Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Random Bits About Law School and the Law

Why is it that my two highest grades came in the two classes that I missed the most often? Conversely, my two lowest grades (except for LRW) came in the classes I missed the least. Does this say anything about the quality of the classroom experience at law school? Hard to say.

Also, I had two exams this year that contained significant multiple choice sections.First semester, the multiple was my lowest grade. Second semester, it was my highest grade.

There really seems to be very little pattern to law school grades, at least for me.

Can't forget this-- a friend told me a story of a classmate who had the Civ Pro rules written up and posted all over apartment in the days before finals. This is exactly the person I refuse to become. And maybe that explains why I am only in the top half of my class as opposed to the top third or whatever.

I seem to be running up against the same phenomenon as I always do- book smart versus native intelligence. This is not to say that there is not an overlap, and here at a top twenty school there is probably a lot of overlap. But the killer is when the same people you hear making the sort of comments that indicate a complete lack of understanding in class are the ones ranked above you, all because they are willing to live in the library for the last month or so of the semester (if not longer). Law school clearly amplifies neuroses.

But what becomes especially galling is that having been in the "real world" I have seen these types fizzle once they were forced to think on their feet. Yet the legal community is so driven by grades these are the same people who will land at big firms with big paychecks. More and more, though, given law's very conservative, almost static atmosphere, I wonder if this is not exactly what the legal community wants. Is there really a place in the law for creative, bold thinkers?

My transfer applications are almost all done. I am still deciding between Northwestern and Fordham for my final school.

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