What to Expect
Law students learn the ins and outs of our legal system. At the upper levels,
they can study specialized fields like criminal, real estate or family law.
In the first year of law school, students will take basic courses to get
a broad overview of the study of law. But don't think that basic means easy.
The workload is difficult for even top students to keep up with.
After the first year, law students usually branch out to different fields
of legal study. "Not only is the volume of information you need to learn
a lot, but you don't truly know how to properly answer a law school exam until
you've been a student longer and learn from your mistakes," says Victoria
Gelfman. She is a third-year student at the University of Baltimore School
of Law and she dreams of working in the courtroom.
The information you need to learn is not the only challenge you may encounter
while at law school.
"I also sometimes would get stressed out wondering if law school was really
for me -- but the longer I have been in law school, the more confidence I've
gained that this is the profession for me. It's natural to feel uncertain
for a while," says Gelfman. She is grateful to the faculty at her university.
"They couldn't be more supportive of our growth and ensuring we find jobs
throughout school and when we graduate," says Gelfman.
Chris Samuel is a first-year law student. He's having trouble deciding
on a single career path. "The most important thing for me is to be in a position
where my work is making a positive impact within my community," says Samuel.
In classes, you can expect to take part in debates of legal principles
and theories.
Samuel especially enjoys this aspect of law school. "The class discussions
are always really interesting and engaging," he says.
You can expect three to six hours of reading each night. There will also
be research and writing assignments.
"Students should be prepared to work hard -- law school is hard! At the
same time, don't panic. If you are able to get into a law school, then you
can handle the material. Don't stress out about it -- just keep on top of
the work and you will end up doing fine," advises Samuel.
Textbooks can be expensive and tuition is higher than the average for graduate
programs. "I would also highly recommend owning a laptop, though it's not
strictly necessary," says Samuel.
How to Prepare
Gelfman suggests taking any type of law class that your high school offers
to get a general idea about the legal system. Also try to take part in mock
trial or public speaking groups.
"If you think you want to be a trial attorney, a lot of it is about performance
and the way you carry yourself," says Gelfman. Since law students come from
a variety of backgrounds, there is no clear route to getting into law.
"In my class of 85, we have people who studied biology, business, computer
science, philosophy, economics, languages, archaeology, and about two dozen
other academic disciplines. Personally, I graduated with a bachelor of science
in mathematics -- you never know where you will end up!" admits Samuels. "Pick
classes that interest you, and work your hardest," he says.
"The best way to prepare is to develop solid work habits -- you might be
smart enough to procrastinate in high school, but it becomes much harder to
do that successfully once you get into law school."