture! But at the same time, I guess I just feel at home at UB, even after a few weeks. Still, it was quiet, air conditioned, and had that "I am in the library I guess I have to do work" atmosphere.
But I still felt a little bit like I was cheating on MY library...
Also, I am planning a tutorial on how I am taking notes so far, but it is going to take me some time to put it together.
In the meantime, I studied in another library today. Since the University of Maryland is about two blocks from my apartment, I walked over there instead of taking mass transit over to UBalt.
What is very cool is that the schools have a system where you can get into either library with just your student ID, no need to sign any forms.
U Maryland's library is a lot newer than ours, but I guess in three years when the new building is done for UB (and I am off practicing law somewhere) ours will be the newest in town. So U Maryland did have some nice furniture! But at the same time, I guess I just feel at home at UB, even after a few weeks. Still, it was quiet, air conditioned, and had that "I am in the library I guess I have to do work" atmosphere.
But I still felt a little bit like I was cheating on MY library...
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
I am now officially a law student
I got cold called for the first time today!
You know what, cold calling has some benefits, I have decided:
I actually have incentive to try. Nothing is better than really prepping for a class, getting cold called, and being able to match every question your professor throws at you.
It also keeps a few kids from dominating the discussion. It gives everyone an equal chance to talk (at least with my professors using the deck of cards method) and I think the class benefits from hearing everyone talk.
It keeps me engaged. I think the nerves and anxiety are kind of fun. If you never have a chance to develop and practice that killer instinct, where will you be when you are out in the real world. Better to get called on and fall on your face in class, you have next class to try again. This might not be true in a professional setting.
It levels the playing field. It always drove me nuts in undergrad when some students would raise their hands to restate the professors words as their own. Professor: "Therefore, X equals Y." Student: "So then you could also say that Y equals X." Wow, genius. Thanks for that. But they always got great class participation marks. Additionally, students are no longer able to hide in the back, and then go to the professor for office hours to get participation points. Now, everyone has to earn them equally.
Man, and I love the challenge of it. You get your reading, and you can do it, or not. And then you sit in class, and you could go check your email, or not. And it all depends on how bad you want it. If you want it bad enough, you will put in the time reading the extra hypotheticals in the casebook, or you will keep all your notes open on your computer, plus your casebook on your lap, and your rule book next to you computer.
And the best professors are just like my high school soccer coach. A man of few words, but with a legendary resume. He never yelled at you to do anything, he just told you what he wanted. You did it or didn't. He never yelled if you didn't, he just moved onto someone who wanted it more than you. Anyone could be successful, if they worked at it. My professors are the same way.
I also think as students, from my peers, older students, and reading other blogs, make way to much out of it. Yeah, it is nerve racking, but I bet trying to argue to a judge is much worse. And yes, sometimes professors ask bizarre questions that you couldn't possibly understand, but if you really listen and think about it, you can probably learn more from getting one of those then being asked "What court was this in?"
I don't know why, but for some reason today's experience has me pumped up for school. I think getting called on was probably the biggest adrenaline rush I have had in a long time.
You know what, cold calling has some benefits, I have decided:
I actually have incentive to try. Nothing is better than really prepping for a class, getting cold called, and being able to match every question your professor throws at you.
It also keeps a few kids from dominating the discussion. It gives everyone an equal chance to talk (at least with my professors using the deck of cards method) and I think the class benefits from hearing everyone talk.
It keeps me engaged. I think the nerves and anxiety are kind of fun. If you never have a chance to develop and practice that killer instinct, where will you be when you are out in the real world. Better to get called on and fall on your face in class, you have next class to try again. This might not be true in a professional setting.
It levels the playing field. It always drove me nuts in undergrad when some students would raise their hands to restate the professors words as their own. Professor: "Therefore, X equals Y." Student: "So then you could also say that Y equals X." Wow, genius. Thanks for that. But they always got great class participation marks. Additionally, students are no longer able to hide in the back, and then go to the professor for office hours to get participation points. Now, everyone has to earn them equally.
Man, and I love the challenge of it. You get your reading, and you can do it, or not. And then you sit in class, and you could go check your email, or not. And it all depends on how bad you want it. If you want it bad enough, you will put in the time reading the extra hypotheticals in the casebook, or you will keep all your notes open on your computer, plus your casebook on your lap, and your rule book next to you computer.
And the best professors are just like my high school soccer coach. A man of few words, but with a legendary resume. He never yelled at you to do anything, he just told you what he wanted. You did it or didn't. He never yelled if you didn't, he just moved onto someone who wanted it more than you. Anyone could be successful, if they worked at it. My professors are the same way.
I also think as students, from my peers, older students, and reading other blogs, make way to much out of it. Yeah, it is nerve racking, but I bet trying to argue to a judge is much worse. And yes, sometimes professors ask bizarre questions that you couldn't possibly understand, but if you really listen and think about it, you can probably learn more from getting one of those then being asked "What court was this in?"
I don't know why, but for some reason today's experience has me pumped up for school. I think getting called on was probably the biggest adrenaline rush I have had in a long time.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
The Dark Side of Law School
Although so far law school has been awesome, I wanted to do a fun post about the types of people you meet in law school. I have mentioned that my fellow students are generally helpful and willing to engage in productive discussion, share notes, or just kick back and relax, but there is also a decent sized group that are none of these. They include:
1) The Law and Order Lawyer
This is the guy (at least in my experience) who watched Law and Order, maybe read some John Grisham, seen Philadelphia. While the professor presents the basis of tort law with a short example, he raises the point that, "Can't under the fair rights rule of Jamaica, a pleading for non sequitur relief be a mitigating factor in the pertinent sections?" No, just because you saw it on television once, does not a) mean its real or b) mean that you have even the most basic understanding of the concept. Please stop making the professor spend class time explaining minor details of law that most of us will never run into. If you want to play the hypothetical games, the professor has office hours. You are just confusing us.
2) Ms. High School Valedictorian
This is the young lady (again, in my experience) who just... can;t... stop... trying... so... hard. You know she was high school valedictorian, honor council, college student body rep, and in her majors honor society, well of course, thats a given, oh, and she also did an internship at "Big Important Firm," oh, you never heard of it, its in DC, they do, like, property things. She is the one who is in the library before class, then in the front row of class, then back in the library. You can't sit near her, else you go into epileptic seizures when she opens her casebook, fully highlighted in more florescent and scented colors than God and Crayola, in all their mightiness, were able to create. That's right, she has created her own highlighting colors.
Of course, she might be a good person to talk to, except you have never seen her emerge from behind the pile of supplemental and extra materials surrounding her.
3) The Internet Addict
Laptops in class are wonderful. I also enjoy the soft sounds of rain that occurs as 100+ people begin typing at once every time the professor recites a statute. The internet is also wonderful. My daily mood is directly proportional to the amount of time I am able to spend online.
Having said that, there are people who come to class to sign the attendance sheet and use the internet. Ladies are generally shopping, while the guys are usually abusing Gmail chat.
I am sure professors hate it, but if nothing else, so do your fellow classmates. Its distracting enough, we are already struggling to resist the temptation ourselves. Also, stop wasting our time by asking "Can you repeat that?" when you decide you want the notes after your Nordstrom purchase confirms.
4) The Panic Inducers
These are the harried students that just can't get a handle on their own lives/studies, but instead of buckling down in the library or seeking counseling, they attempt to infect as many of their fellow students as possible. I will illustrate this with two case studies:
Case One: This student is probably doing well enough, judging by the amount of notes he has in class. He also feels comfortable speaking in class, sometimes being right on point, sometimes being completely off base. Still, he tells you in a hushed voice that he is going to the post orientation orientation (Oh, forgot to mention that, law school orientation at UB lasts all through your first year) on study skills. "But you sat next to me at yesterday's session, and they are giving the same presentation, plus there is no free pizza this time," you point out. "Well, I am still a little worried about my case briefing format. In my criminal law class I sometimes only write the first citation down, and in Torts I made a mistake in subject-verb agreement." What does this have to do with law school? Nothing. Will you fix this by going to a time management class? No. Has a single professor OR TA OR Law Scholar asked me for A SINGLE brief? No. But still, this kid is panicking about his briefing format, and abusing the continual orientations. But he tells everyone this, and they all then panic, "Wait, I haven't done a brief, did I miss an assignment? Are they being collected? Subject - Verb agreement isn't in the casebook? Is it in the Law Dictionary? On West Law?"
Case Two: This student can't go a single TA or Law Scholar Session without asking about final exams and outlines. Even though each time she is told "You have only had two classes, don't worry about it yet," she can't stop biting her nails. Therefore, the TA spends YOUR ENTIRE HOUR AND A HALF LUNCH answering questions about exams, and all the other students are trying to understand the lecture. Also, for some reason, this girl seems to know every other law student in the country. "Well, at UVA they fail if you are unable to answer when cold called. My friend at Yale has already done two outlines for all his classes. I hear at Maryland they read six casebooks per day." Great. You go to those schools and do that, I am going to finish my UB syllabus in the meantime.
Why are these two so rough? Well, for one, they tend to spread the panic needlessly. They also tend to waste time with personal questions during class when the rest of the student body is trying to learn. Hey, all the professors have office hours, most the law scholars gave out their cell phone numbers and all gave their email addresses. Use them, and let's learn during class. Also, its annoying.
5) The guy who always asks a question but is really trying to make a point.
Oh wait, that's me, but I am sure my peers see right through it.
Ok, so this post got really long really fast. And please, try to see the humor in it. Any other law students you just know will be in class, as much as you wish they weren't?
1) The Law and Order Lawyer
This is the guy (at least in my experience) who watched Law and Order, maybe read some John Grisham, seen Philadelphia. While the professor presents the basis of tort law with a short example, he raises the point that, "Can't under the fair rights rule of Jamaica, a pleading for non sequitur relief be a mitigating factor in the pertinent sections?" No, just because you saw it on television once, does not a) mean its real or b) mean that you have even the most basic understanding of the concept. Please stop making the professor spend class time explaining minor details of law that most of us will never run into. If you want to play the hypothetical games, the professor has office hours. You are just confusing us.
2) Ms. High School Valedictorian
This is the young lady (again, in my experience) who just... can;t... stop... trying... so... hard. You know she was high school valedictorian, honor council, college student body rep, and in her majors honor society, well of course, thats a given, oh, and she also did an internship at "Big Important Firm," oh, you never heard of it, its in DC, they do, like, property things. She is the one who is in the library before class, then in the front row of class, then back in the library. You can't sit near her, else you go into epileptic seizures when she opens her casebook, fully highlighted in more florescent and scented colors than God and Crayola, in all their mightiness, were able to create. That's right, she has created her own highlighting colors.
Of course, she might be a good person to talk to, except you have never seen her emerge from behind the pile of supplemental and extra materials surrounding her.
3) The Internet Addict
Laptops in class are wonderful. I also enjoy the soft sounds of rain that occurs as 100+ people begin typing at once every time the professor recites a statute. The internet is also wonderful. My daily mood is directly proportional to the amount of time I am able to spend online.
Having said that, there are people who come to class to sign the attendance sheet and use the internet. Ladies are generally shopping, while the guys are usually abusing Gmail chat.
I am sure professors hate it, but if nothing else, so do your fellow classmates. Its distracting enough, we are already struggling to resist the temptation ourselves. Also, stop wasting our time by asking "Can you repeat that?" when you decide you want the notes after your Nordstrom purchase confirms.
4) The Panic Inducers
These are the harried students that just can't get a handle on their own lives/studies, but instead of buckling down in the library or seeking counseling, they attempt to infect as many of their fellow students as possible. I will illustrate this with two case studies:
Case One: This student is probably doing well enough, judging by the amount of notes he has in class. He also feels comfortable speaking in class, sometimes being right on point, sometimes being completely off base. Still, he tells you in a hushed voice that he is going to the post orientation orientation (Oh, forgot to mention that, law school orientation at UB lasts all through your first year) on study skills. "But you sat next to me at yesterday's session, and they are giving the same presentation, plus there is no free pizza this time," you point out. "Well, I am still a little worried about my case briefing format. In my criminal law class I sometimes only write the first citation down, and in Torts I made a mistake in subject-verb agreement." What does this have to do with law school? Nothing. Will you fix this by going to a time management class? No. Has a single professor OR TA OR Law Scholar asked me for A SINGLE brief? No. But still, this kid is panicking about his briefing format, and abusing the continual orientations. But he tells everyone this, and they all then panic, "Wait, I haven't done a brief, did I miss an assignment? Are they being collected? Subject - Verb agreement isn't in the casebook? Is it in the Law Dictionary? On West Law?"
Case Two: This student can't go a single TA or Law Scholar Session without asking about final exams and outlines. Even though each time she is told "You have only had two classes, don't worry about it yet," she can't stop biting her nails. Therefore, the TA spends YOUR ENTIRE HOUR AND A HALF LUNCH answering questions about exams, and all the other students are trying to understand the lecture. Also, for some reason, this girl seems to know every other law student in the country. "Well, at UVA they fail if you are unable to answer when cold called. My friend at Yale has already done two outlines for all his classes. I hear at Maryland they read six casebooks per day." Great. You go to those schools and do that, I am going to finish my UB syllabus in the meantime.
Why are these two so rough? Well, for one, they tend to spread the panic needlessly. They also tend to waste time with personal questions during class when the rest of the student body is trying to learn. Hey, all the professors have office hours, most the law scholars gave out their cell phone numbers and all gave their email addresses. Use them, and let's learn during class. Also, its annoying.
5) The guy who always asks a question but is really trying to make a point.
Oh wait, that's me, but I am sure my peers see right through it.
Ok, so this post got really long really fast. And please, try to see the humor in it. Any other law students you just know will be in class, as much as you wish they weren't?
Monday, August 24, 2009
Week One Wrap-Up
My first week of law school successfully completed, and so far I find that it has been a rewarding experience. I am not yet overwhelmed with work, which is nice, and I am still finding the cases interesting and engaging. I am getting to know my classmates, and finding that many of the law school myths are just that, myths. So far, I have enjoyed a collaborative learning experience, and while everyone may have their own best way of studying, no one has attempted to sabotage mine or a peers efforts in order to get ahead themselves.
Some highlights of the awesomeness that is law school:
My criminal law professor was defense counsel during the Watergate trial. He also has some pretty intense opinions about the cases we read in the casebook, and he is not afraid to share them.
My contracts professor tells non stop sex jokes during class, occasionally bordering on criminally inappropriate. He is also the super intelligent type who just doesn't have time for the things he considers unimportant. He also cancelled class for this week while he goes to Turkey on a trip he describes as "business-pleasure."
The dean is active in intramural sports, and plays on the top ranked softball team at UB.
My first two topics in criminal are sodomy and prostitution. You would be surprised how many people have detailed questions about the technicalities of sodomy laws. And thanks to my class, I am fairly knowledgeable in that area.
EVERYONE asks me legal question they have ever had. I try to tell them, that after one week, no, I can't really answer very many questions (not related to sodomy or, as it turns out, farm animals). My civil procedure professor recommends telling people that I charge $100 for fifteen minutes of their time if they really want an answer.
Yeah, the other topic that you always get in your cases: Farm animals. It seems like all the trespassing in American legal history happens in Kansas on farms. Also, judges in American legal history seem to know much about "the nature of dogs" that makes them non liable for trespass if chasing sheep.
The "Law Scholars" (the name that UB gives the TAs) are awesome. I was spoiled during undergrad and had 1 TA in my whole undergrad career. He never even lectured anyways, he simply graded papers and helped with research projects. So I was really nervous when I saw that there are a lot of TAs in law school. So far, it hasn't mattered. They have all been very helpful, and each has made time for us. None of them schedule meetings when they are really running off to their next activity. They are extremely knowledgeable, and great at providing communication between the students and the professors. So far, so good.
Got some great thoughts to write about in the future, if I can find that time that is!
Some highlights of the awesomeness that is law school:
My criminal law professor was defense counsel during the Watergate trial. He also has some pretty intense opinions about the cases we read in the casebook, and he is not afraid to share them.
My contracts professor tells non stop sex jokes during class, occasionally bordering on criminally inappropriate. He is also the super intelligent type who just doesn't have time for the things he considers unimportant. He also cancelled class for this week while he goes to Turkey on a trip he describes as "business-pleasure."
The dean is active in intramural sports, and plays on the top ranked softball team at UB.
My first two topics in criminal are sodomy and prostitution. You would be surprised how many people have detailed questions about the technicalities of sodomy laws. And thanks to my class, I am fairly knowledgeable in that area.
EVERYONE asks me legal question they have ever had. I try to tell them, that after one week, no, I can't really answer very many questions (not related to sodomy or, as it turns out, farm animals). My civil procedure professor recommends telling people that I charge $100 for fifteen minutes of their time if they really want an answer.
Yeah, the other topic that you always get in your cases: Farm animals. It seems like all the trespassing in American legal history happens in Kansas on farms. Also, judges in American legal history seem to know much about "the nature of dogs" that makes them non liable for trespass if chasing sheep.
The "Law Scholars" (the name that UB gives the TAs) are awesome. I was spoiled during undergrad and had 1 TA in my whole undergrad career. He never even lectured anyways, he simply graded papers and helped with research projects. So I was really nervous when I saw that there are a lot of TAs in law school. So far, it hasn't mattered. They have all been very helpful, and each has made time for us. None of them schedule meetings when they are really running off to their next activity. They are extremely knowledgeable, and great at providing communication between the students and the professors. So far, so good.
Got some great thoughts to write about in the future, if I can find that time that is!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
And it begins...
Well, I am sitting in the library and finished up all my reading for Criminal with a few minutes to spare, so I thought I would get down some impressions of law school thus far.
First of all, once you get to law school, LSAT, UGPA, and that awesome internship you did with your Father's Sister's Boyfriend's Cousin at that great awesome firm don't matter. At all.
What I mean is, at this point, when someone asks you for this information, you can stop worrying about being judged on how good your grades were in undergrad, how well you scored on the LSAT, and what your did or did not do for your resume. As our dean said during his presentation, "When someone says what did you get on your LSAT, tell them you got into law school."
Also, so far amongst the entering students this kind of one-up-manship has ended as well. Everyone sort of takes everyone else at face value as a 1L. I have yet to hear anyone bragging about other schools they got into, or their LSAT scores, or any of that. It is refreshing, really. During orientation there was a bit of name dropping about what firm you interned for, but once classes started that pretty much has stopped as well.
Second of all, you know how everyone is always so concerned about what to do to prepare for law school? Having gone through it, I would say it is true that there is not much to do, other than relax. In fact, I would say relaxing is actually a necessary step. You do hit the ground running in law school, there are no fifteen minute long first classes where the syllabus gets handed out then everyone leaves. You are doing substantial work from the first minute. Therefore, I hold that taking time off prior to law school is a great idea, as you want to be ready to work hard from day one.
Otherwise, I think I would have liked to review some basics prior to starting. Mostly, I am concerned with those little things that you sort of know, like you can recognize them in a sentence, but can't exactly define. Things like the difference between Circuit Court and District Court, or how Legislature really works, or the Constitution. In law school, you are expected to not just know, but understand these and any other term you run across. I think if I had spent some time doing some light reading (or even watching the History channel or PBS) would have gone a long way to lower the amount of time I spend with my dictionary, legal dictionary, and the appendices of my casebooks.
Oh, one last thing: Get a big backpack.
First of all, once you get to law school, LSAT, UGPA, and that awesome internship you did with your Father's Sister's Boyfriend's Cousin at that great awesome firm don't matter. At all.
What I mean is, at this point, when someone asks you for this information, you can stop worrying about being judged on how good your grades were in undergrad, how well you scored on the LSAT, and what your did or did not do for your resume. As our dean said during his presentation, "When someone says what did you get on your LSAT, tell them you got into law school."
Also, so far amongst the entering students this kind of one-up-manship has ended as well. Everyone sort of takes everyone else at face value as a 1L. I have yet to hear anyone bragging about other schools they got into, or their LSAT scores, or any of that. It is refreshing, really. During orientation there was a bit of name dropping about what firm you interned for, but once classes started that pretty much has stopped as well.
Second of all, you know how everyone is always so concerned about what to do to prepare for law school? Having gone through it, I would say it is true that there is not much to do, other than relax. In fact, I would say relaxing is actually a necessary step. You do hit the ground running in law school, there are no fifteen minute long first classes where the syllabus gets handed out then everyone leaves. You are doing substantial work from the first minute. Therefore, I hold that taking time off prior to law school is a great idea, as you want to be ready to work hard from day one.
Otherwise, I think I would have liked to review some basics prior to starting. Mostly, I am concerned with those little things that you sort of know, like you can recognize them in a sentence, but can't exactly define. Things like the difference between Circuit Court and District Court, or how Legislature really works, or the Constitution. In law school, you are expected to not just know, but understand these and any other term you run across. I think if I had spent some time doing some light reading (or even watching the History channel or PBS) would have gone a long way to lower the amount of time I spend with my dictionary, legal dictionary, and the appendices of my casebooks.
Oh, one last thing: Get a big backpack.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Where have I been?
Hello,
School started this week, and it has been awesome but a little crazy. I hope to start putting some more stuff up soon!
Cheers,
-Spencer
School started this week, and it has been awesome but a little crazy. I hope to start putting some more stuff up soon!
Cheers,
-Spencer
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Sticker Shock
Wow...
Today I decided to price my textbooks for the upcoming semester. The University of Baltimore has this really cool feature for the bookstore that allows you to enter your courses and it will automatically generate the reading list, and has of course an option to "Buy All."
I was a Psychology major with a minor in History in undergrad, but Loyola has a large "core" of courses that all must take, meaning you take almost two full years of classes outside of your major. So I took the hard sciences, the soft sciences, the classics, humanities, writing, computer classes, some art, all of it. Additionally, Loyola is a famously expensive school. And yet I never remember spending more than $300 per semester on books.
$928.44.
Yes.
That is my total for this semester, even after checking the "Used if available" boxes.
I have no idea what I am going to do about this. I guess I will be getting a job a lot sooner, and for a lot more hours, than I had originally planned.
On a funny/horrific note, the bookstore does, ever so sneakily, add in Sparkcharts for all your courses automatically. Sparkcharts? Like those laminated Sparknotes pages? From high school? Seriously? Perhaps they can also recommend some good SAT prep books while they are at it.
Also, this price caused me to spend about 6 hours scouring the internet for used books. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and even Ebay had only two, and for only a few dollars cheaper than the bookstore. Although Barnes and Noble can be explained, as my school bookstore is actually administered by Barnes and Noble, so there might be a conflict of interest there. I even tried Craigslist...
Wow, so I guess for my closing question, does anyone want to donate some money to this poor soul? Or, more seriously, is this common for law school, or just 1L, or just first semester?
Today I decided to price my textbooks for the upcoming semester. The University of Baltimore has this really cool feature for the bookstore that allows you to enter your courses and it will automatically generate the reading list, and has of course an option to "Buy All."
I was a Psychology major with a minor in History in undergrad, but Loyola has a large "core" of courses that all must take, meaning you take almost two full years of classes outside of your major. So I took the hard sciences, the soft sciences, the classics, humanities, writing, computer classes, some art, all of it. Additionally, Loyola is a famously expensive school. And yet I never remember spending more than $300 per semester on books.
$928.44.
Yes.
That is my total for this semester, even after checking the "Used if available" boxes.
I have no idea what I am going to do about this. I guess I will be getting a job a lot sooner, and for a lot more hours, than I had originally planned.
On a funny/horrific note, the bookstore does, ever so sneakily, add in Sparkcharts for all your courses automatically. Sparkcharts? Like those laminated Sparknotes pages? From high school? Seriously? Perhaps they can also recommend some good SAT prep books while they are at it.
Also, this price caused me to spend about 6 hours scouring the internet for used books. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and even Ebay had only two, and for only a few dollars cheaper than the bookstore. Although Barnes and Noble can be explained, as my school bookstore is actually administered by Barnes and Noble, so there might be a conflict of interest there. I even tried Craigslist...
Wow, so I guess for my closing question, does anyone want to donate some money to this poor soul? Or, more seriously, is this common for law school, or just 1L, or just first semester?
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Preparing for Law School
Friday I cleared another milestone, completing my last day of employment with my last job. It was truly a bittersweet moment.
Now I have a week of free time prior to orientation. In attempting to think of something useful to write about, I was thinking of some common questions. The one I came up with is "What is there to do to prepare for law school once you have been accepted?" This question has been asked over and over, either by myself or by others. Although at this time I cannot answer it, I want to set in the record answers I have heard.
From current law students:
"Read Twilight."
"Spend time with family and friends, you might not see them once school starts."
"Sleep, you won't be able to do that anymore."
"It doesn't matter, nothing will help."
"Law school is unlike anything you have done before, you cannot really know what it is like without just doing it."
From admissions professionals or law professors:
"Relax, you have already done enough."
"Don't be scammed out of money for prep courses."
"Practice your reading and writing."
My school, for its part, sent a few suggestions:
Read Law School Exams: Preparing and Writing to Win
Refresh knowledge of US Government
They also left a list of reading/movies, including To Kill a Mockingbird, Twleve Angry Men, Legally Blonde and The Verdict.
This list was prefaced with, "Relax. Really."
For my part, in preparation I have done the following:
Begun following law - related people on Twitter (see here), started this blog, and picked up a copy of Law School Exams. I haven't finished it yet, and I obviously haven't started school yet, but when I do I will come back to this and let you know what worked for me.
Also, if any of you out there want to share either advice from experience or, if you are an entering 1L like me, what you have done so far, leave a comment.
Now I have a week of free time prior to orientation. In attempting to think of something useful to write about, I was thinking of some common questions. The one I came up with is "What is there to do to prepare for law school once you have been accepted?" This question has been asked over and over, either by myself or by others. Although at this time I cannot answer it, I want to set in the record answers I have heard.
From current law students:
"Read Twilight."
"Spend time with family and friends, you might not see them once school starts."
"Sleep, you won't be able to do that anymore."
"It doesn't matter, nothing will help."
"Law school is unlike anything you have done before, you cannot really know what it is like without just doing it."
From admissions professionals or law professors:
"Relax, you have already done enough."
"Don't be scammed out of money for prep courses."
"Practice your reading and writing."
My school, for its part, sent a few suggestions:
Read Law School Exams: Preparing and Writing to Win
Refresh knowledge of US Government
They also left a list of reading/movies, including To Kill a Mockingbird, Twleve Angry Men, Legally Blonde and The Verdict.
This list was prefaced with, "Relax. Really."
For my part, in preparation I have done the following:
Begun following law - related people on Twitter (see here), started this blog, and picked up a copy of Law School Exams. I haven't finished it yet, and I obviously haven't started school yet, but when I do I will come back to this and let you know what worked for me.
Also, if any of you out there want to share either advice from experience or, if you are an entering 1L like me, what you have done so far, leave a comment.
Monday, July 27, 2009
The Law School Admissions Game: Play Like an Expert
Getting into law school is in many ways more complicated than law school itself. By the time you reach law school, you have been in school for at least 16 years, probably more. The application process, however, is a once in a lifetime experience, and different even from the college process. In school, professors are giving you assignments and deadlines, administrators are always giving you direction on what form to complete next and how to fill it out correctly, and if nothing else, your fellow students are there to push you in the right direction. When applying, however, you are on your own. Furthermore, the information available is usually 1) flat out wrong 2) really just there to sell you another product (LSAT prep sites) or 3) well meaning but derived from secondhand experience.
None of that matters anymore, as with her brand new book, The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert, Ann Levine has created the single most useful resource for law school applicants on the market today. In 160 pages, she is able to provide a roadmap to the application process, insider information on how your application is evaluated, and a dose of reality to keep you grounded but moving forward.
Why is this book so helpful? It begins at the 'twinkle in your eye' stage with important questions to consider regarding law school and the application process. It is here that this book separates itself from the the rest of the admissions support already available by accepting that people apply to law school for a variety of reasons, from a desire to serve others all the way to a desire to be in a respected field. An early chapter also takes time to give consideration to how different majors look on an application. I thought this was highly insightful, as most other resources assume you were a Pre-Law or History major, but Ms. Levine shows how to make your Art History (or in my case, Psychology) major work for you. There is also information for applicants with career experience between college and law school.
The Law School Admission Game then moves onto LSAT and GPA information, as well as a thoughtful explanation of the rolling admissions process. It should be noted that this book is not LSAT prep in any way, but there is full, detailed information on how LSAT scores reflect on your application. Also, this book is able to offer advice on retaking the LSAT and score cancellation. Although I only took the LSAT once, this is the most comprehensive source for information on LSAT cancellations and retakes. There are a number of scenarios provided as examples, covering almost any situation.
From there, you move into the meat of the application. The Letters of Recommendation (LORs), the Personal Statement, and optional essays. Ms. Levine takes the guesswork out of the LORs. The LSAC does a terrible job explaining how they work, but this book is able to clarify everything in a few pages. Also, there is finally sound advice on how to choose recommenders. Other sources simply say focus on professors, and while Ms. Levine agrees, other options are explored as well. For the personal statement, there are no useless sample essays, but instead start to finish advice on picking a topic that suits you, and that will make an impression on admissions staff. How do you know it will make an impression? The author relates several personal experiences as an admissions director reviewing actual personal statements.
From there, you are provided with information on what to do after you have mailed in your application, including some advice on how to professionally communicate with admissions offices. I can pretty much sum it up in three words: Use Professional Communication.
Finally, The Law School Admission Game addresses other concerns, such as transfers and scholarships. These sections are less detailed, as frequently Ms. Levine points out that it varies too much from year to year and school to school for broad statements. That said, the section on deciding which school to attend is an honest, thoughtful look at the options of different law schools.
The discussion of deciding where to attend is one of the reasons I found this book so groundbreaking. Ms. Levine is able to encompass such a large and unwiedly topic and compress it down to easy to understand terms, without sacrificing fidelity. The benefits of applying to a top 30 law school are discussed, and this book definitely will help you apply to the best law schools in the country. And yet, regional (Tier 4) law schools are also given equal weight, as their value is discussed in the local job network, or those with career or family obligations. Never have I read advice from someone so able to understand the value in both, as well as everything in between.
Ms. Levine also has an uncanny ability to use language in a way that is more in line with high school teacher than lawyer. Clear, direct, and concise, the book is eminently readable. Additionally, the language is modern and, dare I say, hip. I have blogged previously (here) about Ms. Levine's ability to communicate with law school applicants in a supportive and personal way. Amazingly, it shows through in this book as well. She is frank, including advice to 'stop bitching;' and admonishing that you are not the exception for trite essay topics, despite what you may think. This book reads easily, and moves quickly, while providing plenty of information.
As I mentioned before, The Law School Admission Game is full of firsthand experience Ms. Levine gained working as a director of admissions. She is able to give real insight into how personal statements, low LSAT scores, bad resumes, or LORs are actually used by admissions offices. This is phenomenal information, and comes with full credibility. Also, Ms. Levine is current in this admission market, acting as a private admissions consultant. Having said that, she never once uses this book to sell her services with a cheap, "for the rest of the information pay for my services" hook that is so common in media today.
If I had to pick out any shortcomings, it would be that a few sections are only discussed from one side. For example, the virtues of applying early in the rolling admissions timeline are discussed, but there is little advice on how to approach applying later in the cycle. I think the biggest reason I noticed this is because the rest of the book is so balanced and comprehensive.
All in all, if you are in the process of applying to law school, getting ready to apply soon, or even just thinking about applying, this book is a great read that will answer nearly all of your questions. i cannot recommend it highly enough. As a regular reader might know, I am a do it yourself kind of guy. The Law School Admission Game gives you the information to make informed decisions and work the admission process to get into your ideal law school.
Buy this resource on Amazon here
or
Barnes and Noble here
None of that matters anymore, as with her brand new book, The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert, Ann Levine has created the single most useful resource for law school applicants on the market today. In 160 pages, she is able to provide a roadmap to the application process, insider information on how your application is evaluated, and a dose of reality to keep you grounded but moving forward.
Why is this book so helpful? It begins at the 'twinkle in your eye' stage with important questions to consider regarding law school and the application process. It is here that this book separates itself from the the rest of the admissions support already available by accepting that people apply to law school for a variety of reasons, from a desire to serve others all the way to a desire to be in a respected field. An early chapter also takes time to give consideration to how different majors look on an application. I thought this was highly insightful, as most other resources assume you were a Pre-Law or History major, but Ms. Levine shows how to make your Art History (or in my case, Psychology) major work for you. There is also information for applicants with career experience between college and law school.
The Law School Admission Game then moves onto LSAT and GPA information, as well as a thoughtful explanation of the rolling admissions process. It should be noted that this book is not LSAT prep in any way, but there is full, detailed information on how LSAT scores reflect on your application. Also, this book is able to offer advice on retaking the LSAT and score cancellation. Although I only took the LSAT once, this is the most comprehensive source for information on LSAT cancellations and retakes. There are a number of scenarios provided as examples, covering almost any situation.
From there, you move into the meat of the application. The Letters of Recommendation (LORs), the Personal Statement, and optional essays. Ms. Levine takes the guesswork out of the LORs. The LSAC does a terrible job explaining how they work, but this book is able to clarify everything in a few pages. Also, there is finally sound advice on how to choose recommenders. Other sources simply say focus on professors, and while Ms. Levine agrees, other options are explored as well. For the personal statement, there are no useless sample essays, but instead start to finish advice on picking a topic that suits you, and that will make an impression on admissions staff. How do you know it will make an impression? The author relates several personal experiences as an admissions director reviewing actual personal statements.
From there, you are provided with information on what to do after you have mailed in your application, including some advice on how to professionally communicate with admissions offices. I can pretty much sum it up in three words: Use Professional Communication.
Finally, The Law School Admission Game addresses other concerns, such as transfers and scholarships. These sections are less detailed, as frequently Ms. Levine points out that it varies too much from year to year and school to school for broad statements. That said, the section on deciding which school to attend is an honest, thoughtful look at the options of different law schools.
The discussion of deciding where to attend is one of the reasons I found this book so groundbreaking. Ms. Levine is able to encompass such a large and unwiedly topic and compress it down to easy to understand terms, without sacrificing fidelity. The benefits of applying to a top 30 law school are discussed, and this book definitely will help you apply to the best law schools in the country. And yet, regional (Tier 4) law schools are also given equal weight, as their value is discussed in the local job network, or those with career or family obligations. Never have I read advice from someone so able to understand the value in both, as well as everything in between.
Ms. Levine also has an uncanny ability to use language in a way that is more in line with high school teacher than lawyer. Clear, direct, and concise, the book is eminently readable. Additionally, the language is modern and, dare I say, hip. I have blogged previously (here) about Ms. Levine's ability to communicate with law school applicants in a supportive and personal way. Amazingly, it shows through in this book as well. She is frank, including advice to 'stop bitching;' and admonishing that you are not the exception for trite essay topics, despite what you may think. This book reads easily, and moves quickly, while providing plenty of information.
As I mentioned before, The Law School Admission Game is full of firsthand experience Ms. Levine gained working as a director of admissions. She is able to give real insight into how personal statements, low LSAT scores, bad resumes, or LORs are actually used by admissions offices. This is phenomenal information, and comes with full credibility. Also, Ms. Levine is current in this admission market, acting as a private admissions consultant. Having said that, she never once uses this book to sell her services with a cheap, "for the rest of the information pay for my services" hook that is so common in media today.
If I had to pick out any shortcomings, it would be that a few sections are only discussed from one side. For example, the virtues of applying early in the rolling admissions timeline are discussed, but there is little advice on how to approach applying later in the cycle. I think the biggest reason I noticed this is because the rest of the book is so balanced and comprehensive.
All in all, if you are in the process of applying to law school, getting ready to apply soon, or even just thinking about applying, this book is a great read that will answer nearly all of your questions. i cannot recommend it highly enough. As a regular reader might know, I am a do it yourself kind of guy. The Law School Admission Game gives you the information to make informed decisions and work the admission process to get into your ideal law school.
Buy this resource on Amazon here
or
Barnes and Noble here
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Ten Questions for Law Students
I finally got my schedule for the upcoming semester! Even though we have been warned repeatedly that 'nothing is final until August 7' (a few days before classes start), I can't help but look ahead to the coming semester.
I do have a few questions for those of you who have already experienced your first year of law school, and therefore created the easiest test you will ever take relating to law school:
Question 1: I only am scheduled for about 10-15 hours of class, as of now. I am wondering how accurate this is. I have heard that I can expect additional time spent in mandatory small group discussions and TA reviews. About how much of your time is scheduled by your school throughout the week? (My guess is that it doesn't matter, you are at the school about 40 hours per week regardless.)
Question 2: Additionally, in college I was told to expect about 2 hours of work outside of class for each hour spent at class. Therefore 15 credit hours per week was assumed to have about 30 hours of work per week outside of class. Is there a commonly accepted ratio for law school? (I am thinking it has got to be worse than undergrad.)
Question 3: And as a follow up, I found that I spent about 10 hours per week outside of class doing school work, the rest of the time I spent socializing, playing sports, Halo and Smash Bros, or doing volunteer and extra curricula. Plus I was employed all through college. How much free time can I expect? (My guess: Sports? Socializing? Halo? Ha! Try reading, writing, and studying.)
Question 4: I have been told law school is uber competitive and there is no such thing as a study group since no one wants to help anyone get ahead. Is this true?
Question 5: Do professors really call on you at random all the time, or just on days when they don't have a full lecture planned?
Question 6: My college roommate is now in medical school, and he reports that he is almost encouraged NOT to go to class but to instead download the notes and audio recording. Is this the case in law school?
Question 7: My other college roommate told me, "Law school is no different than college except you have to read every night." Fair assumption?
Question 8: Take notes via laptop or pen and paper? (I'm leaning heavily towards pen and paper, besides, how do you not get distracted by Twitter/Facebook/Instant Messanger?)
Question 9: At every open house or accepted student's day I attended, or every blog I read by law students or admissions experts, incoming students always ask "What can I do to prepare?" and current students or experts always say, "Relax, enjoy life, spend time with friends and family, do fun reading, see a movie, sleep." Anyone else want to add an opinion? (This is going to be the topic of my next post as well, I'll include your answers.)
Question 10: I am not sure what kind of law I would like to practice, or how I will ultimately use my law degree. Is this going to put me behind? Should I pick something that sounds good and go for it, or should I just wait and see if anything catches my eye? (I ask because I know that pretty much as soon as I start school I also need to be thinking about a summer job or internship, and start defining my career.)
BONUS QUESTION: What is the one thing you wish you knew before you started your first year? (WRITE ANYTHING AND I WILL GIVE YOU CREDIT. Except for 'Wear Sunscreen', that is overused and unoriginal, without being a classic.
Leave me answers in the comments and I will share them later!
I do have a few questions for those of you who have already experienced your first year of law school, and therefore created the easiest test you will ever take relating to law school:
Question 1: I only am scheduled for about 10-15 hours of class, as of now. I am wondering how accurate this is. I have heard that I can expect additional time spent in mandatory small group discussions and TA reviews. About how much of your time is scheduled by your school throughout the week? (My guess is that it doesn't matter, you are at the school about 40 hours per week regardless.)
Question 2: Additionally, in college I was told to expect about 2 hours of work outside of class for each hour spent at class. Therefore 15 credit hours per week was assumed to have about 30 hours of work per week outside of class. Is there a commonly accepted ratio for law school? (I am thinking it has got to be worse than undergrad.)
Question 3: And as a follow up, I found that I spent about 10 hours per week outside of class doing school work, the rest of the time I spent socializing, playing sports, Halo and Smash Bros, or doing volunteer and extra curricula. Plus I was employed all through college. How much free time can I expect? (My guess: Sports? Socializing? Halo? Ha! Try reading, writing, and studying.)
Question 4: I have been told law school is uber competitive and there is no such thing as a study group since no one wants to help anyone get ahead. Is this true?
Question 5: Do professors really call on you at random all the time, or just on days when they don't have a full lecture planned?
Question 6: My college roommate is now in medical school, and he reports that he is almost encouraged NOT to go to class but to instead download the notes and audio recording. Is this the case in law school?
Question 7: My other college roommate told me, "Law school is no different than college except you have to read every night." Fair assumption?
Question 8: Take notes via laptop or pen and paper? (I'm leaning heavily towards pen and paper, besides, how do you not get distracted by Twitter/Facebook/Instant Messanger?)
Question 9: At every open house or accepted student's day I attended, or every blog I read by law students or admissions experts, incoming students always ask "What can I do to prepare?" and current students or experts always say, "Relax, enjoy life, spend time with friends and family, do fun reading, see a movie, sleep." Anyone else want to add an opinion? (This is going to be the topic of my next post as well, I'll include your answers.)
Question 10: I am not sure what kind of law I would like to practice, or how I will ultimately use my law degree. Is this going to put me behind? Should I pick something that sounds good and go for it, or should I just wait and see if anything catches my eye? (I ask because I know that pretty much as soon as I start school I also need to be thinking about a summer job or internship, and start defining my career.)
BONUS QUESTION: What is the one thing you wish you knew before you started your first year? (WRITE ANYTHING AND I WILL GIVE YOU CREDIT. Except for 'Wear Sunscreen', that is overused and unoriginal, without being a classic.
Leave me answers in the comments and I will share them later!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Comment Response
I am going to try to periodically respond to comments left on this blog. I have not done so yet because I do not receive them very frequently, but I want to continue to do this monthly or bimonthly.
Comment 1:
Bella Vita said...
"Congratulations Bro, that's got to be an incredible feeling!" in response to my post Greatest Feeling in the World.
Thanks man, it is! Keep me posted on your achievements too.
Comment 2:
Aaron said...
"Hey Spencer - thanks for following. I recommend @accesstojustice and @kbladow as well. Very frequent updates and great info. Are you @jd2b?" in response to my post Who I Follow on Twitter.
Thanks for the recommendations, I have followed both and I am encouraging all my readers to do the same.
I am NOT @jd2b! I have also discovered that there is a JD2B website, which I am also not a part of!
My Twitter is @Spencerm1. I will offer that I am not a Pro User of Twitter! I update about once a day, sometimes less. It is primarily a personal account as well. I do post about fun things I have recently done, my job, the last song I beat on Guitar Hero (so in August none of these will happen anymore). I also write about the books I have been reading and share good internet links.
Well, there you have it, my first two comments, responded to. Cheers guys!
Comment 1:
Bella Vita said...
"Congratulations Bro, that's got to be an incredible feeling!" in response to my post Greatest Feeling in the World.
Thanks man, it is! Keep me posted on your achievements too.
Comment 2:
Aaron said...
"Hey Spencer - thanks for following. I recommend @accesstojustice and @kbladow as well. Very frequent updates and great info. Are you @jd2b?" in response to my post Who I Follow on Twitter.
Thanks for the recommendations, I have followed both and I am encouraging all my readers to do the same.
I am NOT @jd2b! I have also discovered that there is a JD2B website, which I am also not a part of!
My Twitter is @Spencerm1. I will offer that I am not a Pro User of Twitter! I update about once a day, sometimes less. It is primarily a personal account as well. I do post about fun things I have recently done, my job, the last song I beat on Guitar Hero (so in August none of these will happen anymore). I also write about the books I have been reading and share good internet links.
Well, there you have it, my first two comments, responded to. Cheers guys!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Choice - Part 3 "Why UB?"
(The Choice is an ongoing section where I will be examining my decision to attend the University of Baltimore.)
I have meandered around slightly on this topic, and I feel it is time for me to actually talk about what drew me to the University of Baltimore.
I initially applied due to the location. I have lived in Baltimore for the past 6 years, and absolutely adore the city. I am well established here, and besides, the only two law schools in Maryland are within a mile of each other right in Baltimore City.
Secondly, I had heard great things about the school. Everyone I talked to about it knew someone who was either in the program or had completed the program, and all they could say is "He/She loved it!"
Additionally, according to my LSAT/UGPA numbers, it was a school that I was highly likely to be accepted to.
Once my acceptances came around, I had a few options. The University of Baltimore was, by far, the most affordable. Public school tuition at in-state rates, combined with the highly affordable housing options made Baltimore the financial no-brainer. My Twitter contacts (click here) agree.
I also attended the accepted students day, and when Dean Closius spoke, I was further encouraged. He addressed head on the school's short comings and took any question from students or parents attending.
Still, I think the final decision came down to two things: The Location and The Price. I really liked the University of Miami, but the housing discussed by current students and the school ran at least double the price of my current apartment. I also considered Hofstra, but even with a large scholarship the tuition was rather high. Drexel appealed to me, but I was a bit put off by the accreditation situation, and again, even with a large scholarship it was more expensive. Finally, Baltimore is home to my current social network, my past professional network (including mental health, social work, restaurant and security fields) and my small but hopefully burgeoning legal network.
Now, having made my choice, I am highly satisfied and cannot wait for school to start!
For all you current (or former) students, how did you decide which school to attend?
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Auto-Tune the News
Hello all.
This post will be almost strictly fun.
Since there is such a strong connection between law and politics, I thought that this would be a relevant topic.
These videos are posted on a YouTube account belonging to Michael Gregory. Michael Gregory is a pretty interesting person, one of those people who is not only amazingly musically talented, but also has the humor and presence of mind to use it in new and interesting ways. Search YouTube and you will find him performing Acapella raps at open mic night, auditioning for American Idol, and using his Auto-Tuner on the news.
These videos are many things. First of all, they are hilarious. Secondly, they are pure genius. The writing combines random humor with a nice caricature of mainstream hip hop, some biting news commentary, and the occasional highly subtle, but deftly crafted, satire. The production values are extremely high, which makes the fuzzy green screen cutouts a sort of self-aware joke. I could go on and on, but that is not the focus of this blog. Instead, enjoy a nice study break, on me.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Law School Social
One of my first official law school experiences was a baseball game and happy hour this weekend. Our law school was able to secure two free tickets for every incoming student at the Orioles game against the Braves. Awesome, right? Also, prior to the game there was a happy hour at a nearby bar for some drinks and food.
I was a little nervous about attending this event, knowing no one, but luckily all first year students also received those awesome Baltimore Law shirts, so I was hoping we would all be wearing one.
I got held up at work, but did get to some of the happy hour. I was clearly in the minority of those who decided to actually wear their shirts, but it was a great event to meet some of my soon to be classmates.
One thing I did discover is that everyone has a different expectation of their first year. Some are already in a panic about the amount of work. Some are already working on "Before You Start Law School" textbooks and courses. Some are concerned about how often they will be able to go out during the week.
I was also surprised by the varying age range and experience levels of those attending. Many were right out of college, quite a few had some full time work experience, and there were a few older students. I think I am in the minority of students who did not work at a law firm prior to enrollment. I am hopeful that this will not be a setback. Personally, I think my work experience has actually prepared me more for law school than anything else I have done up to this point.
Although the game did not go well (O's lost, pretty badly), a free ticket is something I will never turn down. I also enjoyed the chance to meet some of my future classmates. Finally, if nothing else, I am now really excited to start school soon.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Lawyer Stigma?
Let's start with a joke:
You are in a room with (some serial terrorist) bin Laden, Milosevic, and a lawyer. You have a gun with two bullets. Who do you shoot?
The Lawyer twice, just to be sure.
There is a fairly strong stigma in popular culture against lawyers and the legal profession. Even Law and Order tends to portray the lawyers in a poor light, with the defendants always "Lawyering Up" to avoid talking to the detectives.
Congress and healthcare officials blast the legal field for rising healthcare costs due to malpractice insurance. I once read (on a blog, so veracity is not guaranteed) that there are only two full-time midwives in all of Texas, since that state has a generous statute of limitations for malpractice suits of birthing errors.
Even in the movie "Four Christmases," Vince Vaughn's character is a lawyer living in the city, who visits his father and two brothers who live with their wives and kids in one small house in a very rural area. At one point, the father makes a comment about "Mr. Big Lawyer with his Fancy Cars and Toys" not being in touch with his family.
Let's be logical for a minute. On Law and Order, why is a defendant hiring a lawyer seen as an obstacle? It is because the lawyer is there to protect the defendant's rights to be free from questioning they may not understand. No one ever criticizes the detective for threatening a defendant, yelling in their face, or bending the truth to elicit a confession.
People criticize lawyers for healthcare costs, but then become enraged when a doctor cannot take the time to correctly write in a chart and a patient dies. If you get on a roller coaster and something tragic happens, no one has a problem with a lawsuit. Then again, most of the time it isn't the amusement parks fault. Why not place a cap on medical malpractice suits? Simple, who can look someone in the eye and say, "I know you spent over $100,000 on your education, and I know you have worked hard for several years, but even though someone else was careless and you can never work again, you can only have this much money. Oh, but the guy or gal who was careless and caused this, yeah they can go on making money."
I think I am wondering, because I know who I am myself. I wasn't raised with a silver spoon in my mouth, my parents lived in a town with a good public school system, and co-signed $160,000 worth of student loans, but trust me, I worked pretty hard to get where I am. I don't think I am a greedy person, in fact my fancy, expensive degree earns me less than $30,000 a year. And I generally work 50-60 hours a week, taking care of acutely ill adults. I have to put miles on my car, take verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, assist in toileting and other hygiene tasks. And now I am staring at three years of hard work, three more years living in a blue light neighborhood, three more years of debts. When I get out, will I automatically become hated by most of the world?
Any lawyers or law students out there, have you run into this?
Monday, June 1, 2009
LSAT Prep - Reading
I have already covered alternative approaches to traditional studying for the logic games, and I thought I would add something for the reading comprehension section.
In discussions with my peers, I have noticed a strikingly large group that does very poorly on reading comprehension. To compound this, experts tend to agree that reading comprehension is the hardest part to study for, in that your score the first time is going to be pretty close to your score the final time. You are either good at reading for information, or you are not. Perhaps more accurately, you are good at it, or you do not have the time required to improve significantly.
So, you want to improve, what to do? I suggest reading. Lots. This is how I got good at it, simply reading all the time. Sometimes cheap and easy stuff, sometimes difficult novels or texts. I always have at least two or three books I am reading at all times. One is usually an easy Stephen King or John Grisham bestseller type, very easy and relaxing. One is a piece of difficult fiction, a world classic or good piece of history. This is something to struggle a bit with, but still it is a story. Then, occasionally I pick up a technical manual or textbook of some sort. This I think is good for the highly technical writing on the LSAT. A lot of times I go for things that are relevant to my background (like the latest manual on new Psych drugs!). One final thing I do: Always keep one book on hand. That way, if I am waiting for an appointment, I can whip it out and read two pages.
More important, however, I would like to share a resource with you. Give Me Something To Read has links for good articles from around the internet. They are frequently high level (such as the Economist, the New Yorker) which most LSAT books tell you are the same level as the LSAT. They articles range from one page to several, so most are about the length of an LSAT reading sample. They are also interesting and range in topics, although I will admit the editor likes articles about newspapers and journalism.
If you want to get some practice reading in, try these for a bit. If you want to share some other resources or tips, leave a comment!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Choice - Part 2 "The Numbers"
(The Choice is an ongoing section where I will be examining my decision to attend the University of Baltimore.)
Well, here goes. I am going to throw it out there. My "stats":
Undergraduate GPA: 3.3 *Note 1
Major: Psychology
Minor: History
LSAT Score: 159
Schools Applied to: *Note 2
University of Baltimore: Accepted
University of Maryland: Denied
University of Miami: Accepted
Drexel University: Accepted
Hofstra: Accepted
Total cost of applications: about $400 *Note 3
I will be referencing this in future posts!
*Note 1: I attended a strong private liberal arts college. My curriculum included an 18 class 'core' of out of major courses. I spent one year (2 semesters) abroad, which counted towards my GPA. My GPA was very low (2.0) my freshman year, and rose steadily. I think I had three semesters on Dean's List.
* Note 2: I applied to a few others, however they came later in the process and I did not follow up. For example, Nova Southeastern (a school that on paper I should have been a lock for) never made a decision after confirming receipt of my application. By that time, however, I had been accepted to enough other schools to not need to consider Nova. CUNY Law was missing a part of my application, I withdrew it because I had already received comparable or better acceptances.
*Note 3: This is a rough estimate. Most schools were about $60-70 for an application fee. The LSAC charges you $12 per application. To anyone who works at an admissions board for a law school, yes, I did apply to more schools if they waived the application fee! Registering for the LSAC is also a one time fee, about $50 if I recall correctly. Additionally, you could count LSAT fees as well. A HUGE Thank You to my mother and father for footing the bill on most of the applications, and for always supporting my dreams.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Who I follow on Twitter
I admit to being a huge fan of Twitter. I love finding interesting people (everyone should follow Shaq and the Natural History Whale) as well as a thriving, varied, professional network. Twitter is, however, a new and expanding resource, and the use varies widely. This is my list of people I follow on Twitter, as they relate to Law School and the legal field.
(Sorted by my personal relative enjoyment)
@ABAJournal - This is basically the ABA Journal's news feed. Headlines delivered straight to your Twitter, with links to the full article. Articles are short and generally news-worthy. I find this a great way to get involved in the legal community and keep an eye on issues that will soon be increasingly important to me. Also, a lot of the news is really interesting. The only downside is that at times 10-15 new articles go up simultaneously, drowning out your other Tweets.
@annlevine - Ann K. Levine is a law school admissions consultant. She is pretty awesome, with interesting Tweets about the LSAT and other admissions related issues. She updates pretty regularly, although be warned about 2/3 of her Tweets are personal use. She is kind of like a Twitter Mom to hopeful law students, posting reminders about LSAT dates! I was very impressed when she took the time to respond to my Tweets about school acceptances, and even answered a few questions I had about law school admissions.
@ronfox - Ron Fox is a lawyer career coach. He places a heavy emphasis on assisting lawyers find happiness and satisfaction from their careers. He also hates Big Law. His updates generally link to in depth feature articles, which are fascinating reads. You can also always count on him to look past the stereotype of what a Lawyer is to most laypeople, and show you the real, human side of Law. Inspiring in that regard. Be warned though, he is VERY effective at discouraging you from pursuing a legal career if you haven't already begun it.
Those are my top three. Others include:
@samglover - A consumer rights lawyer, he maintains several legal blogs. He is very technologically savy, and writes a lot about how he uses technology to enhance his career and practice.
@aaron_at_EJW - This is Aaron at Equal Justice Works. Interesting legal perspective, updates occasionally. If you are into public interest law, he might be a good follow. He does write about student debt frequently, and generally from a helpful and hopeful perspective.
There is my current Legal Follows. Who do you recommend on Twitter? Put them in comments and I will share them in a later post.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
LSAT Prep - Logic Games
Hello!
Today I thought I would relax with a short post on fun ways to prepare for the LSAT. Logical Reasoning typically gives people headaches because it is an entirely new type of question. A good way to get into the right mindset and familiarize yourself with these types of questions are logic games.
You may remember these games from elementary school, they, much like on the LSAT, involve basic rules (one person per day, one color per house, one person per house) and then provide several statements, the information from which you are to use to complete the table.
A good site to find these and more like them is here, at Puzzle Paradise. They are free, and vary in difficulty. This site has a good interface for solving online, and the option to print puzzles to take with you, or if you feel it would be better practice to use pencil and paper, as on the LSAT.
How are these useful? They give good practice for reading the conditions and drawing conclusions. For example, if the statement is that "Jack gave his presentation before Julie, but after the presentation on frogs," you can conclude that Jack was NOT in the first or last time slot, but also that Julie was NOT first or second, since she was after Jack, and that the presentation on Frogs was NOT last or second to last. Also, you can conclude that neither Jack nor Julie presented on Frogs. This kind of insight requires practice, and these fun games can help you learn it without doing repetitive bookwork.
Also, these games can help with diagraming and charting. This site provide some diagrams, but others (such as time based ones) are equally helpful.
Be warned though, that this should not be taken as a substitute for actual LSAT logic game practice. LSAT games tend to have you "backing up." They will give you five statements, then each question will have a sixth condition that is hypothetical. You may need to remove information to complete the next problem. Also, the LSAT gives lots of choices such as "If Frogs were presented by a Male student, what can you say about Tuesday's presentation?" These oddball ones may have more than one correct answer, such as "Tuesday was either Julie or Tammy presenting either Shrimp or Snakes." Practice for these types does not come from logic games with one correct answer.
Have you used alternative prep for the LSAT? Any experts out there want to weigh in on the use of games as practice?
Saturday, May 16, 2009
The Choice - Part 1
(The Choice is an ongoing section where I will be examining my decision to attend the University of Baltimore.)
For this edition of "The Choice" I would like to start with a discussion of how I choose the schools I was applying to.
First of all, I am going to have to start with personal details. I was, at the time, in a very committed relationship. She was applying to graduate programs herself (though not for Law) and her schools all had much earlier application deadlines. We reasoned that we had been together long enough, and were committed enough, to include each other in our professional choices. Our way to solve the dilemma was to each identify a few schools or cities where we would like to pursue our educations. We then would each apply to two or three schools in each area, and then when he had all the acceptances, we could make informed decisions together.
She picked Miami, where we both found University of Miami and Nova Southeastern. I jumped on Philadelphia as a place I would like to reside, but found only Drexel with a suitable law program. She picked Long Island, noting several top schools in her field. I did apply to Hofstra. I reasoned New York City might not be a bad idea, and applied to St John's and CUNY. We both stated Baltimore as an obvious choice, as we had been residing in the city for the past two years, attended four years of undergraduate school there as well, and her family was about 20 minutes outside the city. Plus, I had all of Maryland's law school, University of Baltimore and University of Maryland, right within walking distance.
Ultimately, I think this was a good strategy. Although I am almost never one to make a "life" decision based on someone I am dating, at the time we were seriously looking ahead to engagement and beyond. Still, she is equally as pragmatic (pessimistic, maybe?) and always said that we should choose something that would satisfy us without the relationship if it ever came to that.
As for locating schools by area, I think that it is a good measure to start your search. I was able to get a handle on all the information out there. Another good way to start is to rank the schools by relative strength, and see what is at the top. Although I ended up at a "4th tier" school, I was accepted by "#42."
Speaking of strength, I always think it is a good idea to make sure you have some guaranteed acceptances as well as to get rejected by some schools. Once you take your LSAT, if you choose to have your information reported (highly recommended), schools will get your UGPA and LSAT score. Florida Coastal emailed me with acceptance and scholarship offers if I completed a one page application with no fee. It was great to know, well, at least I can get a JD somewhere! The University of Maryland (usually top 30) rejected me. So I felt I knew about where I stood. It would be a shame to only apply to top 10 schools and get no degree, but I think it is equally wasteful to not shoot high. That way you will always know it wasn't meant to be, and you never know, something on your application may strike someone in admissions and you may have a great chance.
This has been a very brief introduction. How did you decide where you were going to apply to school?
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Greatest Feeling in the World
Is when you finally make it, through all the effort and hard work and anticipation and long nights and anxiety and fear and self-doubt, and then one day you can start telling people that yes, you are, in law school. At times, it never seems real, just a far off dream. Then, one day, it hits you, and let me tell you, it is awesome.
Friday, May 8, 2009
LSAT Prep Schedule
My calendar for LSAT preparation:
1 Year Prior to test Date: Create an outline or schedule for prep. Pick a test date.
1 Year to 6 Months prior: Gather information about the LSAT itself.
6-4 months prior: Begin earnest preparation. I recommend completing a diagnostic test, but only for the practice. I personally have heard only that the diagnostic scores are poor predictors of actual test performance. Take note of the type of questions, and I think it is always good to indicate when you are guessing on an answer, so later you can go back and study that one as well.
4 - 2 months prior: Begin diligent preparation. I found it easiest to spend 2-3 weeks on each question type individually. Read about them, complete practice problems, work slowly through the very hardest ones.
2 months prior: Spend a little extra time with question types that are still giving you trouble. At this point, I would recommend learning strategies for managing your time while completing the test.
4 weeks prior: Schedule some time aside to take a full length practice exam under conditions as close to real as possible. Make sure you have all your registration materials available for the test date.
3 weeks prior: Review your practice exam results. Try to target areas that you scored poorly on. This is also a great time to practice on the hardest questions you can find.
2 weeks prior: Now is when I would work on my test taking strategies. Get your timing down, learn to look for obvious right or wrong answers, those kinds of things.
1 week prior: If you gave your email address to the LSAC search service, you can expect to begin receiving emails wishing you luck from various law schools. I also started carrying my prep materials everywhere with me, and spent my free time looking over them. Do not cram, but do try to immerse yourself in LSAT goodness.
3 days prior: Make sure everything is in order for your test date (ID, pencils, snack, bottle of water in clear plastic bag, proper admission ticket printed). Also, I would highly, highly, highly recommend driving to the test site and locating parking. The tests are generally early in the morning, and looking for parking or getting lost should not be a reason you are late or miss your test.
2 days prior: Cram a bit. Try not to panic. Say a prayer. I slept with my book under my pillow. Try to relax.
1 day prior: Seriously, relax. Don't even open your books. Eat a nice dinner, do a quick workout, and go to bed at a reasonable time. Aim for a solid 8 hours of sleep. Relax. At this point, you have done all you can, and you did good. Now just let it happen.
Day of: Be calm and confident, get a good score, move on with your career!
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