Bouncing Back From Less Than Stellar Law School Grades

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By now, most law students have gotten their grades back from last semester. I didn’t do too hot last semester. It wasn’t horrible, but I know I could have done better. If you’re like me, you want to do better this semester. So, how do we do it? Here’s a few things that I’ve done so I can bounce back from my less than stellar fall semester.

1. Visit your old professor
Make an appointment with your professor as soon as possible to go over your exam. The key to make these appointments successful is to go in without a chip on your shoulder. Go in with the attitude that you really want to know what you did wrong and how you can improve. I know several students who go in to try to argue with the professor. That’s not going to get you anywhere, so don’t waste your time.
Go in with specific questions. Did you miss issues? Was your analysis not thorough enough? Did you do better on the essay or multiple choice? Ask for suggestions on how you can improve.

2. Visit your new professors
After visiting last semester’s professors, make an appointment to see your new professors. Go in a few weeks after the semester has started to ask some questions you’ve come up with from their classes. The visits have another purpose other than getting answers to your questions. You also want to get as much information about how they give exams and what they’re looking for in an answer. Each professor is different. Some just want you to spot all the issues, while others want deep analysis with lots of policy arguments. Find out as soon as possible so you can start preparing for their exam.

3. Write down what went wrong last semester
Take a few minutes to sit down with pen and paper to write what you did wrong last semester. Start from the beginning of the semester and work your way to the day of the exam. Did you spend less time outlining? Did you not do enough practice exams? Were there any outside factors that could have affected your performance? Be as thorough and brutal as possible. If you don’t know what went wrong you won’t know how you can improve.

4. Make a plan for this semester
After you de-construct last semester, make a plan for this semester. If there were outside distractions that may have affected your exam performance, make plans to eliminate those distractions. If you didn’t have enough time review your outlines, plan to finish your outline earlier this semester.
Also take into consideration what each professor is looking for on their exam and plan accordingly. Are the tests closed book? Plan for more time to memorize your outline. Do they use lots of objective multiple choice questions? If multiple choice gives you hard time, then gather as many practice multiple questions as you can.

5. Forget last semester
After you’ve made your goals and plans for the upcoming semester, forget about last semester. There’s nothing you can do to change your grade and dwelling on it will only you hold you back this semester. Forget that past and focus on what you can do on the future.

What do you all do to bounce back from bad law school grades?

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8 Comments

1. adam on 29.01.2008 at 10:48 (Reply)

   I got less than promising grades last semester (luckily I plan on defending prostitutes and gamblers and they don’t seem to be concerned with first year grades). The first thing that I did was made an appointment with my dean of students to see what I could do. I was able to get my actual answers back for one of my classes (sans mark ups). For the other, the professor is putting together a review session and additional assistance for those that feel they need it (he is a good guy like that). The dean said that it was important to emphasize immediately when walking into office hours that you don’t want to change your grade, just want to learn how to improve for next semester.

2. Joe on 29.01.2008 at 12:23 (Reply)

   Based on last semester’s grades, I left school. There’s no point in continuing on with these marks on my record as it we deny me the opportunity for a partnership at a major firm. I have accepted a position with a real estate firm where I will make an adequate income in lieu of my dream career.

3. Shannon on 29.01.2008 at 13:00 (Reply)

   Thanks Brett. This was timely, as my grades just came out yesterday. It was my first term, and overall I came out okay. I pulled one A and was very pleased with that. Could have been better but could have been much, much worse. Good advice about how to move on from here. I kept thinking about the things I did wrong, but actually writing them out is a much better idea.

4. Brett McKay on 29.01.2008 at 20:30 (Reply)

   @ adam- that’s great you have a professor willing to take the time to do a review session with his students on the exam performance. I’m sure you’ll be able to get some excellent feedback from it. Good luck this semester!

   @ Joe- Tough break Joe. I guess sometimes you have to know when to call it quits. I’m sure you’ll make good money at the real estate firm.

   My only question is why did you want to be a partner at a big firm? Was it the money? If it’s the money, then there’s definitely easier ways to make money. Being a partner in today’s legal market means more work and responsibility. Was it the challenge of working high profile cases and getting trial time? I guess I could understand that. But you could get the same thing working for the federal government. A friend of mine was close to becoming a partner at a large firm in LA but took a job with the Federal government. He’s said the work there is amazing. Lots of the cases are intricate and intellectually challenging. Plus he’s in court all the time, which he likes. I guess what I’m trying to say is law school could have led to a rewarding career without being partner at a big firm.

   Anyway, I wish you the best with your new decision.

   @shannon- I used to try to think about what I did wrong, too. I found writing out what you did wrong puts it right in your face. You can’t ignore it. It’s objective. Good luck this semester. I’m sure you’ll do great.

5. Anon! on 31.01.2008 at 05:01 (Reply)

   Cut self, mostly. And will now follow your.

6. Anon! on 31.01.2008 at 05:02 (Reply)

   *follow your advice….. Whoops. Damn internet form thing. Now I have to start the cutting all over again.

7. Prosper Roundup — Superbowl Edition on 17.05.2008 at 09:55

   […] The Frugal Law Student offers how to Bounc[e] Back From Less Than Stellar Law School Grades […]

8. komodo dragon on 15.06.2008 at 07:33 (Reply)

   i love the picture of the very gloomy cat up there I also love how you are finding methods to recover …

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