Law Degree that hard?
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Anything is hard if you have absolutely no interest in it. If you love history, you'll do well in a history degree. That's why Oxbridge interviews people to see how much passion they have. With law, it's difficult to say you're passionate about something you've never studied.
In my experience, very few people were passionate about law. I think most people studied it because they didn't know what else to do, law was reputable or as a means to an end, to become a lawyer. I also found some people liked parts of it, and disliked other parts of it.
Law is often a dry, technical subject and I find it has more in common with computer science than an arts degree. For a degree to be qualifying there's not very much choice in the modules studied - only 5 or so modules over the 3 year degree are usually optional.
At a range of universities, 60-70% get 2:1s, 3-10% get firsts, the rest get 2:2s. Sometimes as many as 30% end up with 2:2s. In terms of classification it seems to me looking on unistats, law hands out substantially less firsts (which can reach 30-40% in many courses) and 2:1s, (which can reach to almost all of the people who didn't get firsts).
In exams, problem questions are often very difficult to get firsts in, unlike essay questions - in my experience.
In my experience, very few people were passionate about law. I think most people studied it because they didn't know what else to do, law was reputable or as a means to an end, to become a lawyer. I also found some people liked parts of it, and disliked other parts of it.
Law is often a dry, technical subject and I find it has more in common with computer science than an arts degree. For a degree to be qualifying there's not very much choice in the modules studied - only 5 or so modules over the 3 year degree are usually optional.
At a range of universities, 60-70% get 2:1s, 3-10% get firsts, the rest get 2:2s. Sometimes as many as 30% end up with 2:2s. In terms of classification it seems to me looking on unistats, law hands out substantially less firsts (which can reach 30-40% in many courses) and 2:1s, (which can reach to almost all of the people who didn't get firsts).
In exams, problem questions are often very difficult to get firsts in, unlike essay questions - in my experience.
Some people are making it sounds a fair bit more extreme than it actually is. Yes, it's hard but as someone else said if you organise your time well there's still plenty left for extra curriculars and just chilling.
My girlfriend does medicine and that is a hard degree, the amount I do for similar grades doesn't compare.
My girlfriend does medicine and that is a hard degree, the amount I do for similar grades doesn't compare.
Original post by roh
Some people are making it sounds a fair bit more extreme than it actually is. Yes, it's hard but as someone else said if you organise your time well there's still plenty left for extra curriculars and just chilling.
My girlfriend does medicine and that is a hard degree, the amount I do for similar grades doesn't compare.
My girlfriend does medicine and that is a hard degree, the amount I do for similar grades doesn't compare.
Medicine is totally different, the grades don't really matter. My ex did medicine. It's again one of the toughest degrees out there and they all tend to be really cliquey and become totally obsessed with talking about it.
I'm not one of those people saying law is the hardest thing since Lexington Steele, but you can't deny statistics, where for physics and english, universities hand out between 3-10 times as many firsts as they do for law.
Original post by Rancorous
Medicine is totally different, the grades don't really matter. My ex did medicine. It's again one of the toughest degrees out there and they all tend to be really cliquey and become totally obsessed with talking about it.
I'm not one of those people saying law is the hardest thing since Lexington Steele, but you can't deny statistics, where universities hand out between 3-10 times as many firsts as they do for law.
I'm not one of those people saying law is the hardest thing since Lexington Steele, but you can't deny statistics, where universities hand out between 3-10 times as many firsts as they do for law.
Passing is undoubtedly the key thing with medicine, but your quartile has some impact upon your chances when applying for F1 jobs I think.
It's true that it is hard to do well in, but people might have been overegging the amount of work you need to do a bit. I think something that impacts upon it is that law students generally would have done subjects which seem relatively easy compared to law (history, English, Politics etc. though I'm not saying they are) and look at those as the alternative. So when you look around to see what you could have been doing it's at your mates who are permanently on the lash and still get solid 2:1s on a couple of all nighters.
If you compare it to subjects like Physics, chemistry and engineering I think the hours required aren't too different (though how you work in them obviously is).
Original post by zara55
You should be! Haha. What A levs are you doing? Predictions...?
psychology A/B
Sociology A
BTEC science D*
I really don't know say to do
I don't want to be a lawyer or solicitor :/
Im just confused.com
Original post by Rancorous
Anything is hard if you have absolutely no interest in it. If you love history, you'll do well in a history degree. That's why Oxbridge interviews people to see how much passion they have. With law, it's difficult to say you're passionate about something you've never studied.
In my experience, very few people were passionate about law. I think most people studied it because they didn't know what else to do, law was reputable or as a means to an end, to become a lawyer. I also found some people liked parts of it, and disliked other parts of it.
Law is often a dry, technical subject and I find it has more in common with computer science than an arts degree. For a degree to be qualifying there's not very much choice in the modules studied - only 5 or so modules over the 3 year degree are usually optional.
At a range of universities, 60-70% get 2:1s, 3-10% get firsts, the rest get 2:2s. Sometimes as many as 30% end up with 2:2s. In terms of classification it seems to me looking on unistats, law hands out substantially less firsts (which can reach 30-40% in many courses) and 2:1s, (which can reach to almost all of the people who didn't get firsts).
In exams, problem questions are often very difficult to get firsts in, unlike essay questions - in my experience.
In my experience, very few people were passionate about law. I think most people studied it because they didn't know what else to do, law was reputable or as a means to an end, to become a lawyer. I also found some people liked parts of it, and disliked other parts of it.
Law is often a dry, technical subject and I find it has more in common with computer science than an arts degree. For a degree to be qualifying there's not very much choice in the modules studied - only 5 or so modules over the 3 year degree are usually optional.
At a range of universities, 60-70% get 2:1s, 3-10% get firsts, the rest get 2:2s. Sometimes as many as 30% end up with 2:2s. In terms of classification it seems to me looking on unistats, law hands out substantially less firsts (which can reach 30-40% in many courses) and 2:1s, (which can reach to almost all of the people who didn't get firsts).
In exams, problem questions are often very difficult to get firsts in, unlike essay questions - in my experience.
yhh I agree with U... Tbh I don't know what to do that's why im considering law as its a well recognised and accepted degree.....
SOOO CONFUSED!!
Original post by Rkamali
psychology A/B
Sociology A
BTEC science D*
I really don't know say to do
I don't want to be a lawyer or solicitor :/
Im just confused.com
Sociology A
BTEC science D*
I really don't know say to do
I don't want to be a lawyer or solicitor :/
Im just confused.com
What made you ask about law, what prompted the interest?
Original post by Rkamali
yhh I agree with U... Tbh I don't know what to do that's why im considering law as its a well recognised and accepted degree.....
SOOO CONFUSED!!
SOOO CONFUSED!!
You will find most employers don't care what degree you do, just as universities don't care what A-levels you do, as long as they are respectable. Employers take law degrees, science degrees, arts degrees; most see no correlation between the degree one takes and how well one will do the job.
Original post by zara55
What made you ask about law, what prompted the interest?
tbh I don't knowLOL
I enjoy sociology but don't want to that in uni
I like subjects like sociology psychology so I thought law would be a good option =/
Original post by Rancorous
You will find most employers don't care what degree you do, just as universities don't care what A-levels you do, as long as they are respectable. Employers take law degrees, science degrees, arts degrees; most see no correlation between the degree one takes and how well one will do the job.
tbh I don't want to end up starting law and finding it sooo hard.....
Like I am not a science perso, I did A levels bio and chem and failed big time :|
Original post by Rkamali
tbh I don't want to end up starting law and finding it sooo hard.....
Like I am not a science perso, I did A levels bio and chem and failed big time :|
Like I am not a science perso, I did A levels bio and chem and failed big time :|
I think it depends on a number of skills that you might have. It's not that it's chronically "hard" compared to other of the more demanding subjects, but it isn't an easy ride either. How do you feel you stand up on your concentration, logical skills, ability to speedily absorb and summarise complicated information, ability to argue points and meticulousness/accuracy? If you feel you have some of those, you may find it quite a good course to do.
At Bristol for law it is not enough to arrive at an answer... 'You must show your working' in order to sniff a 2.1. I have previously done three science degrees so I think it is a safe assumption that I tend to think analytically... This did not necessarily serve me well my first year, as I was told I didn't write enough (very succinct) and was too descriptive instead of analytical... I was completely puzzled as to what they meant.. But as I progressed this year I completely understood what they meant...
I say all of that to say this... The concepts in law are not extremely complex, but they can be involved meaning that there are alternatives to alternatives etc... Once you get your head around that and present a well structured argument, essay... You will do well...
The law degree is as much about form as it is about function... Also if you do decide law is for you... When you revise please do yourself a huge favour and scour past papers... They will be priceless in your doing well in the exams...
I say all of that to say this... The concepts in law are not extremely complex, but they can be involved meaning that there are alternatives to alternatives etc... Once you get your head around that and present a well structured argument, essay... You will do well...
The law degree is as much about form as it is about function... Also if you do decide law is for you... When you revise please do yourself a huge favour and scour past papers... They will be priceless in your doing well in the exams...
Original post by zara55
I think it depends on a number of skills that you might have. It's not that it's chronically "hard" compared to other of the more demanding subjects, but it isn't an easy ride either. How do you feel you stand up on your concentration, logical skills, ability to speedily absorb and summarise complicated information, ability to argue points and meticulousness/accuracy? If you feel you have some of those, you may find it quite a good course to do.
it takes me ages to memorise stuff however I do hv good summarizing skills lol
I work full time and study the LLB part time. Just finished my first year and hopefully will be continuing onto my second year (exam results permitting of course).
I am probably a lot older than the other posters and so my experience will be different (dont live in halls and socialise to the same extent!)but I find the course exceptionally interesting which was a huge help. Time management is absolutely vital - perhaps more so for me studying part time but I know many full time LLBers who leave it all til the last minute - you cannot get away with that for long.
The one thing I would say is if you do not have strong a level grades you will struggle. You can acheive very good grades on the LLB by putting the hours in. However, there is still an element of academic ability needed to succeed. I know students who put HOURS in and barely scrape 45% in assesments.
Just to give you a comparison in the first year by way of assesments we had a presentation, a moot, an essay and 3 x 3 hour exam papers sat in formal exam conditions. My cousin studying criminology had an essay and an online exam which she did at home...vastly different.
x
I am probably a lot older than the other posters and so my experience will be different (dont live in halls and socialise to the same extent!)but I find the course exceptionally interesting which was a huge help. Time management is absolutely vital - perhaps more so for me studying part time but I know many full time LLBers who leave it all til the last minute - you cannot get away with that for long.
The one thing I would say is if you do not have strong a level grades you will struggle. You can acheive very good grades on the LLB by putting the hours in. However, there is still an element of academic ability needed to succeed. I know students who put HOURS in and barely scrape 45% in assesments.
Just to give you a comparison in the first year by way of assesments we had a presentation, a moot, an essay and 3 x 3 hour exam papers sat in formal exam conditions. My cousin studying criminology had an essay and an online exam which she did at home...vastly different.
x
Original post by sar2004
I work full time and study the LLB part time. Just finished my first year and hopefully will be continuing onto my second year (exam results permitting of course).
I am probably a lot older than the other posters and so my experience will be different (dont live in halls and socialise to the same extent!)but I find the course exceptionally interesting which was a huge help. Time management is absolutely vital - perhaps more so for me studying part time but I know many full time LLBers who leave it all til the last minute - you cannot get away with that for long.
The one thing I would say is if you do not have strong a level grades you will struggle. You can acheive very good grades on the LLB by putting the hours in. However, there is still an element of academic ability needed to succeed. I know students who put HOURS in and barely scrape 45% in assesments.
Just to give you a comparison in the first year by way of assesments we had a presentation, a moot, an essay and 3 x 3 hour exam papers sat in formal exam conditions. My cousin studying criminology had an essay and an online exam which she did at home...vastly different.
x
I am probably a lot older than the other posters and so my experience will be different (dont live in halls and socialise to the same extent!)but I find the course exceptionally interesting which was a huge help. Time management is absolutely vital - perhaps more so for me studying part time but I know many full time LLBers who leave it all til the last minute - you cannot get away with that for long.
The one thing I would say is if you do not have strong a level grades you will struggle. You can acheive very good grades on the LLB by putting the hours in. However, there is still an element of academic ability needed to succeed. I know students who put HOURS in and barely scrape 45% in assesments.
Just to give you a comparison in the first year by way of assesments we had a presentation, a moot, an essay and 3 x 3 hour exam papers sat in formal exam conditions. My cousin studying criminology had an essay and an online exam which she did at home...vastly different.
x
Not sure of the correlation here. I got ABB, now at Bristol (senior status) and my marks have ranged from 65% to 83%. To be fair, I did do a degree in between times, but I think the point stands that A-levels in themselves aren't determinate of much.
Original post by Rkamali
it takes me ages to memorise stuff however I do hv good summarizing skills lol
It depends a little how you go about the work of memorising (there are different methods and not everyone has to be lightning quick to get on), but I do think that a very retentive memory, coupled with self-discipline and an organised approach are pretty essential.
Original post by Tortious
Very much so - this year's a beast. My exams start on Tuesday and I feel drained (I've done 6 hours of revision solely on Contract today), so I'll come back to answer in more detail in a fortnight if you want (and you quote me to remind me!).
Considering Law for University as well (UK). I don't suppose you could give a basic rundown of the best and worst aspects of studying Law and the different units, as well as an account of how well you think you did and what you would have done differently before taking law? Thanks, hope it worked out for you in the end.
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