It’s always hard to imagine yourself in a role without actually spending a day on the job. How can you choose an area of study without knowing what is in store? Well, you don’t need to enter the legal profession with your eyes shut, as there is a lot of information out that will be able to assist you in your decision and understanding of the course curriculum. Today, we are going to take a look at what studying law or a JD online could mean for you in 2023.
You can surf the internet for hours at a time, but sometimes the best way to get a feeling about an experience is to experience it for yourself. Depending on when the next orientation day is, have a look around to see what universities have events and Q&A sessions for law studies and maybe even the university in general. If you attend these sessions with a prepared set of questions, you will have the opportunity to ask your future lecturers exactly what kind of time commitment you are looking at for full-time and part-time study.
Any university student will tell you that the writing requirements for any given course can be overwhelming, but perhaps none more so than studying law. According to online law school communities, the first year of law will come with a heavier reading load than subsequent years as you are laying the base of your knowledge in that first year. The second and third years will still have a significant reading volume, but by that stage, the readings are less dry and introductory and will be more case-related and interesting.
Most qualifications will come with an expectation that you take on an internship when studying law. This will allow you to explore the foundations of your study and see how they are applied in real time in the real world. Your choice of internship may heavily influence the legal discipline that you choose to pursue in years to come, so ensure that you are applying for internships mindfully. You may have an interest in family law, corporate law, human rights law or other areas that have significance to you. Your internship will not contribute to your grades, but it will make you a very attractive candidate when you come to graduate and pass the bar.
The camaraderie that comes with university study is quite profound. Those late-night study sessions and assignment work will really bond you, and you may even work together in the same profession or law firm in the future. Expanding your professional circle may not be the reason you got into law, but you will enjoy the benefits and knowing your peers can really make the study season a little more bearable. There are also several law student committees and social groups that you can join which will not only connect you with even more students, but it looks great on your resume.
University study looks so different now from what it did in years gone by, which was an unexpected side effect of the pandemic. If access to physical university has stopped you from applying for a university degree in law, you will find that there are actually many remote avenues out there.
In fact, you may even choose to take your studies overseas as you study abroad and travel while you learn. Undertaking a student exchange is a great way to make new friends at your university and see the legal profession through a different lens and through a different culture. These learnings are absolutely priceless and will be invaluable to your study and how you approach your career.
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If you are still on the fence about studying law and what it looks like in practice, then don’t be afraid to join online Facebook groups and communities that can give that extra intel. You can also follow the leading law universities on social media and through email marketing so you stay up to date with enrollment timelines and other important information.
