Law School Is A (Daily) Commitment
More than a few undergraduate students are scared by the commitment that succeeding in law school seems to demand. They seem to believe that success is directly related to committing every hour of their day, at least, that they are awake, to studying, preparing for, and attending class. Is the notion that law students do not have any free time a myth or a reality? Perhaps, a better way of looking at it is that law school is not some unrealistic hourly commitment, but a daily commitment.
Making a commitment involves dedicating yourself to something, whether it is a cause or individual. Any commitment requires time. Of course, the amount of time spent working towards a goal varies by individual. Everybody manages their time differently, while some seemingly do not manage it all. However, time management coupled with a daily commitment is a clear path to success in anything, including law school.
Making a daily commitment involves committing to a routine that encompasses all aspects of your law school life. Devise a daily schedule and adhere to it by zealously engaging in each activity whether it is academic or social. Those who effectively manage their daily routine tend to have more free time during the week and are less likely to burn out.
It certainly is a reality that students in their first year of law school will expend more time doing schoolwork than those students in their later years of studies. First-year law students should expect to attend class for 10-12 hours per week. Some legal scholars believe that the average 1L law student should study approximately 30-40 hours weekly or 3-4 per hour of class time. Some think two hours for each hour of class time is sufficient. This study time should continue to decrease after the first year until the final year of studies. But the key takeaway is this approach should allow even the most committed law students to have a fair amount of free time during their first year.
By the beginning of their second year of law school, most law students should have developed their reading comprehension and analysis skills. As students develop these skills, they become more adept at reading casebooks and analyzing long and complex cases quickly for the relevant legal issues and decisions they contain. This is especially necessary since many second-year students are inundated during the fall semester with internships, job applications, and other school- and job-related activities that demand a fair amount of time.
Commitment means being more than involved in whatever it is that you are doing. Multitasking detracts from your commitment. Invest everything that you have in law school. This should leave plenty of time to continue to enjoy the other things in life that matter to you. When things may look bleak, whatever you do, don’t quit. Most people quit because they are perfectionists, lack faith, or have a general inability to keep commitments due to a history of failures. You made it to law school, commit to your studies each and every day, and succeed.
Like traditional law schools, California Desert Trial Academy’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 advocates in any courtroom. The California Desert Trial Academy (CDTA) 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.