It is the time of the year when 1Ls are anxious as they face their second set of finals, 2Ls are overwhelmed with the rigors of the 2L workload and the pressure to line up a job for the summer, and 3Ls are feeling antsy to graduate and anxious about the approaching bar exam. Whether you are working with 1Ls, 2Ls, or 3Ls, academic advising can help students feel empowered instead of crazed. What exactly is academic advising? Academic advising helps students understand educational options and opportunities that are available to them, and shows them how to develop a plan that will help them achieve their educational and career goals.
When I meet with students for academic advising, I first ask them a series of questions. These questions help me to understand who they are as a learner, as well as, get a sense of their future career goals. Here are a few questions to help guide your conversations regarding academic advising and course planning.
1Ls
- In your first year, which class was your favorite? Why? Did you like the style of teaching, the content of the material, or the classroom dynamic?
- Which class was your least favorite? Why? Did you dislike the style of teaching, the content of the material, or the classroom dynamic?
- Why did you want to go to law school? Have your goals shifted since beginning law school?
- Which classes that are being offered next year seem most interesting to you?
- Where do you plan to take the bar exam?
- How did you perform on your final exams? In legal writing? Have you determined ways to improve your future performance?
- Consider the sequencing of courses and prerequisites if applicable.
- Also, consider how often certain courses are offered. For example, some courses are only offered in the fall, while others are offered every other year. If certain courses are a priority for you, incorporate this into your plan.
2Ls
- How did your upper level classes compare to your first year coursework?
- Do you feel more engaged with the material in your current courses? Why or why not?
- Do you still have requirements to fulfill? Courses? Pro bono hours? Experiential credits? Writing credits?
- Have you taken Professional Responsibility? If yes, have you registered for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam? If not, when do you plan to take it?
- How many bar tested courses have you taken? Which ones do you plan to take before graduation?
- How can you plan for your bar study in advance even if you are not taking all of the bar tested subjects as a law student?
- Create a few alternate plans just in case certain courses are overenrolled, not offered, or conflict with your other choices.
3Ls
- Do you have any requirements that still need to be fulfilled before graduation? Courses? Pro bono hours? Experiential credits? Writing credits?
- Do you plan to work during your last year? How will you manage your course work and your job responsibilities?
- Are there particular areas of law the interest you? Take at least one class that is not required, but that interests you, you are curious about, or it just seems like fun.
- Are there common trends in your class or exam performance that can be remedied before graduation and bar study?
- Have you determined where you plan to take the bar exam? If yes, have you reviewed the bar application and calendared important dates and deadlines?
- Have you researched the available options and signed up for a commercial bar review course?
(LBY)
