Applying to law school can be a busy and stressful process. So, after you decide which school you will attend, you might want to just forget about law school until classes begin. But although you should take some time to relax, it’s worth considering what you can do now to make your first semester of law school less stressful.
A common strategy to help students ease into law school is enrolling in a law school prep program. These programs are offered by an array of companies in the law school space and can help you prepare for your first year of studies.
You might be wondering whether law school prep programs are right for you. Much of it will depend on your individual circumstances. In this blog post, we at Stratus share what you need to know about law school prep programs so you can decide whether they are right for you.
What do law school prep programs entail?
Many other law school–related preparation programs, such as LSAT prep programs and bar prep programs, are relatively standardized because they are preparing you for a specific test. Since the first year of law school typically encompasses four to eight exams, and courses vary across all schools, law school prep programs differ in terms of their offerings. But overall, a law school prep program will cover a few key things:
- Overview of first-year courses: You should ensure that the law school prep program you select covers all or most of your required first-year courses. Just about all law schools require courses in contracts, tort law, and civil procedure, and most require courses in constitutional law, criminal law, and property law as well. And although some law schools require more niche classes on such topics as jurisprudence or legislation and regulation, it probably is not worth looking for a prep program that covers courses like those because they are typically too specialized to warrant such a program. A law school prep program will not prepare you to get an “A” on day one, but it will give you a solid base of information that you can use as a springboard to master the more advanced topics in the class.
- Reading cases and writing briefs: The program should also cover how to read a case and write a brief on it. Given how complicated cases can be for a new law student, learning this strategy in advance can help you be ready on day one to take useful notes and complete your coursework in a timely manner.
- Preparing for and taking exams: Finally, the program should provide strategies for studying for and taking exams. For most first-year courses, the entire grade is based on one exam, so it is important to have strong test-taking skills. Learning these skills now can help you be ready to study efficiently and comprehensively.
Where do I find law school prep programs?
As noted earlier, many companies in the law school space provide prep programs, as do some that offer LSAT and bar prep programs, such as BARBRI and Kaplan. In addition, some law school–focused blogs and podcasts also provide law school prep programs, such as Law School Toolbox.
What other factors do I need to consider?
Although law school prep programs offer many benefits, there are still several factors to consider when determining whether they are right for you:
- Cost: These programs can be expensive. You likely spent a lot of money on law school application fees and other costs associated with the application process. In addition, you might be taking out loans and/or paying a lot of money up front for law school. Therefore, the idea of incurring another expense might not seem appealing—and this is a reasonable concern. However, enrolling in a prep program is a way to protect your investment in law school, as it can help ensure you get the most out of your studies, and the cost of these programs is miniscule compared to that investment.
- Grades: Grades—especially in the first year—are extremely important to your employment prospects. They determine whether you can transfer, where you do your summer internships, and often what post-graduate prospects you’ll have, such as clerkships, fellowships, and big law jobs. Therefore, investing in a law school prep program can help ensure that you’ll earn grades that will enable you to pursue your dreams and increase your earning potential.
- Time: Although many of these programs work around your schedule, they can still entail as many as 40 hours of content. You might be unable to invest that amount of time because you are finishing up a degree, are busy at your job, or are in the middle of moving to a new city. Also, if you try to do too much during the summer before law school, you risk burning yourself out before you even begin. Therefore, ensure that you have the time to invest in a law school prep program to realize its full benefit.
Are there other alternatives?
If you cannot enroll in a law school prep program but you still want to prepare for law school, you have some options:
- Bar prep programs: Some bar prep companies, such as BARBRI and Themis, provide free study guides and videos for first-year law school courses. These companies hope you will sign up and like their products enough to purchase their full offerings when you are preparing to take the bar exam. Additionally, some companies, such as Critical Pass, offer supplemental materials like flash cards to help law students prepare for the bar. These materials are typically cheaper than bar prep programs, and they can give you a solid foundation for the first-year curriculum.
- Books: Just about any first-year course textbook will have a supplemental book available to purchase. You could purchase some of these books the summer before you start law school and then ease into the material. There are also books that help you prepare for law school, such as Getting to Maybe and The Legal Analyst. These books are usually the length of a novel and cover how to study, take notes, and navigate law school courses in general.
As long as you don’t exhaust yourself, it doesn’t hurt to do a little prep work for law school during the summer before classes begin. Whether you prepare using a formal program or other resources should depend on what makes sense for you.