Developing a Study Schedule

Why a Study Schedule? • Law school is very different than college – Law school is like a

JOB.

• Classes require more effort than your college classes.

• A study plan will help ensure you maintain a balance as you move through the semester.

Time….• As you may have already gathered from your first week or so,

how you spend your time in law school is absolutely critical.Your goal should be to become an EFFICIENT learner.

• Time is your most precious commodity in law school.

• If you read for an hour, be sure to take a 1-2 minute break every 15 minutes and a 5-10 minute break at the end of the hour.

• Do not read for more than three hours without taking a a MAJOR break.

Getting Started• Best way to begin to build your daily and weekly schedule is by

conducting a time audit

• A time audit is when you record all your activities and the amount of time they require for a given interval (one week is most common)

• Once you have audited your time, you will have a sense as to how you are using your time and where you can work more efficiently

Write It Down• For a schedule to be helpful, it must be written down

• Different ways of doing this – Outlook Calendar, Gmail Calendar, Daily Planner, etc.

• Most students use a web-based solution that syncs with your phone, but you should find the approach that works best for you

• Easier to use your time for studying if you have already indicated to yourself that it should be used for studying

What to Include?

• A good schedule does not simply account for your academic-related activities – It also includes meetings, activities, task, errands and anything else you may be doing in a given week

• The basic components of a schedule are as follows:

• Immoveable commitments• Relaxation/Activities/Regular Tasks• Reading• Review • Flex Blocks

Immoveable Commitments• Begin by blocking time for the things that are immovable

commitments that will not change day/time usually

Examples:ClassesScheduled group study timeFamily commitmentsReligious ServicesMeals Sleep

You should get to school at the same hour every morning and leave at the same hour every night.

Wellness Habits

Those activities that help you maintain balance are just as important as your coursework. These are the

• Keep in touch with loved ones• Get optimum amount of sleep• Eat well• Regular exercise• Keep any anxiety in check• Keep in touch with personal values/spiritual needs• Seek outside help you need to maintain these goals

Regular Tasks…• You also want to schedule tasks that you know must be done

so they do not become interruptions throughout your day/week.

Example:

ErrandsCleaningPhone CallsVoicemailEmail

Reading…• Do not read too far in advance. A good rule of thumb is that

you should not do your assignments more than two days before they are discussed in class.

Consider the following reading schedule:

Read Saturday for Monday’s ClassesRead Sunday for Tuesday’s ClassesRead Monday for Wednesday’s ClassesRead Tuesday for Thursday’s ClassesRead Wednesday for Friday’s Classes

• Remember, you should always read with a realistic time budget in mind.

About Your Time Budget…• Remember: You will become a more proficient reader as the

semester progresses.

• You should read for understanding NOT mastery, but also accept that you will not understand everything.

• What if you are having a hard time getting a handle on how much time?

Time yourself for each course while reading 5 or 10 pages. Then, determine the time you will need for

each assignment based upon that “trial” time. Re-time yourself as the semester progresses.

Flex Blocks• Flex time is time when you agree to study if you need to do so.

• This will allow you some cushion if you get behind or veer from your schedule. Remember, life does not stop simply because you are in law school.

• If you are caught up on everything, you can use this time as free time.

Changing Your Schedule• Do not be afraid to change your schedule if it is not working

for you.

• How do you make this change in an informed way?

Keep track of what you are doing every day. This should include everything. Once you have this list, review it. If

you think it suggests you make a change, do not be afraid to make change your schedule.

To perform this sort of time audit, you should use the form you received earlier so that you can log your time and activities in an organized fashion.

Assignments and Exams• You should mark all deadline for assignments and papers.

Once you know your final exam dates, makes sure to write them down.

• Consider setting an artificial deadline for these assignments.

• Estimate the amount of time you will need to complete each assignment/prepare for exam.

• Work backwards from due date/exam date to determine how you should allocate your time in order to do your best work.

Study Schedule Example #1

Study Plan Example #3

Study Schedule #4

Study Schedule Example #2

Study Plan Example #2a

Other Options…• Can create a “To-Do” list

If you choose this option, should be ordered from “Most Important” to “Least Important”

Should include the same basic information we have included here

Prioritization is key. Be honest with yourself.

• You could also simply set aside “chunks” of time each day that are to be used for studying and determine how you wish to use that time.

To Do List Example Basic Weekly Study Schedule:

Monday: Constitutional Law: pages 38 – 52Non Profits: pages 2 – 27

Tuesday: Employment Law: Smith ArticleConstitutional Law: 52 – 79American History Seminar: Jones Article

Wednesday: Environmental Law: 62 – 88

Constitutional Law: 317 – 334

Thursday: Environmental Law: 62 – 88Moot Court Meeting @ 6 in Moot Court room

Friday: Law Ambassador PM Tour

Additional/To Do This Week:LaundryApply to AAUWRent CheckGrocery Run

Summary…• You need to organize your weeks and months in some fashion.

• Your organization should reflect not only your class requirements and reading assignments but also regular review.

• Your schedule should also include errands, wellness activities and other obligations on your schedule.

• May want to consider building in some flex time so that you have a buffer in your study schedule in the event you become sick or sidetracked.

Academic Success Workshops• September 17: Synthesizing Course Materials – Developing a

Game Plan for the Semester• September 24: Rule Based Reasoning, Part 1• October 1: Rule Based Reasoning, Part 2• October 8: (Open Topic)• October 15: Reasoning by Analogy, Part 1• October 22: Reasoning by Analogy, Part 2• October 29: Reviewing Midterms and Writing Assignments to

Improve Performance• November 6: To Make an Outline, Flowchart, Flashcards, or

Decision Tree – Pulling it Together for the Final Stretch• November 13: Practicing for Exams – Student Panel• November 20: Faculty Exam Tips Panel

Academic Success Workshops

• Anything with which you are particularly struggling?

• What topics would you like Professor Natkin to cover?

• Please write any thoughts/ideas you have on your index card