5 answers
Emmauel
Student
Mobile, Alabama
1
Question
Updated
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What is Law School like?
I'm in the 12th Grade and I'm going to be heading off to college soon. I've been interesting in getting into law, but I want to know what Law School is actually like.
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4 answers
Baljit Gill
tutor
47
Answers
Milpitas, California
Updated
Baljit’s Answer
Hi there!
It's great that you're interested in legal studies. Law school is challenging, so make sure you're prepared for classes, assignments, discussions, and quizzes. Study topics from all perspectives, like judges do in landmark cases. Expect lots of reading and analysis of legal principles for each case study. Get ready for lively and engaging class discussions.
Good luck!
It's great that you're interested in legal studies. Law school is challenging, so make sure you're prepared for classes, assignments, discussions, and quizzes. Study topics from all perspectives, like judges do in landmark cases. Expect lots of reading and analysis of legal principles for each case study. Get ready for lively and engaging class discussions.
Good luck!
Wong Loke Yuen
Head of Programme cum Senior Lecturer
645
Answers
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Updated
Wong’s Answer
Hi Emmauel. Law school is an exciting but challenging journey. In law school, you don't just memorize laws, you learn how to think like a lawyer. That means learning how to look at problems from different angles, use logic to find solutions, and explain your ideas clearly.
You'll also do a lot of reading in law school. The material can be dense and filled with legal terms, so it takes patience and practice to understand. Time management is very important because you'll need to balance reading, writing, and preparing for class discussions. Many students form study groups to share notes and help each other out, which can make things easier and less stressful.
Outside of class, there are chances to get hands-on experience. You can join moot court or mock trial teams, where you practice arguing cases, or take internships at law firms, government offices, or non-profits. These experiences help you see what real legal work is like and give you a taste of life as a lawyer. Law school can be stressful at times, but it's also incredibly rewarding. You'll become more confident, improve your writing and speaking skills, and learn how to think critically about fairness and justice. If you enjoy solving problems, debating ideas, and helping others, law school can be a great path that challenges you and helps you grow into a strong, thoughtful professional.
You'll also do a lot of reading in law school. The material can be dense and filled with legal terms, so it takes patience and practice to understand. Time management is very important because you'll need to balance reading, writing, and preparing for class discussions. Many students form study groups to share notes and help each other out, which can make things easier and less stressful.
Outside of class, there are chances to get hands-on experience. You can join moot court or mock trial teams, where you practice arguing cases, or take internships at law firms, government offices, or non-profits. These experiences help you see what real legal work is like and give you a taste of life as a lawyer. Law school can be stressful at times, but it's also incredibly rewarding. You'll become more confident, improve your writing and speaking skills, and learn how to think critically about fairness and justice. If you enjoy solving problems, debating ideas, and helping others, law school can be a great path that challenges you and helps you grow into a strong, thoughtful professional.
Ilan Marouani, Esq., LL.M.
Tax Attorney
14
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Ilan’s Answer
A lot of people would say law school is challenging, stressful, or just exciting.
I would say that it is what you make it to be. I know some people who had the worst experience in law school; terrible time management, under prepared, and just overall stressed. Others who just enjoyed it throughout their three years, and were excited to join the profession.
I believe it is all about preparation. Yes, you will need to stay in the library a few hours every night to study and learn for your classes; yes, you will need to read 100s of pages of law and cases a week; yes, you might have to cut back on some fun while figuring things out.
However, if you prepare your schedule, if you learn the best way that works for you to study, if you plan out your finals, classes, fun time/ study time, it will all feel the same as high school, or college.
I, for example, focused on classes that interested me, did not follow the herd and took the same classes as everyone; I did not have a great start in Law School, but, once I figured things out for myself, i was able to raise my GPA by .2, and on my last semester I was able to take a whole month break before graduation, and had 0 finals.
Law School is scary cause people come from college under prepared to actually put in the work, and they get overwhelmed once they realize you need to seat down for 2,3, 4 hours a day in the library and study for your classes on a regular basis. If you already start to have a good studying routine in college, and do not cram everything in the last two weeks of the semester, you will be more than fine.
Good luck, and let me know if I can help you in any way to improve your potential future in Law School!
I would say that it is what you make it to be. I know some people who had the worst experience in law school; terrible time management, under prepared, and just overall stressed. Others who just enjoyed it throughout their three years, and were excited to join the profession.
I believe it is all about preparation. Yes, you will need to stay in the library a few hours every night to study and learn for your classes; yes, you will need to read 100s of pages of law and cases a week; yes, you might have to cut back on some fun while figuring things out.
However, if you prepare your schedule, if you learn the best way that works for you to study, if you plan out your finals, classes, fun time/ study time, it will all feel the same as high school, or college.
I, for example, focused on classes that interested me, did not follow the herd and took the same classes as everyone; I did not have a great start in Law School, but, once I figured things out for myself, i was able to raise my GPA by .2, and on my last semester I was able to take a whole month break before graduation, and had 0 finals.
Law School is scary cause people come from college under prepared to actually put in the work, and they get overwhelmed once they realize you need to seat down for 2,3, 4 hours a day in the library and study for your classes on a regular basis. If you already start to have a good studying routine in college, and do not cram everything in the last two weeks of the semester, you will be more than fine.
Good luck, and let me know if I can help you in any way to improve your potential future in Law School!
Wendi Wade
Attorney
9
Answers
Caledonia, Illinois
Updated
Wendi’s Answer
I found law school fascinating, challenging, and honestly, yes, very stressful. BUT it was three of the BEST years of my life.
I highly recommend connecting with a local law school admissions officer and/or law student and ask to sit in on a few classes for first year law students. Those classes are typically fairly large, so you could sit in the back and observe without distraction. Additionally, regardless of where you go to law school, there are certain classes most first year students take, such as Contracts, Torts, Constitutional Law, and Civil Procedure -- sitting in on any of these would give you insight into what law school is like.
Warning: you may encounter some frenzied, stressed out first year students, also known as 1Ls. This is normal. Keep in mind that law schools are full of smart people, some who excelled in AP coursework in high school and graduated college without too much struggle, while others have had to work much harder every step of the way to gain admission to law school -- all are facing a new challenge and coming to terms with the fact that they may no longer be the smartest person in the room and/or questioning whether they belong. So if you talk with any current law students you will likely hear war stories of how stressful it is. Try not to let it deter you. You do not have to be the smartest person in the room to do well in law school, and if you are admitted, yes, you belong if you want to be there. You do not need to come from a family of lawyers to succeed. It is okay to have no idea what kind of law you want to practice. The only thing it takes is your dedication to your studies and commitment to being prepared to pass the bar exam.
Finally, never, never, never compare yourself to another student. In my experience, many students had large egos. Listening to them express such confidence after taking an exam often left me second-guessing my answers and feeling like I must have failed -- until the test scores were posted and I found I had done quite well! When I didn't do well or found a class that was more difficult, that's when I attended extra study sessions, met with professors, and used other resources to prepare. Best of luck to you!
I highly recommend connecting with a local law school admissions officer and/or law student and ask to sit in on a few classes for first year law students. Those classes are typically fairly large, so you could sit in the back and observe without distraction. Additionally, regardless of where you go to law school, there are certain classes most first year students take, such as Contracts, Torts, Constitutional Law, and Civil Procedure -- sitting in on any of these would give you insight into what law school is like.
Warning: you may encounter some frenzied, stressed out first year students, also known as 1Ls. This is normal. Keep in mind that law schools are full of smart people, some who excelled in AP coursework in high school and graduated college without too much struggle, while others have had to work much harder every step of the way to gain admission to law school -- all are facing a new challenge and coming to terms with the fact that they may no longer be the smartest person in the room and/or questioning whether they belong. So if you talk with any current law students you will likely hear war stories of how stressful it is. Try not to let it deter you. You do not have to be the smartest person in the room to do well in law school, and if you are admitted, yes, you belong if you want to be there. You do not need to come from a family of lawyers to succeed. It is okay to have no idea what kind of law you want to practice. The only thing it takes is your dedication to your studies and commitment to being prepared to pass the bar exam.
Finally, never, never, never compare yourself to another student. In my experience, many students had large egos. Listening to them express such confidence after taking an exam often left me second-guessing my answers and feeling like I must have failed -- until the test scores were posted and I found I had done quite well! When I didn't do well or found a class that was more difficult, that's when I attended extra study sessions, met with professors, and used other resources to prepare. Best of luck to you!