This is the time of year when admitted students are vising law schools all over the country, including our very own GW. You get all of the shiny brochures in the mail from the school showing pictures of smiling students in the library, fun events, blah blah blah. That’s all well and good, but if you want to perspective of a few students without the filter of the Admissions Office, check out below. If any of you have more questions, please put them in the comments and we’ll be happy to answer them.
–Navah Spero, Treyer Mason-Gale, Katie Earnest, and Sai Jahann
Q. Is law school fun at all or is a bunch of drags in suits who are boring?
NS: Law school is very fun! GW’s Student Bar Association works really hard to make 1Ls feel comfortable during orientation and encourage people to meet each other. I thought they did a great job, as I felt a pretty instant sense of comradery with other 1Ls and had an easy time meeting people and making friends. People at GW are laid back and like to have fun, and lets be honest, get drunk. The first month of law school was sort of like being in college again, and it was a ton of fun. After that, people continued to be social at a more moderate pace and the types of activities we do have expanded now that we all know each other better (e.g. dinner parties, bowling, brunch). Gw definitely fosters a fun community that is about more than just studying.
Q: Do you like GW? Seriously? Be honest. Are you happy?
TMG: I really like it here and this is coming from a guy that misses the good weather and great food of the West. The professors are generally considered top of their field, the administration is very open and approachable (I had a sit down with Dean Lawrence just to introduce myself and tell him my thoughts on the school), and the opportunities within the District (both professionally and socially) are innumerable. One of the most important things to me is that I feel like the students are in competition with themselves, not with each other which makes for a more enjoyable atmosphere.
SJ: I love GW. I deferred for a year after being admitted to be sure that I wanted to make such a big investment in being a lawyer, and I haven’t regretted it one bit. The environment here is very laid-back and collegial, and although everyone (at least everyone I know) works really hard and takes school seriously, we manage to do that without taking ourselves too seriously. Even with the curve, people are really good about helping each other and studying together, and (echoing Navah) I think we’d help each other more if we weren’t restrained by the academic integrity code. Law school is hard no matter where you go, but when you are around people you like, studying for finals for hours on end becomes a lot less painful.
Q. How are the teachers?
NS: In general I’ve found the teachers to be very good. There are occasionaly duds in the pack, but on the whole, I have found most teachers to be engaging and good at conveying the material in a way that I can understand. Unlike in college, where there were a few nodding-off professors, I find the professors here have more energy and passion about what they teach. In addition, most teachers are readily available outside of class by email or during office hours.
Q. How bad is the Socratic method?
NS: It really depends on the teacher. Sometimes, it’s not bad at all, and you know when you’ll be called on. Other times you get called on at most twice during the whole semester and the experience is fine as long as you’ve done the reading. There are some professors who occasionally are just mean. They go beyond what’s necessary to teach and simply drive a student into the ground. Sometimes it happens because someone is unprepared, but usually it is because the professor wants to drive in a point, and that student is simply unlucky. On the whole, if you’re prepared, the Socratic method is nothing to fear.
Q. How do you feel about the competitiveness at GW? Do people help each other?
NS: GW is full of smart students which obviously creates a basic level of competitiveness. That being said, I find that students help each other a lot. No one is shy about sharing notes or helping someone figure out difficult concepts. People have shared case briefs with me when I’m unprepared for class or miss class for whatever reason, and people use gchat to help each other in class when its necessary. In general, I think most students would help each other more, but are restrained by Academic Integrity rules when it comes to writing assignments. GW is not like places where you hear about students hiding books or engaging in other gross competitive behavior. Some professors also discourage grade chasing and remind students that they’re here to learn about the law. In general, I find that the atmosphere encourages learning and collaboration.
Q: I got admitted to GW and a school ranked 50-75. The other school gave me a scholarship; GW didnt. What should I do?
TMG: Assuming the GW is gonna give you enough financial aid to cover tuition and cost of living, I’d choose GW. Obviously you have to weigh the cost of paying more, but unless you’re gonna be in the top 10% of that lesser ranked school, you’ll get a better job just because of the brand name. Also consider what specialized area you want to go into…if it’s one of the areas GW is known for (such as int’l law or IP law) and it’s more well regarded than your alternate school, I’d definitely choose GW.
Q: What can I do to prepare for the first semester?
TMG: Law school is a full time job. And not one of those jobs where you can disappear in the back room for a few hours a day and still come out looking like an excellent worker. I’ve found that if I treat the hours between 9am and 5pm as work time (and don’t surf the web or otherwise screw around and procrastinate) that I have more free time both in the evenings and on the weekends. That said, there will be times where you’ll have to work from 9am to 9pm straight or have to work on the weekends, but really its about maximizing time and work. Most important tip: Dont take out your laptop between classes, it’s too tempting to get distracted. Just do the readings for the week. So I guess the best way to prepare is to learn how not to procrastinate.
Q: How much work do you really do every day? Is it as hard as they say?
TMG: It’s likely more work than you’ve done in the past, but it’s manageable. Generally, you’ll have to work 8 hour days but be prepared for some times when you’ll have to put in more than that, especially around finals. Everyone studies differently, some slower than others, so it’s really a personal thing. Just know that you’re not the only one feeling overwhelmed and that we all got through it, so can you. Just ask for help if you want advice, I’ve found that students and faculty here are pretty helpful so why not take advantage of all the resources afforded to you.
Q: Looking back on 1L year, what would you have done differently?
KE: In terms of academics, I would have focused more on what makes me a successful student instead of trying to conform to someone else’s idea of the perfect student. You’re going to have people left and right telling you what to do – brief/forget briefs, get a study group/hole up alone, study in the library/don’t study in the library, outline early/get a canned outline – and it can be confusing to sort out all the conflicting counsel. The best advice I could give is to know yourself and how you study best and do exactly that – it will be hard, but don’t let anyone tell you that you HAVE to do anything when it comes to academics.
SJ: I totally agree with Katie. There are a lot of voices screaming about what you should do during your first year, and it’s hard to sort through all of that to figure out what you actually want to do. If I could do anything differently, I would have made it my first priority to keep up with my reading in ALL my classes (not just three of them!). It’s a lot harder to catch up at the end of the year when finals bear down on you, and having everything read and briefed ahead of time really really helps.
Q: I hear housing in Foggy Bottom is expensive – should I try to live near school or just find any old apartment?
KE: It depends on your needs as a student, but I know of a lot of people who made an effort to live close to school, at least during 1L year. You’re just getting your bearings as a law student and it is VERY smart to minimize any potential sources of stress, including commuting. Plus, it is easier to get involved in the GW community when you’re closer to school.
SJ: I live outside of Foggy Bottom, near Logan Circle and the U-street strip, and I live with two other girls who are not law students. I have to say, I love it. It’s great live in a real house in a neighborhood with lots of food options, and because I live right on the Metro I can get to school in 30 minutes (or even walk). The district is really pretty small, so don’t be afraid to look outside the Foggy Bottom/Dupont area for housing, especially if you are looking to get more for your money, because Foggy Bottom is VERY expensive.
Q: Okay, forget all the feel-good, “we love each other” BS – what are the students REALLY like?
KE: No matter what school you go to, you’re going to have a range of characters in class – it’s the nature of law school, it attracts a certain type of person (driven, opinionated, slightly Type-A). Sure, there are gunners who would LOVE to see you do the proverbial academic face-plant – but the students at GW Law tend to be inclusive, welcoming, and friendly to each other. Very competitive to be sure, but more desirous to achieve their personal best rather than any form of one-upmanship. Class clowns, politicos, loners, vegans, corporate, we have all types – and no doubt you’ll find your niche.
Kaitie, Sai, Navah, Treyer —
Your checks are in the mail.
-Prof. Kerr
A note on finding housing…
Start early and look for a good deal. When you find a good deal pounce. The hard part is figuring out what a ‘good deal’ is. Talk to people, find out what the average person pays in the areas you want to live in and shoot for lower. There are good deals out there.
The best deals usually have a lot of applicants. Make sure you let the person know you really love the place and that you will be able to make rent every month (if it is for rent by owner).
My GF and I ended up finding a nice 1B on the 4th floor right in Dupont Circle (where 20th, Conn & R street meet), for around $1500 which is much lower than the market value of the area.
A note on procrastination….
…when working on your memo, don’t post comments in this blog…