Summary: These eight steps can help you prepare for law schools so that you will be ready and not immediately finding yourself behind.
Law school is an intense three years. With such a rigorous program, there won’t be a lot of time or energy to put into other things. Law school students should be doing all they can to prepare before school starts. Get all your affairs in order by following these eight steps, six of which are provided by the National Jurist.
- Housing
Finding a place to live while in law school needs to happen immediately. Most law schools are located in major cities where there may be a lot of housing options, but not always ones a law student would want to be in. Find a safe, quiet place so you can get a good night’s rest each night. Also, give yourself enough time to drive back and forth to each class.
- Transportation
Consider how you will travel to school each day. Is public transportation a reliable option? You need to be able to get back and forth from school safely and reliably. If your car seems to have problems then make sure you have a backup plan so that you don’t end up missing class. If you opt to live farther away from campus so that public transportation is not a timely option, you may need to consider doing whatever necessary to purchase a reliable car.
- Money
Law school is expensive and you will find that having a job while attending classes full-time is nearly impossible. Ensure you have adequate funds not only for the necessary school expenses but for food, medical, clothing, and other bills. Sometimes loans are not enough, so look into other resources like scholarships. Some schools have programs on campus that provide food for students, much like a food pantry.
- Personal Relationships
You won’t have the time or energy in law school to deal with drama. All your time will be put into classwork so if you are in a relationship, your partner needs to fully understand this fact. If the relationship is not serious or already wavering, ending before law school starts may be to your benefit.
- Physical Health
Keeping your body healthy is important so that you don’t fall behind in school. Getting sick really is not an option. Take the proper steps and precautions to keep your body healthy like eating healthy food, sleeping a minimum of 6 hours a night, exercising, and more. Exercise is a great stress-reliever, which is something that you will need as the stress from school builds up.
- Mental Health
Law school is a stressful time. Sort out yourself before preparing to go to law school. You must be prepared mentally for the rigors of law school and a career as a lawyer. If this means meeting with a doctor to get a prescription or with a counselor to talk through issues.
- Grades
You know there will be a lot of studying required of you during law school. You can prepare now by learning good studying techniques, getting familiar with the law school library, and asking those in law school and recent graduates for any tips on things that helped them get through school.
- Reading
There is a lot of reading required of you in law school. If you struggle with reading for long periods of time, you should start preparing now by building up your reading stamina. Read some textbooks or scholarly articles during the summer so that come fall, you won’t be so overwhelmed with all of the reading.
Is there any step that you feel is more important? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
To learn more about preparing for law school, read these articles:
- Law School Admissions Officers Survey Tells Prospective Students How To Prepare
- Work Experience Does Matter for Law School Applications
- Do Law School Curriculums Teach Students All They Need to Know?
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