Did you fail law school or do you want to know why some people fail?
Today I will discuss the four most common reasons people fail law school and what steps
they can take once they find out.
Hi, this is Professor Beau Baez.
Over the years some of my students have failed law school.
When they come talk to me, I provide them with some thoughts on what they can do based
on the reason they were dismissed from law school.
This conversation is always difficult and emotional because for some,
it’s the end of a dream.
Now, I’m not here to crush your dreams, so today I will provide you with some ideas on what
you can do to help you achieve your goals.
First, let’s talk about cognitive ability.
In the past twenty years, working with thousands of law students, I’ve had less than ten
law students with significant cognitive problems.
These students had problems retaining information—what brain science calls a retrieval problem.
To succeed in law school, we not only have to store information in our brains,
but we quickly have to retrieve that information.
As I was advising one student, I noticed that he would forget information that we had discussed
just a few minutes earlier.
Another student seemed to understand the material, but when he took the exam he was unable to
write down very much.
In his case, during a 90 minute essay exam he wrote a one page essay.
Most students produced close to ten pages during that same time frame.
If you find yourself in this category you should consult an educational psychologist
to see what can be done.
For some of you, extra time on an exam might help.
But for others, you might need to reconsider if law school is for you.
Second, some students fail law school because they enter law school without the right skills.
For example, some of my students are entering law school now
without ever having written an essay.
Not in high school or in college.
That’s a problem because law schools test students using essay exams.
Also, some students don’t understand how to properly take class notes or how to study.
If you are in this group, finding ways to improve your writing and study skills can
help if you want to reapply to law school.
Third, many law students are academically dismissed because they didn’t spend the
time and effort needed to succeed.
Law school is a fulltime job, requiring fifty, sixty, or more hours per week.
Unfortunately, the average college student spends less that twenty hours a week preparing
for classes, so they aren’t prepared for the increased workload.
One student, who failed after one semester, spent much of his time playing intramural
sports rather than preparing for class.
If you are in this category, you need to come up with a realistic plan for doing better.
Sometimes, getting a job for a couple of years
and then reapplying can help you the second time around.
Fourth, some law students are dismissed due to
extraordinary circumstances beyond their control.
This might include the loss of a parent,
or the student getting cancer during the semester.
By the way, I’m talking about real extraordinary circumstances, not excuses that some students
make when they fail.
In one case a student explained that he failed law school because he was having sexual
problems with his girlfriend due to his anxiety.
Now that may be true, but that's not what I am calling an extraordinary circumstance.
This group has the highest likelihood of success if they are admitted to law school again.
Regardless of why you were dismissed, you should stop and reflect, rather than fighting
to get right back in.
Ask yourself some questions.
Do I want to become a lawyer?
Why did I decide to apply to law school in the first place?
Is there something else I can do that will help me achieve my goals.
For example, maybe you went to law school because you wanted to help animals or
the environment.
You may find that you can achieve your goals without becoming a lawyer.
By reflecting on these issues you may find that there is a different path for you, or
that maybe going to law school is still the best path.
But the key is to stop and think before you jump back in.
Don’t just go to another law school because they accept you.
Spend a year thinking about this decision—law school is expensive and you don’t want to
be saddled with another year's worth of debt that's going to take you 30 years to pay off.
Over the years I’ve seen dismissed law students readmitted a year or two later.
Most of them failed the second time.
The highest success rate came from students with extraordinary circumstances.
The second highest success rate were those students
who weren’t motivated the first time
I recall one student who I had in Torts after he was readmitted to law school.
He worked hard the second time, he came to my office hours, he asked questions in class.
He went from failing law school two years earlier to getting an A in my class.
What changed was his willingness to actually do what was needed for success.
New videos every other Wednesday, so hit the subscribe and bell buttons so you can become
a better student and a better lawyer.