Rating:  Summary: Good for a broad overview Review: This is a great book for you to read to get a broad overview of the next three years. It has some great sections about what taking on debt of over $100,000 really means, some good tips for the job hunt and how to weigh offers from different firms. My one big complaint with this book is that it is heavily biased towards the East Coast. Every mentor is connected with the East in some way - even the ones that went to Vanderbilt and Miami. It would have been great to get the perspectives of people attending the West Coast schools - UCLA, USC, Boalt and schools like Illinois, Texas, etc. I would have also liked to see more perspectives from people who didn't attend Ivy League schools and the like for undergrad. Finally, I would caution prospective students against thinking that the list of national schools ends with Georgetown. The author doesn't give enough consideration to the fact that a school's reputation in one area of the country may outweigh a traditional top 10 school (i.e. - an LA firm may be more likely to hire an UCLA grad than a Cornell grad, even though Cornell is ranked higher) and that some schools, like Vanderbilt, consistently place graduates all over the country, even though it is not part of the top 10. He does mention that you need to perform "respectably" at these schools to "do anything you want to do", but I would urge students to remember that the bottom of the class at even the truly elite schools often have problems finding employment. I believe the author was in school while the legal economy was booming, which makes a difference. Overall, one of the best books to read for an overview of law school, and if the author ever does a second edition, I hope to see a broader panel of mentors!
Rating:  Summary: Want to get ahead in law school, get this book.. Review: I read this book before the summer I started law school, which I recommend,and not waiting until classes have already started. It gave me great in-depth advice about how master law school, such as taking good "law school" notes, setting up my outlines, techniques on case briefing and other ways to begin your legal education with a positive outlook on a very hard first year. Other factors that I thought were helpful were the commericial outlines and hornbooks that are recommended, which are almost needed in every law class. There are so many commericial study aids to buy and can be confusing to many students since it's hard to know which study aids are the best. Law School Confidential has done that for you, telling you which ones have been recommended over the years by lots of students, which takes another load off your "things to do list" when you get into law school. Good luck
Rating:  Summary: Book deserves more!! Review: I had to write a review for Law School Confidential, because in my opinion, it is unquestionably the best overall book on the law school experience available today. I notice that some people are knocking this book because it spends too much time teaching you "how to play the game", and not enough time on purely "academic" discussions. Wasn't that the point of this book? The fact is, law school is, in large part, a game -- except no one tells you what the rules are. That is, until this book came along. It is clear that Mr. Miller (the author) and the contributing students have a healthy respect for the intellectual part of law school and succeeded at it. That's why the author and many of the contributors made Law Review and earned prestigious federal clerkships. That is not the focus of this book, though, because as Mr. Miller says himself "That's why you go to law school." What this book does so admirably and so much better than the rest is teach you all about the experience -- from applying and choosing a school, to surviving all aspects of the first year, to getting a job, earning a clerkship, and making the most of the law school experience -- so you'll be ready to deal with these challenges efficiently and successfully as they arise.Law School Confidential is a wonderful resource for anyone thinking about law school.
Rating:  Summary: Nice broad overview...not too much substance Review: First I have to say I have not yet been to law school so my comments must be taken with that in mind. By saying that, I have no basis to make absolute comments about the tips noted in the book, however, I can compare the book with others I have read. It seems that Mr. Miller and his fellow writers have attempted to fit the entire law school process in one book. This is not easy to do. I felt that coverage of specific classes, briefing cases, and exams were left behind. They do not go in depth into these areas. However, if you are looking for a book that will describe the general atmosphere, notetaking, the job search, and the admissions criteria, this book does a more than adequate job of hitting these points. I was especially fond of the processes to attain associateships. I do not know if these tactics will work, but he went more in depth on these subjects than any other author. He also does a good job of scaring the reader into taking law school seriously. maybe some do not like the war analogy. I , however, would rather be over-prepared than under-prepared and this book kind of helped me to think of law school as different than undergrad. In many ways, this was the kind of push I needed. In conclusion, if you want a book with substantive resources about classes and outlining, I would recommend to keep looking. If you want an easy to read book that will give a broad overview of the entire law school experience, then this book is for you.
Rating:  Summary: Helpful Guide to Law School Review: I would recommend this book for anyone who is considering law school. I am still an undergraduate student who is considering law school, and the book really makes you think about why you want to go. Don't apply to law school just because its your backup plan. Most people who do this are the miserable ones. The book itself contained a lot of helpful information, and it takes you from the application process through all three years of law school. The best section in my opinion was the interview with the admissions dean from UPenn. She does not give the same trite answers that you usually hear from admissions people. Its a great interview, and I had hoped that he would even interview an admissions dean from a lower ranked law school just to see the differences in their admissions policies. The only thing about this book that was hard to get through was the stress inducing tone. However, I think this may be a good thing because it will force students to go into law school with a serious outlook, and thereby allow them avoid the pitfall of taking law school too lightly. A great read for anyone considering law school.
Rating:  Summary: One of the better books available Review: This is one of the better books out there on success in law school. I would say Deaver's book is better to start but this one is more candid, practical, and comprehensive. In particular, three sections are uniquely helpful: First, an extensive and enlightening interview with the dean of admissions of a top-ranked law school provides insight on the admissions process and how to make an application stand out from the crowd. Second, the exam preparation and study strategies are practical yet flexible and creative, with advice on how to integrate the details of each class and see the big picture for the test. Third, this book contains a large section with strategies for damage control if you should fall behind. These are just my favorite sections; the rest of the book is excellent too. I really liked the anecdotes and advice from the panel of recent graduates. My only complaint: the author recommended studying "black letter law" several times without ever telling the reader what that is.
Rating:  Summary: So you wanna go to law school... Review: Being the neurotic and anal person that I am, I have perused several pre-law books during this summer prior to my first year of the dreaded (da da da) law school. This book is by far the best I have encountered. Not only will it be useful for the educational aspect, it also will be helpful while finding a job. The best part about this book is that it really prepares you for the demanding classes one will encounter in law school. I plan to at least try the study-every-single-day plan (we'll see how far I go with that!). But at least I have a basic framework within which I can make a study plan. I also enjoyed the little tidbits from the various students, which helped me to realize that everyone has a really unique experience in law school. [...]
Rating:  Summary: This Book is for the Young Kids Review: I read this book, and I think it is helpful, but only for a certain kind of student. I am a working professional going to law school at night, and I clearly saw that this book is geared towards day students who are attending law school straight out of college. If that describes you, then give it a read. If not, you're wasting your time and money with this book.
Rating:  Summary: Outstanding Pre-1L Read Review: This was one of two books I've read in anticipation of starting law school this fall. I've been looking at some others, but I'm convinced that I won't find a better guide than Miller out there. Some who've been through law school take the attitute that "you either have it or you don't" towards success in school. This book debunks that theory. It gave me a workable plan for success, both in class and out. Don't discount the importance of a good bed and an 'office' to study. His study plan of briefing in the casebook, using the outlines and hornbooks, quite frankly all the tools at your disposal, makes sense, especially from a time efficiency point of view. Time is your most valuable asset. It doesn't pull punches about the pressures of law school, but it's not alarmist, either. Miller spends time discussing what's important. There's little nobility in doing things the hard way just for the sake of having done it the hard way. Remember your goal, and ignore this book to your own detriment.
Rating:  Summary: A Very Useful Resource. Review: I will be enrolled in Law School in the Fall of 2001 and I feel prepared because of this book. The book is well-written and covers the entire Law School process, from LSAT and admissions to finding a job at graduation. The author balances his warning about the difficulty of law school with a tone of admiration of the law and the nobility of a career in law. Read this book, but also get "Planet Law School" by Atticus Falcon.
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