3L Reflections

In light of my leaving law school, I thought I would provide some reflections on 3L (the last year of law school).

1. It is not boring: People often say “In 1L they scare you to death, in 2L they work you to death, in 3L they bore you to death.” The last, in my experience, is not true. I thought 3L was very interesting. I got to take some of my favorite teachers and favorite classes. I will caveat this by saying I planned it this way. Because I took a number of bar classes my 2L year and many of my schools required classes during 1L and 2L, I had a lot of freedom to pick and choose what I wanted. So I would encourage one to pursue areas of interest to you because this might be your last chance to do so in an academic setting.
2. It doesn’t feel much different than 1L or 2L: When I first came into law school, I looked up to the 3L’s so much. I mean they had made it, right? They were all kind of tired, seasoned, and knowledgable. But now I am a 3L, and I don’t feel superior in any way. I simply feel like I have done more. Maybe this is a reminder that all law students are in the same boat.
3. It was my favorite year of law school: Even though there were not too many differences between the years, I liked 3L the best (who is surprised). By 3L, you are reading things quicker and understanding faster. Generally, you also have more freedom to choose classes and do internships (more below).
4. There is less comparison: This may not be true everywhere, but because most people have figured out there thing, have a job, or have accepted where they are, I felt like there was a better atmosphere 3L.
5. There are more papers: I don’t know if this is clear to people, but there are more classes with papers instead of tests 3L (if you play your cards right). My school had a number of seminars which require large papers (ex 30 pages) instead of tests. I enjoyed this because I got to (A) talk about interests of mine and (B) spend my time writing and editing and editing my papers over time. If you prefer classes with papers, I would seek this out and prioritize them. If you hate papers and prefer tests, points to you and avoid these.
6. Internships may be easier to get: Because you are higher up in the food chain, internships seem to be easier to get 3L. For example, it took me fewer applications to secure an internship than previously. This may fluctuate of course due to a number of factors. Also, by the time you are a 3L, you have more experience and a better idea of what you want to do, two things which tend to increase the chances of getting an internship/externship.