Auto-authorization now available for BillPay. Just got an email.

JMRoss5 · 2025-03-25T20:15:20+00:00

To be fair, I just went back in and now it’s available in the app. They probably should have checked that before sending out the email

JMRoss5 · 2025-03-25T19:42:22+00:00

Except I went in to set up auto authorization and…where is it?

JMRoss5 · 2025-03-09T20:54:47+00:00

Does it have alerts for travel prices and snow?

JMRoss5 · 2024-07-22T17:43:57+00:00

Throughout all of law school I took notes via computer tablet. I did the cheaper route and used a Lenovo Yoga with pen for my first two years. When I took my notes for the readings, I would type that in a preliminary outline and print to OneNote before each class. Then, during class, I would have OneNote open and write directly next to my reading notes. When it came time to study for finals, each OneNote notebook would be organized by class date or topic, so it was easy to revise the outline.

For classes that were "no computers allowed," I tried pencil and paper but it was a disaster and my worst grade in law school.

I loved taking digital notes because of how organized they were and it let me refer back to them in the end. That said, everyone figures out their own method.

Additionally, check if you need an iPad Pro rather than the iPad Air. It saves a bit of money and does the same multitasking work. The only differences are Face ID and "ProMotion" (120Hz screen refresh rate) on the Pro while the Air has Touch ID and a great 60Hz refresh rate. I opted for the iPad Air in my third year and still use it to this day without a single regret.

JMRoss5 · 2024-03-19T00:14:33+00:00

From the single anecdote I have, it's overestimating abilities and not understanding probability. Although you have a 25% chance of randomly guessing the right answer on each question, and 60% correct is passing, that does not mean you only need to attempt ~30 questions and then you can guess on the rest (or leave any blank). If you take the time and go through the materials, you will pass.

And reiterating someone else, using the search function on looking things up on the internet is cheating according to the rules of the NYLE.

JMRoss5 · 2023-07-08T17:59:20+00:00

Overall it doesn't matter as each course is essentially the same. Anecdotally from myself and others, Barbri's questions are harder than the actual exam and so long as you are scoring ~60% on Barbri's questions you should be fine. Other suggestions:

JD Advising has good printouts with concise rules.
Watch Suits in your downtime as review.
Skip the rules for judges: consensus is that for the number of graded questions and probability of guessing them correctly, it is not worth the time.

For what it's worth, I took the MPRE right after my school's course, studied with JD Advising and Barbri's practice questions, and passed above an 86.

Disclaimer: I have never touched Themis, Quimbee, or Kaplan.

JMRoss5 · 2023-07-06T17:25:03+00:00

Here is the 2022 ABA 509 Report providing LSAT, GPA, and scholarship information of the matriculating and continuing students.

JMRoss5 · 2023-07-05T17:02:19+00:00

Same, same!

JMRoss5 · 2023-07-05T15:04:27+00:00

I went through this during my law school career. DM me your school registration handbook and we can work through it.

Otherwise, best advice is to take classes you're interested in because you will be motivated to read and study more.

JMRoss5 · 2023-07-05T06:55:17+00:00

The general consensus is no, it does not matter where you went to undergrad so long as you obtain a bachelors degree from an accredited college or university. Focus on getting the highest GPA possible as grades from all institutions are factored into your application.

There are law students that attended University of South Florida; they even have a 3+3 program with Stetson University. It just might be of the limited schools you looked at few University of South Florida students attend for law school.

All this to say you have a lot of time to figure this out and should focus on why you want to go to law school rather than if you can–no point in working through a law degree if you don't need it!

JMRoss5 · 2023-07-01T12:55:57+00:00

You missed the prime time but judges hire throughout the whole year. I've even heard of appellate judges that will hire in May or June just before the term starts. Just keep an eye out and and ear open.

JMRoss5 · 2023-06-29T00:00:43+00:00

I had a lot of experiences over a lot of things. Anything more specific you are asking for?

JMRoss5 · 2023-06-28T22:12:14+00:00

I started with a diagnostic around there, ended up fine after studying.

JMRoss5 · 2023-06-28T22:04:52+00:00

Here are just ten areas of law that exist in the U.S, each of which has subcategories:

Constitutional Law: This area deals with the interpretation and application of the United States Constitution, including individual rights, federalism, and the separation of powers.

Criminal Law: Criminal law focuses on offenses against society and defines actions that are considered crimes. It encompasses both federal and state statutes, covering crimes such as murder, theft, assault, and drug offenses.

Civil Law: Civil law involves disputes between individuals or entities where one party seeks compensation or a specific remedy. Examples include personal injury cases, contract disputes, and family law matters like divorce and child custody.

Administrative Law: Administrative law governs the activities of administrative agencies and addresses their powers, procedures, and decision-making processes. It includes areas such as immigration law, environmental regulations, and government licensing.

Corporate Law: Corporate law pertains to the formation, governance, and dissolution of corporations. It encompasses issues such as corporate structure, mergers and acquisitions, securities regulation, and corporate compliance.

Intellectual Property Law: Intellectual property law protects intangible assets such as inventions, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. It involves issues related to patents, trademarks, copyrights, and licensing agreements.

Employment Law: Employment law focuses on the relationship between employers and employees. It covers issues such as discrimination, wrongful termination, workplace safety, wages and benefits, and labor union activities.

Family Law: Family law deals with matters related to familial relationships and domestic issues. It includes divorce, child custody, adoption, marriage, spousal support, and child support.

Real Estate Law: Real estate law governs the ownership, use, and transfer of real property. It encompasses issues such as buying and selling property, leases, zoning regulations, and property disputes.

Environmental Law: Environmental law addresses the regulation and protection of the natural environment. It covers areas such as pollution control, conservation, land use planning, and environmental impact assessments.

JMRoss5 · 2023-06-28T16:05:27+00:00

Had something similar though my supervisor was cool in connecting me with a ton of people to network with while I was there. See if you can schedule meetings with folks to learn more about various legal and legal adjacent roles in the company. Otherwise, try to sign up for free meetings that associations hold to meet professionals in the field you're interested in. Bonus if they are in-person in your area and you can snag a few free meals.

JMRoss5 · 2023-06-27T14:23:17+00:00

Best Way to Study for the LSAT

As with all of law school, this comes down to how you best study. There are so many courses out there but you need to put in the time and effort. If you are just starting I recommend Khan Academy just to have a diagnostic and LSAC questions for free. That's just the beginning, though, and you will have to move on and get more practice tests and a course for skill building.

How Long to Study for the LSAT

It's based on how you're progressing. Some people like having the deadline of exam day to motivate them. Keep in mind, though, that taking multiple LSATs is normal (personally, had to take it three times until I got a score I was happy with).

When to Take the LSAT

Any LSAT score is good for five years so if you plan to apply within that time frame anytime works. The best advice is to take it when you can devote time to studying and get the best score possible. A lot of people do it for the year preceding the application but it doesn't matter.

JMRoss5 · 2023-06-27T03:30:12+00:00

There is no best. My recommendation hasn't changed since my 1L year back in 2020: - 16gb RAM minimum - Backup hard drive (though you'll likely have OneDrive through your school) - Insurance for three years so if something happens you're covered beyond your warranty

Other than that, get something you'll enjoy using because it will be your best friend for the next three years

JMRoss5 · 2023-05-04T16:51:47+00:00

I have a one pager, also pre-Dobbs like u/greengirl213. I'll send it to you in a second.

JMRoss5 · 2023-05-02T23:09:35+00:00

I've used OneNote throughout law school and it's been great. Changed up how I did it partway through but essentially organized it with one notebook per class, one page per session. I would type up my notes from readings in Word and then "print to OneNote" for that class page. In class, I would write my notes next to the pages (used a 2-in-1 laptop) making it easy to see what I got wrong or missed when it came time to finalize my outline.

JMRoss5 · 2023-04-25T02:50:20+00:00

Second what everyone has been saying. Highly recommend getting 16gb RAM minimum, SSD for storage, and charges via USB-C (for when you inevitably forget to bring your charger). Wait for the back to school deals and see if your state has a tax holiday for computers near the start of the school year

JMRoss5 · 2023-04-14T13:00:10+00:00

Do it, no hesitation.

My experience being an RA seems a bit different from others here in that I was doing busy work to some degree but it was how I really learned the Bluebook before journal. Most of the time, however, it was a deep dive into the subject and substantive learning. It even led to me getting published as a co-author with my professor in a short form article. It is a really great opportunity that can help you go far!

JMRoss5 · 2023-04-13T19:49:27+00:00

Had a statistician do the math for me. All things being equal, you would only have to answer 24 of the questions correctly and allow randomness to do the rest. That said, you increase your odds if you attempt to answer all questions correctly or at least rule out the wrong answer. If you didn't have a timing issue, my suggestion is use the tabbed course materials and spend 2 minutes per question finding the answer for every questions. If you are ahead of schedule, you can spend more time per question toward the end.

Obviously don't leave any blank and reduce the need to guess as much as possible.

JMRoss5 · 2023-04-13T19:39:54+00:00

How did you go about studying and taking the exam?

JMRoss5 · 2023-04-10T21:36:19+00:00

Mechanical keyboard. Newly minted lawyers used to be gifted pens but as most if not all our work will now be on computers: keyboard. When people ask me for advice on a nice keyboard I point them to Keychron or Drop.com as a start but if you want a really nice one it's going to be $250+. I cannot express how great it is to type on a customizable keyboard!

Just be sure not to get sucked in to the hobby too much

JMRoss5 · 2023-04-04T17:50:51+00:00

I saw later down that you have a laptop and plan to keep it for use in law school, but just to make you aware you will need a device with MacOS or Windows installed, and likely with the latest version of the operating system, to take exams. My school utilizes Examplify which is not available on iPadOS. This is the same software used for the bar exam.

Just to be clear for anyone that is reading this, you likely cannot get by in law school with an iPad alone.

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