Did I Do That? Mid-Semester Law School Review

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It’s mid-semester and you only have a few more weeks before finals.  Time for you to do a good self-review of where you stand on studying, preparation for finals, and anything else you may still need to check off your list.

1.      Outlining – Hopefully, you have been doing some sort of organization to prepare for your finals since the first week of classes whether it be an outline, flash cards, or another method that works for you.  If you haven’t, start using any free time to get caught up.  You do not want to spend time compiling your notes during the time you should be studying for finals.  You may have a beautiful outline, but you need to have time to memorize it back and forward.

2.      Reading – Are you having a tough time keeping up with the reading?  Look at how you are spending your time.  Are there ways that you can be more efficient?  Have you missed a reading? Move on and rely on your notes for that one.  You don’t have time to go back and read areas you may have missed.

3.      Supplements – Pick out areas that you seem to be struggling to grasp and spend extra time in those areas with your supplements.  You can ask upperclassmen to borrow used supplements, check the library for free copies, or look for eBooks that are cheaper than the print copy.  Supplements are great to have, but easily add up in price.

4.      Bar Prep – Have you locked in a Bar Prep course?  Whether the Bar is a few months away or 3 years, locking in a bar course will likely reduce the final cost, may allow you to receive discounts, and you may receive free commercial outlines for core classes and the MPRE.

5.      Old Tests – Have you found old exams for your classes?  Oftentimes, professors will have their old exams available online, through the library, or if you just ask.  This is one of the best ways to prepare for exams.  If you start these exams early, your professor may be willing to discuss any questions you have after class or during office hours.

6.      Scheduling – Have you picked out your courses for the next semester?  Make sure you review the required courses for graduation, the amount of credits needed, classes that would be helpful for the bar exam, and any prerequisites for a course to help design your next semester.  Design your schedule and include a few back-ups for popular courses so you are ready when it comes time to schedule.

Check out some of my earlier posts related to this topic:

Learning Your Learning Style

5 Free Smartphone Apps for Law Students

Spend Less on Your Textbooks this Semester

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How to Maintain Sanity during Application Season

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My usual advice involves budgeting for financial planning, but budgeting is not for money alone.  You can also budget your time to keep from becoming stressed and overwhelmed with law school applications as well as your fall semester studies.

If you haven’t started planning already, then you really need to buckle down.  Two of the three LSAT test dates have expired for registration.  If you are planning to attend law school next fall, then you must register for the LSAT immediately as the December test date may already eliminate some options to where you apply.  To register for the LSAT, go to http://www.lsac.org/.

Next, you should have a good idea of the schools you wish to apply to.  Make sure you have all the deadlines marked down and the documents required to apply.  If you meet deadlines early, your application fee may be waived.

Plot these deadlines and create your own deadlines.  Organize a calendar to block off time for LSAT preparation, essay outlining, and research for schools.  Add in a few activities or an internship to help improve your résumé. Using Google Calendar can be extremely helpful, especially for the visual types who like color coding.

Make sure you have gathered all of the necessary documents for your recommendation letters.  This packet should be well organized for your recommender to easily go through.  The easier you make it for them, the more time and better quality your recommendation will be.  Provide these packets to your recommenders early in the semester and give them a tentative deadline.  Do not pester them about it, but as finals approach and you haven’t received a response, give a gentle reminder.  Remember to take the time to thank them once the letter has been received.

Tackle each area of the application bit-by-bit and keep organized.  You will be able to get through the semester stress-free/reduced and meet deadlines by winter break.

For other helpful suggestions for the application process, check out some of my earlier posts:

5 Questions to Ask Before Applying to Law School

5 Ways to Save Money Applying to Law School

Eeny Meeny Miny Mo to which Law School Should I Go?

5 Websites Every Pre-Law Student Should Bookmark…Besides Mine

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Law School Applicants: Two Secrets to Success

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Today’s post is brought to us by guest blogger, Adam Gropper, author of the newly released "Making Partner:  The Essential Guide to Negotiating the Law School Path and Beyond."   Adam offers these great, easy to follow tips for those of you interested in applying to law school.

1) Distinguish yourself in the application process by articulating intended career path

When reviewing your materials, the admissions committee is wondering:

a) whether you are likely to be one of those students with lots of job prospects upon graduation, despite your academic results; and

b) whether you are likely to be one of those students to give back financial (and otherwise) to the school.

One way to help the committee form a positive impression about you is to articulate precisely what your plans are upon graduation:

a) what area of law do you intend to practice

b) in what context (ex., government, big firm, etc.)

c) what about that law school makes this plan more of a possibility 

How do develop a plan if you have no clue:

a) read Barrister on a Budget:  Investing in Law School…without Breaking the Bank and Making Partner:  The Essential Guide to Negotiating the Legal Path and Beyond

b) review “Top 25 Practice Areas and Sample Practice Settings,”

c) if possible, match your future plan with skills in your background and match your interest to a booming legal field

            1) consider items in the news

            2) consider regulatory areas

    3) examples of both = tax, intellectual property, elder law, healthcare law, securities law

d) talk to lawyers and ask them how they decided on the area in which they are practicing

e) prepare a one pager to committee articulating your plan

2) Distinguish yourself in law school by "choosing a major."

a) Your major may be different then your plan as presented to the committee 

b) Decide as soon as feasible because as soon as you decide:

            1) you can make the most of networking opportunities

            2) you can gain relevant experience in the area

 3) You can excel in classes in the area, which will help convince future employers that those are the grades that matter (and you are less of a risk than another student that did not do as well in those classes or did not take those classes).

a) similar process as above

            1) match the major to your background

            2) choose a good growth area

            3) identify multiple paths for obtaining a job

            4) match your interest to a booming legal field 

This post is by guest blogger Adam Gropper, founder of www.legaljob.com, a blog providing career advice for law students.  Adam is also the author of the ABA's recently published book, "Making Partner:  The Essential Guide to Negotiating the Law School Path and Beyond," which can be found here.

Thanks, Adam!

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Government Shutdowns and Debt Limits Impact on Student Loans

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Here we go again…government shutdowns and defaults.  We hear these trigger words quite often these days, but what could a government shutdown and/or government default mean for students?

An agreement for a funding bill (legislation that describes how government money shall be allocated and spent) was not reached, causing a government shutdown on October 21, 2013.  Some agencies will suspend functions, some government employees will be furloughed (temporary unpaid leave) and others that are exempt from furlough and have to continue to work (i.e. the President) will receive a delayed pay for that time.  The last government shutdown in the mid-90s lasted for 21 days.

What does a shutdown mean for students?  If the shutdown lasts long enough, student loan processing can be delayed.  Disbursements for the spring semester could be affected.  Students who receive campus-based program awards such as work study payment and Federal Perkins Loans will have delayed payment as schools will not be able to disburse the funds.

To avoid a default on the national debt (the government can’t pay bills), an agreement to raise the debt ceiling (the amount we are allowed to borrow) must be reached by October 18, 2013.  If this were to happen, it may not really matter what they decided for the funding bill (if an agreement has been reached by then) as many programs may be cut and discretionary spending prioritized.  For students, a default could mean student loan disbursements are delayed, reduced, or eliminated.

Is there a silver lining?  Sure; an unfortunate silver lining. If a shutdown or debt default were to occur, the market will tank again, but that would mean interest rates on federal direct loans will be low for those making repayments, but will likely affect employment options upon graduation.  Alternatively, try to reduce your reliance on student loans to finance your education, by budgeting and increasing scholarship aid.

Check out my earlier post related to this topic:

The Senate Student Loan Bill Passes:  Part III on H.R. 1911

New Scholarship Opportunities for Law Students

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