Customer Reviews

Law School For Dummies

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I just finished my 1L semester, and my grades are starting to trickle in. So far, not so good. But I'm vowing to do better next semester, and I felt this book was very helpful in helping me see what exactly my mistakes were this semester. I bought this book a few days ago, on the recommendation of some 1Ls in my class, because unlike some of these other reviewers, my school's professors do not take the time to explain how to succeed in law school or how to study. Nor am I very friendly with any 2 or 3Ls who could provide me with this information. The reason I picked up this book is because I wanted a thorough and well-spelled out discussion of what exactly law school is all about, since I didn't do much reading on the topic before I started school in the fall. I've read other Dummies books, and felt this one was overall better organized and more thorough than those I've read in the past. I'm making up for lost time now on my winter break by learning more about how to be a better 1L, and I was very satisfied and pleased with this book. I strongly feel I'll be a better student because of it.

I recommend this book highly because I got a great overview of what I need to do better next semester in order to boost my law school GPA (which right now is hovering close to a 2.7). The chapter on "Making the Most of Your Study Time" helped me realize what really should go in an outline and what should not--after reading this chapter I realized I went about my outline all wrong--again, because no one really took the time to sit down with me and explain it all. And the chapter on "Thinking and Talking Like a Lawyer" summed up into words what I couldn't quite put my finger on about law school over the past three and a half months: what exactly the new method of thinking that you're supposed to learn in law school is all about. Up until this book helped elucidate this concept for me, I realized that I really wasn't "getting" what I was supposed to out of the Socratic Method. Now I feel a little more clued in.

This book was full of good tips, such as making me realize that in order to be competitive for summer clerkships, you need to get your cover letters in to the largest and most competitive firms by Christmastime. If it weren't for this book, I wouldn't have known that, because my career services office really doesn't do a good job of letting students know important facts like this. I also appreciated the chapter on "landing your perfect summer job" because it explained what exactly the monetary and prestige differences, among others, are between the large firms and small firms. Perhaps most of all, this book made me feel appreciated. More specifically, I liked the way this book, unlike others I've read, didn't try to sell you on the large firm as the only option for your summer job (or career.) Similarly, this book also did a great job of not trying to sell you on the idea that the law review is a make-or-break-your-legal-career move. See the "Getting Involved in Law School" chapter for reassurance that it's perfectly okay not to end up making the law review, or even wanting to, because there are other valuable EC's out there. I also learned from this chapter that it can be more important to find EC's that are a good fit for your future career plans than to just blindly assume that the law review is the end-all-be-all. That's one aspect that really annoyed me about other law school guidebooks I read--the subtle or not-so-subtle theme that you must be in the top 10% of your class, on law review, and a summer associate at a big-name firm to "make it" as a lawyer. I appreciated the fact that Greene's book didn't make these assumptions, and liked the way non-traditional uses of the J.D. were thoroughly explored (see the Considering Alternative Legal Careers chapter) unlike other books, which just gives a nod to this equally valid way of using your J.D.

As per the Dummies tradition, this book spells things out for you, and many intelligent and hard-working students, like myself, need that. My recommendation for other law students is to read this book to get a good overview of law school and to help you better find your place when you're lost. I think other law school guidebooks can also valuable, but if you're looking for a more user-friendly guide, and one that has a more liberal tone than the other much more conservative law school books I've read, then look to this book to once and for all finally understand what law school is all about and your place in it.

You'd probably think that the last person you'd find reading a book called "Law School for Dummies" would be an actual law professor. I saw this book at the bookstore while looking for a law school guidebook for my pre-law niece and was immediately intrigued. I bought it, read the whole thing in a week, and have to say that it earns my seal of approval (then I passed it along to my niece). Everything Greene says in this book is 100% on target. I think the fact that this book is written by a recent law graduate makes it the most valuable. All the info is fresh and up-to-date, and it's written in a way that current law students will really identify with. I appreciated how Greene honestly and candidly discussed topics such as finding summer jobs and doing extracurriculars (like the law review), and went into detail about the pros and cons of each. I'd recommend this book to any law student who comes into my office--in fact, I already have several times this week.

I'm a 1L, and I read this book (I just finished it, in fact) to get a better perspective of what law school is all about. I was recommended this book through my pre-law club back in undergrad, specifically because it seems to be the only book out there that shares the minority perspective. I flipped through some other law school books, and even read a few others, but I found that this one was the only one (surprisingly so) that had advice for minority students. I was surprised that so many of the other books out there seem to overlook us--especially since most law school classes are around 20% minority.

Besides the fact that I felt "included" in this book, I also recommend it because it really helped explain the whole job search process in a very understandable way. How to find a law school summer job is a confusing topic, and I feel like I'm ahead of the game because I understand what's involved--even though my first semester has only just gotten underway.

Loved the Batman producer/ non-traditional way to use your J.D. interview! Very inspiring for me, as I have planned all along to use my J.D. in a non-practicing law way.

One recommendation for the next edition would be a bit more info on what goes into outlines, like another commenter said. Since law profs don't seem to talk about this at all (at least at my law school) I think it's important to have what goes into these things spelled out for you. But I thought the discussion about preparing for classes, what's in an exam, and taking an exam, was really helpful.

Overall, I'd give this book 4.5 stars, but rounded to 5. I recommend this book especially for my fellow under-represented minority classmates out there.

Law School for Dummies is the six law school guidebook I've read so far in preparing to start my 1L career. And let me tell you it's by far the best. The chapter on "Thinking Like a Lawyer" was worth the price of the book alone. It really took an abstract concept--what "thinking like a lawyer" really means in law school--and boiled it down in a really understandable and memorable way. I also appreciated the helpful advice in the "Not a Moot Point: Getting Involved in Law School" chapter. Before I read this chapter I had been planning to just do every law school extracurricular I could but Greene helped me see that it's the quality of your involvement, not the quantity, that's important. Her discussion of law journals and exactly how much work they involve was eye-opening and very informative.

All in all--if you're only going to buy one law school guidebook--get this one. The subheadings make it very easy to find exactly what you're looking for.

Have you been dreaming about making it through law school but don't quite have a "handle" on how to play the game yet? This book will tell you everything you need to know. Realistic, down to earth, and extremely practical, this book is, in my humble opinion, spades better than pretty much all the other law school books you'll find out there. Written by someone who's recently been in law school (the author is a May, 2003 graduate--not a professor or a lawyer who is far removed from what the current generation of law students is like--), I found pretty much everything the author says to be totally on the mark. I'm a third year myself, and I picked up this book earlier in the year because I still felt like I didn't really have a good handle on how this whole law school thing works. It's not really something that's "spelled out for you" like it is in undergraduate school.

In law school, for instance, you're never really told things like how to really study for law school exams or what the essence of being a good lawyer is. You're never really told how to even find a lawyer yourself (if you ever need one) or why small firms and non-profits are great job options (beyond the huge firms that everyone seems to gravitate to.) I think these are things you just have to "figure out on your own" if you're lucky. Greene's book helps facilitate that process. I especially enjoyed learning little-known tidbits of information (good things to share at your weekend law school parties) such as when you can officially call yourself a "lawyer"--it's not at graduation from law school, as most people would tend to think. Check out the book to find out more.

Recommended!

This book was a good read. It will help calm your nerves before entering the first year of law school. Law 101 was also and excellent book. However, in retrospect, I would concentrate on learning about getting a job (resumes, interviewing, cover letters.) You will be expected start this right around finals time of your first semester. Most people were worried about their first finals and got a late start on this. It is easy to fall behind and once you are there it is difficult to catch up. Most people found that the job search was last on the priority list until after first year classes were over. You will be well ahead of the game if you are prepared for a job search. It will allow you to concentrate more on studying. While the first sumeer jobs aren't crucial they can provide good experience for landing second summer jobs. Also, reading about different law specialties is a good idea. You don't have to know what you want to do going into law school but the sooner you have a direction the better.

I'm starting law school in the fall as a 1L, so of course I've been reading everything I can on what to expect. Out of all the law school books I've read so far, this one is by far the best! Not only did it give a very realistic sense of what to expect as a law student, from the amount of studying to the job search process, but I really enjoyed the interviews with other law students and professors.

Also, I really liked the fact that it included non-traditional students so much in the discussion, because I'm 29 and starting law school after many years in the business world. The other books I read didn't include non-traditional students' perspectives at all, so be sure to check this book out if you're not a "straight-arrow" law student and want to be inspired!

I tend to agree with "PNC2007" on that this is a very generic book on law school admissions and survival. I'm not a law school student (yet) that's why I was looking for some information. Like many For Dummies books, the book tries to be humorous and claims to give you the "insider secrets," but there's really absolutely nothing "secret" about what the author dispenses in way of advice. Want to get into a good law school? She says you need a high LSAT score, a high GPA, a good essay, and good recommendations. Duh. Don't we already know this? I mean, if you didn't already know this, you really shouldn't be even thinking about attending law school. The author spends two or three chapters letting you in on some studying tips. You know what? These ain't tips; they just tell you to "do your homework; organize your studying schedules; study hard." Duh, again. If the message is that law school is really tough, you don't need a 350-page book peppered with bogus humor to learn that.

I really don't think anyone can benefit from this book, except the genuine high-strung types or the real "dummies." Even this law-education dummy finds the book for the most part useless.

It's only been a couple of weeks into my first year of law school, and everything Greene has written about in her book has been right on target. During the summer I read several books on this subject to get me ready for law school, but this Dummies version is definitely the best. It is honest, insightful, easy to read, and hits all the important topics -- how to study for tests, how to look for jobs, what the real "law firm" world is like, etc. I liked how Greene showed both sides of the issue, since there certainly are downsides to being a lawyer. A worthwhile purchase for all entering first-years.

It's almost as if Rebecca Greene JD, the author, doesn't want to give away HER special secret knowledge about law school, but, honey, isn't that what the Dummies people were paying you for?

For example, she provides an example of a 1st-year law school exam question, but no example of what an answer would look like. She discusses preparing outlines and provides 1 example but doesn't explain why the outline includes the materials it does. She mentions the super-condensed outline, like the "revision" that British students are so famous for, but no example of what this might look like.

Buy this book if you want a tantalizing peak at some of the things you'll experience in law school, but there must be better guides that will actually tell you how to succeed.