3 Mistakes to Avoid in Law School

Getting accepted into law school is one of the most incredible feelings, but it is just the start of a much longer journey. While you've already achieved a lot to be proud of just by making it this far, law school is a whole new world to learn and adjust to. You may feel like a college freshman again, completely lost and struggling to stay on top of coursework. Now, you face the additional stress of passing the bar and figuring out your entire career post-grad. It's a lot to take in, but you can set yourself up for success with a bit of research and forethought. Keep these insider tips in mind to avoid making these three common law school mistakes during your academic career.

Treating Lectures Like Chores

Long lectures are staples of law school, and it is easy to zone out and get distracted during them. Don't use your time in the classroom to meaninglessly scroll through social media or doodle in your notebook. This is your time to learn the most critical fundamentals from the perspective of esteemed lawyers and successful professors. Read the syllabus, pace yourself and keep an outline during each lecture. Use a note-taking format that you're comfortable with, and try to quiz yourself throughout the class to see how much you know and take notes on what you need to work on.

Some of the dialogue that you hear during lecture can even influence your law school essay topics which you will need down the road. Lectures may not be your favorite part of law school, but the quality of the class largely comes down to two things: teaching style and motivation. Whether or not you like a professor, your motivation and goals should surpass their approach. Even if you don't enjoy listening to them for hours on end, you can still stay engaged by finding small ways to make the class valuable to you.

Not Tackling Debt

Law is one of the most expensive careers to pursue, so you should begin researching financing options for your legal degree before you are even in school. If you're a first-year student, then you still have time to make some changes and possibly save thousands of dollars in the process. While you can't waive the cost of tuition, you can find ways to pay that are more beneficial and flexible for you in the long run. One option is borrowing a private student loan. Private lenders give students greater control over their finances, which couldn't be more important when you're willingly taking on six figures to get your education. You can get a student loan for your legal degree and find a lender whose interest rates are much lower than federal loans and have more manageable repayments.

Not Reading Ahead

There is plenty of reading in law school. So much reading, in fact, that you'll probably have days where you never want to use your eyes again. But you can greatly reduce the stress all the casebooks will undoubtedly induce. The best thing you can do is use some of your free time on the weekends to start reading ahead of the class. This will allow you to identify areas of interest and stay on top of work without becoming overwhelmed and having to skip certain readings altogether.

Prepare yourself in advance by learning how to read a law school casebook. There will be traditional textbooks, too, but the casebook is a unique form of material that makes up the bulk of law school studies. You will need to understand the constituents of every case and compile background information. Getting as far ahead as possible will give you time to glean greater insights from your reading and discuss it with classmates instead of drowning in details.

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