Student Summer Class Testimonials
Being introduced to law school this way has it benefits including being able to establish early friendships, study habits, relationships with professors, and also the benefit of having experienced two law school finals before the full course load starts that fall semester. Upon completing the two law elective courses, a first-year student will still take a full 30 credit hours their first year, however, at the start of their second year of law school they will be 5 credit hours ahead. Testimonials“Summer School afforded me the opportunity to learn and apply the analytical skills necessary to be successful in Law School, without which I am certain I would not have had the same confidence and success in my First Year. It allowed me to cultivate friendships that I continue to enjoy today, and provided me with 6 weeks of experiencing the rigors of a law school curriculum, but in a very hands-on, intimate environment. There is no book, advice, or other preparation that compares to Summer School in preparing a first year law student for success.”
-Christopher Yearout “The summer courses here at Cumberland were probably for me the single best resource and experience of my law school career to date. The advantage and experience provided during the summer of taking a law school exam, writing a law school paper, and the process of beginning to think like a law student is immeasurable in its worth during the first year of classes. From simply being introduced to the library to beginning to understand basic foundational legal principles the summer courses provides any student who participates in it an edge over their classmates who will not experience most of the things offered until well into the first semester. I cannot recommend the experience enough and would suggest any and all incoming 1Ls to participate in the program. Finally, the courses helped me discover and understand the family atmosphere offered at Cumberland and the fact that here at our law school, were are not students and professors or numbers in the system, we are truly a family and group of friends devoted to giving and receiving an excellent legal education.”
-Zachary K. La Fleur
“Summer school was definitely the best decision I made when deciding to come to law school. I learned so much about legal reasoning and writing at a more manageable pace, which helped me tremendously during the Fall semester when things were much more intense. Not to mention, I already had two law school exams under my belt going into the Fall which eased the suspense/ anxiety my fellow classmates were experiencing when faced with taking four exams and having no idea what a law school exam was like. I highly recommend the summer courses. I promise you won’t regret the decision if you decide to take advantage of the incredible opportunity!” “Making the transition from undergrad to law school is difficult, but taking summer classes before my 1L year allowed me to get acclimated. Instead of being thrown into the fire I was able to ease my way in, that way it wasn’t as hot. It was a great experience, and I am definitely glad I took advantage of the opportunity.”
- Brandon Price “After working for several years and upon completion of my finance degree, I decided to switch gears and go to law school. Having been out of school for almost four years, I was a bit nervous about going back to school. I decided to ease in the whole “school mode” by enrolling in summer classes, and I am very glad that I did. At the beginning of the fall semester, when I had a full load on my plate, I felt prepared and not as uncertain as my fellow classmates. I had a great experience in the summer and highly recommend it.”
-Richard Vann “I am certainly grateful for beginning law school in the summer. It provided a smooth transition into fall, one that was calm and personal. The manageable pace and small class sizes provide a warm atmosphere that is interesting and enjoyable. The summer students built relationships with each other and with the summer professors that have lasted throughout law school. When you begin your first law school semester you have a good grasp of legal jargon, you know how to use the law library, you understand the Socratic method of learning, you know how to brief a case, and you have taken two law school exams.” -Leah Parker '10 “These summer courses were my first introduction to the legal world. They gave me a taste of what to expect during the upcoming semester at a more manageable pace. The amount of attention I received from my summer professors was priceless, and the friendships I made during that time made my transition into law school effortless. I highly recommend it.” -Julie McMakin '10 Page last updated: Mon, 04/11/2011 - 11:45 |
Cumberland School of Law offers it’s incoming first-year students the option of taking two law elective courses that can be taken the summer before the first fall semester, when the full course load starts. The fall semester starts in late August and the summer electives are taken before starting in June. This is a great opportunity for incoming first-year students to transition into law school.