About Study Groups
Law students know well before their first day of class that they will be reading, reviewing, and outlining a vast, extensive amount of material. Once class begins, some law students form study groups as one way to manage such a daunting, time-consuming task. However, not every law student may want to join a study group.
While law school study groups can be beneficial, their success depends on the individual members’ commitment, chemistry, and work ethic. All the group’s members must have an equal commitment to the group, while always acting to advance its purposes. Commitment also involves never missing a group meeting while having a proper work ethic means regularly contributing an educational rather than social element to the group.
Whether a study group is a good fit for a student depends on how a student approaches studying and the study group’s intended purpose(s). They can create a more relaxed environment for learning by providing an academic and social support group for each member. Members may motivate each other by positive peer pressure, especially when times are tough.
Members can discuss new legal concepts, and each has the benefit of other members’ insight into legal issues. This is particularly helpful during the first year of law school when students are learning a new vocabulary. Study groups help assimilate students into the lexicon of law.
Study groups where members talk about non-legal subjects for 90 minutes while discussing the law for 30 minutes, accomplish nothing. A student’s time is better spent reading and studying alone. Study groups can lose or never find the proper perspective on a legal issue, which can bog the group down and even be a source of confusion going forward to the final exam. Also, not every law student or study group is supportive, and a student may find themselves stuck with people they don’t like or find helpful.
Study groups aren’t for everyone. The success of a study group depends on its members and other interrelating factors. Members who are humble, passionate, and cooperative can make a study group thrive.
Like traditional law schools, CDTA’s curriculum is designed to teach students the substantive law of core subject areas. Unlike traditional law schools, CDTA emphasizes training and developing students to be capable and competent advocates in any courtroom. The California Desert Trial Academy is a 21st Century law school that moves students toward a successful legal career on the first day of class. We believe that practical experience in tandem with legal knowledge is the best road to a successful, rewarding, and prosperous legal career. Call us today at (760) 342-0900 or find out more online here.