Conquering Law School in One Easy Lesson.

Posted By Cliff Tuttle | March 22, 2009

Posted by Cliff Tuttle

“If only I knew then what I know now!”

A common lament. Yet, so true. That includes law school, an experience intended to transform the student’s mind into one that “thinks like a lawyer.” Early in law school, we are told that we will not be taught answers or even solutions. We will be taught how to analyze, but not like Aristotle. In order to reach this ephemeral goal of “thinking like”, the Socratic method will be employed, but not like Plato.

If this sounds like a lot of Greek, you now have an idea of the state of mind of the typical student commencing law school. But, not to worry. For around $1,000 and a week, Law Preview will bring professors from top law schools to tell you enough of what you’ll know then to increase your grades significantly. Law Preview says the median class rank of its alumni is 20.7%, while, of course, the median of all law students is by definition 50%. As Law Preview’s ad patiently explains, class rank, especially in the first year, is the prime determiner of what kind of first job you will be offered, which in turn influences your entire career. QED.

Skeptics might observe that similar claims were once made by prep classes for the Law School Aptitude Test and the Bar Exam. In time, whatever edge bar review classes might have given was erased with near universal enrollment. Where does that leave the decision to take Law Preview? It means that you had better take the damn course to stay even with everybody else. Then again, who’s to say that the students who go to class with Law Preview aren’t the same group who will work harder and longer than everybody else anyway — the super-motivated.

Old timers who went to school before Law Preview are left to muse: could it have been that easy? Could we, in the words of Law Preview, have “conquered law school” with one more week of focused preparation?

Those of us who didn’t rank in the top 20.7% will never know.

CLT

Welcome

CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

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