College and University Blog

Law school generally requires 3 years of full-time study. Part-time study, when available, usually takes 4 years. The Juris Doctorate (JD) will be awarded upon completion of the academic requirements. While most law schools share a common approach to educating their students, opportunities may differ between schools. Law school can be an intense, competitive environment. Students have little time for outside interests. Most schools encourage their students to become totally immersed in reading, discussing, and thinking about the law.

The first year of law school can be exciting and anxiety-provoking. You must be prepared in class. In many courses, grades are determined by exams at the end of the semester or end of the year. You may receive little feedback until the final exam. However uninformed, unprepared, or puzzled you may be, you will be expected to participate in class.

After the first year, you will probably have the opportunity to select from a broad range of courses. Generally, you will take courses in administrative law, civil litigation, commercial law, corporations, evidence, family law, professional responsibility, taxation, and wills and trusts before completing your degree. These universal courses are basic to legal education. Every law school supplements their basic curriculum with additional courses, such as international law, environmental law, conflict of laws, labor law, criminal procedure, and jurisprudence.

Professional skills classes allow second- and third-year students to render counseling, undertake legislative drafting, participate in court trials and appeals, and do other legal work for academic credit. Schools differ in the range and variety of practical education they offer, but the benefits of integrating this experience with theoretical study are well established.

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a standardized test required for admission to most U.S. and Canadian law schools. The LSAT is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in law school: the reading and comprehension of complex texts with accuracy and insight; the organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it; the ability to think critically; and the analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others.

• Test Format

The test consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions. Four of the five sections contribute to the test taker

Posted on 20 Jan