Law school can be daunting for anyone — from students attending in the upcoming semester, those currently filling out applications or even considering law as a career down the line. From start to finish, the process of law school is undoubtedly overwhelming.
As time goes on, students compile tips and tricks that allow for a well-balanced academic, work and social life. St. John’s Law students gave The Torch insight into law school, providing personal habits that will hopefully inspire and make the transition a little easier for interested students.
At St. John’s Law, full-time student years are split up into three different levels, starting with introductory courses in students’ 1L year, then moving on to 2L, then finally 3L. The curriculum is designed to meet seven basic learning outcomes over the course of those three years.
Students gain abilities spanning a variety of targets, allowing them to be able to exercise skills in their understanding of substantive and procedural law, effective communication, fulfilling professional and ethical responsibilities, performing research and engaging with legal concepts and analyses at an advanced level.
Current students at St. John’s Law provided The Torch with ways both inside and outside the classroom to bring the outlined curriculum to life.
A key component to any application process is preparation — building foundations before law school in essential areas like networking, self-promotion, and time management skills will help ensure prospective students get the most experience and knowledge from their program.
2L law student Kylie Ruff says that network building is crucial when both preparing for law school and even while you’re enrolled, as knowing people in the field is a fundamental necessity that will benefit you as an undergraduate student and future law student.
“Build your network now, whether it’s with fellow classmates or attorneys in the field or just reaching out to people on LinkedIn and asking them to have a 10-minute phone call about their job,” Ruff said. “Even if that person didn’t get you a job, you still learned so much from having a conversation with them.”
Fellow 2L student, Natalie McIntosh, notes the importance of putting your name out there in any way possible. “It’s definitely worth it to be in a journal because it looks really good on your resume and it will help you with your legal writing skills in the future.”
However, if law school is fast approaching and there’s minimal time for making meaningful connections and contacts, 3L law student Anthony Gambino advises that students “relish in the summer beforehand…once you’re in they’ll whip you into shape.”
Law schools are teeming with opportunities for students to succeed in their budding careers, making it imperative, according to current St. John’s Law students, to actively participate in anything of interest as often as possible.
Hope Salts, a 2L student, emphasized her appreciation for the St. John’s community. “There’s always somebody to hang out with, everybody is very social and even if it’s not around law school, people get to know each other because of the sports they like or musicals they’re into,” Salts said.
McIntosh expressed similar sentiments to Salts’ in-school advice by saying that “all of the student groups are very involved, and you can get involved in many different groups without it being an overload on your schedule.”
Finding that balance between studies and extracurriculars will come with time, but students have noted that it’s imperative to take advantage of the community and opportunities available.
Time management is a challenge across all specialties, but McIntosh admits her regret for letting certain skill-growth opportunities pass her by. “Something that I probably wouldn’t do again is skimp on briefing my 1L year,” she said. “I really should have sharpened those skills.”
While building community is incredibly important to your law school experience, Salts notes that the competition aspect is undeniable throughout law school. Placing emphasis on not letting outside perceptions undermine hard work, Salts told The Torch, “One thing I would definitely recommend doing is not comparing yourself to other people.”
“So many people come into law school with so many different perspectives, so many different abilities,” Salts continued. “Some people can be amazing in the classroom but they might really suck when it comes to exams, and you might be like ‘Oh my God, I’m an idiot, they clearly understand everything, what am I doing here?’”
Each field has its share of difficulties, but the goal for students of any program is to get the full experience of the field they put so much effort into. By taking advantage of all you can while in law school, you’re bound to find what you excel in and where you can make some changes.
Like any educational experience, you’re going to learn more than just what’s in the classroom. As you embark on your own law school journey you’ll establish your own survival guide, but these are some tips and tricks you can add to your list to ensure you get the best out of your law school years.
