Studying & Time Efficiency
By now, graduate-level students know that having time to study is only beneficial if such time is used wisely. One of the most important (soft) skills in law school is maximizing time efficiency when studying. Closely related to this skill are a law student’s organizational and time-management skills. Law students who are not organized will probably be less efficient with the time they expend studying and preparing for class. Here are some tips to help law students get the most out of the precious time they have allotted to study.
*Specifically designate your tasks for each study session. Do not just plan on studying for a certain time frame, for example, from 5 to 10. Specify what task will be undertaken for each hour or other regular time intervals. Determine whether you will read during the first hour, brief cases during the second, work on an outline during the third, and so on. Set goals for each hour, even half-hour.
*If some issue or case is not clearly understood, move on to the next. If your goal is to brief three cases in two hours, you cannot spend 90 minutes working on one case. Set aside time to complete what you cannot finish.
*Use color coding when possible for briefs, outlines, or any note or written analysis. Highlighters may be used to color-code the different parts of a case (issue, rule, analysis, holding, etc.). Notes or outline may be color-coded to better distinguish legal rules, exceptions, and case examples from each other. Color coding is immensely valuable when covering a case in class for the first time or reading it a second time.
*Utilize every opportunity to interact with your professor to help narrow your focus. It is no secret that each subject of law has a vast amount of material. Any way to refine your focus on this material can help save much valuable time.
*Refresh each hour. Do not forget to take regular breaks to keep your mind fresh and alert. Getting enough rest is vital since you have to get up again tomorrow and repeat the entire process. For an entire semester. Burning out before the end of the semester is not an option, but it happens to more than a few law students.
The California Desert Trial Academy opened in September 2012, offering a unique approach to legal education in the 21st Century. Co-Founder and Dean John Patrick Dolan, a distinguished legal advocate in his own right, had the vision to go beyond what law schools had done for over 100 years. If you are looking for a practical approach to legal education, call us today at (760) 342-0900 or find out more online here.