Soas law offer holders september 2017

No, I did not get the opportunity to speak with a LLB student yet. However, there is a short time to wait now so I will just leave it like that. I did join some forums from an email received from SOAS few weeks ago so I may have a chance to find someone there to speak to.
Thank you for all the advice - I will try to follow it as much as I can. It sounds as hard work but I like it. I will try my best from the beginning so I will create a learning habit. Good luck with your studies ☺

My friend just called the clearing hotline

Apparantly the man said SOAS are asking for AAA. Surprised how high....you can go to better uni's such as Manchester and Warwick with AAA

I mean, SOAS' entry requirements have always been high, and it did much better on league tables this year than last year and before. Also, maybe they might have lower requirements after the results actually come out?

Hi
I've got a place for Law too which was unconditional. initially they gave me a conditional offer of AAA but then they told me later they would change it to unconditional.

I think there are places for SOAS in clearing but I'm not sure about the grade requirements - they sound high if they are asking for AAA but then again it is a London University.

I've been in touch with another LLB student from SOAS(who then did the LLM, which is why I found the perspective helpful as a comparison for me between the LLB levels (as I have my Juris Doctorate which is the comparable American degree). I will offer you one additional suggestion. Do NOT make it too hard. What I mean, I know when I was where you are about to go-that first level of law-the JD/LLB-I and a lot of my classmates approached it with the understanding that it might be difficult and that sort of won over in my mind, personally. I had a classmate-who was older, who used to tell me how she would just pick up the Property or Torts(which will be called Remedies for you) textbook, and sit down, without taking any notes, and just read the book as if it were a novel. I could not understand what she was saying, surely one can not pick up a text book with complex issues, where principles of law are buried within the text based upon the legal applications driven by the facts, and to just be able to read that, like a novel? What she was saying was not to make it too hard. Everyone will tell you (among the professors) of the importance of being able to brief(analyze) a case, to use the IRAC method (Issue, Rule, Application (I prefer to think of this area as analysis) and Conclusion(what all that you read meant.)

The first time you brief a case, you might have, for a 20 page case, 5 pages or more, you simply will write too much.You are in the process of training yourself to digest massive amounts of materials, and summarize it. For example, I can read a 70 or 80 page case now, and probably summarize it in a few sentences, or paragraphs, its just repetition until slowly, you realize the important parts that are teaching you rules of law in certain subjects-the exceptions to rules, how to find if there is a contract between parties, etc. So professors will tell you NOT to buy outlines and summaries, to just do it all on your own. I agree, for the first week or so, but you quickly realize, once you have developed your skills in reading and breaking down cases-and that will develop quickly-you'll be telling yourself there is "no way I should be writing all these pages to summarize this case"-which is how you will learn how to pull the meat out and leave behind the fat that is not needed...

What my classmate was saying about reading textbooks like a novel (she graduated #1 our class, by the way) was to value and respect repetition, she wasn't going to necessarily absorb all details when reading the entire text book over a long weekend. But what she was doing was allowing herself to relax, read the materials, and retain information. She would read ahead a little bit, so that by the time we covered a topic she had already read it and approached it, and her level of mastery was at a point that the rest of us were trying to reach. So the value in talking to those who have done it-and you'll have the chance to interact with those who are now in their 2nd year or beyond once you arrive at SOAS, is learning how to find a way to make a system for yourself. See, the reason the commercial outlines for a course, are so helpful, is that they will be telling you what the law is, giving you examples. Those outlines, they help you to learn how to build your own outlines of the modules. They allow you-those commercial outlines that professors will most likely say do not buy (again, you should learn to brief cases on your own the first week, for sure, the first two weeks, maybe-but thereafter, your skills will have improved. The point of not relying on commercial outlines from the first day is to that you will NEVER build your own skills at analyzing the cases and breaking them down into nice little summaries. Once you have that skill set, and you'll know it, again, when you can actually read a 30-40 page case, and all of a sudden, have the whole thing captured in a paragraph)-the commercial outlines allow you to not be confused on the Black letter law-you'll be guided to know what the current state of the law is, have examples on how the exceptions to the rules apply, in one spot, arranged by topics that you are covering (as opposed to having to re-read through all the materials). You are not a stupid or intelligent person. However, assuredly, stupid and unintelligent ones have come before you and grasped the materials! (My contracts professor loved to say this. He was right-its hard work and dedication, and people less skilled have come and conquered and so you tell yourself that, and realize you are one reaching for higher goals, so you shall succeed.)

A final note, and I will consider it my duty to give you this fair warning. Study groups, in terms of tutorials where everyone is present or those with questions are present is great. HOWEVER, falling into the trap of going to study groups with a small group of students to discuss with them, among yourselves, the cases and materials is a road filled with peril. You will invariably have those show up who are NOT as prepared, if prepared at all-they are looking at being spoon fed.You will have people who are flat out wrong in their reading and understanding. DO NOT go to study groups-among students, expecting to learn. I went to tutorials, I avoided, like the plague, study groups. I used the commercial outlines for help, and then, I found students who were trying to study and who were serious, and we would study together. What I mean-we might be in the same classroom, after-hours or agree to meet up and study and read. But the law, it is said "is a jealous mistress/lord" -its a solitary thing. You must first get it for yourself, or get as far as you can in understanding, that way-if you find confidants or those you trust to ask a question about something or to work through something confusing, you'll know the cases and materials-so that the "light" turns on upstairs when someone explains it or when they are helpful. That is the best study group-studying by yourself, getting through the readings-then, in that informal one on one way-asking that friend "did you understand this area or topic and the exceptions"? See, you know that person who you are spending time with studying, they are going through things, you are all committed. Study groups-the formal ones-more time is spent talking and wasting time-perhaps going over things you don't need help with, no-that is a waste of time-what you specifically need help with may not be covered long enough. Make your questions and your time count by being content specific-direct the questions you have in that one on one way with those you study with, allow them to do the same-then get back to work. You will have no shortage of outlines, advice from previous 1st year students...you'll hear from doomsday type folks, to those who are just a little bit too upbeat and nonchalant-the moderate course is to listen and absorb some of what you hear, file it away in case it becomes relevant, and keep on stepping. You will have classes on a curve system, where, for many people, it will be the first time in life that they have worked super hard, and yet, did not get the top mark, its a numbers game, it will happen, the script of what the numbers will be -in terms of number of 70's, 60's, merits and distinctions-surely you know everyone is not getting that, its competition-its competitive, the only question is "what part will you play in the script." That is why making the experience as personal to yourself-what you need to learn and thrive, is so important-because you can't control the other persons around you or what they write or how well they analyze a case. All you can do is be the best you can be, and be willing to learn and try new things to constantly be working on making yourself better.

That is my experience, some others will swear by the study groups being effective. I would argue that is the exception-where you have those 3-4 people, committed, diligent, up on the materials, putting in the work. I also wish you the best in your studies ,too, as you wished me, and may this first year be a wonderful introduction to a long-lasting and wonderful legal career for you.

My friend just called the clearing hotline

Apparantly the man said SOAS are asking for AAA. Surprised how high....you can go to better uni's such as Manchester and Warwick with AAA

I agree with you, their entry requirements are really high. I was really disappointed when I realise that the first Unis in London ask for A*AA and some for AAA when there are better unis outside London which ask for lower grades and no LNAT. The "trick" is that if you want to stay in London ( which I wanted to because of the job experience opportunities, so many courts and family reasons) and you want to go to a decent university you really need good grades. SOAS is on the 5th place in London for Law..and 23rd place in the country for Law. I find this ok..for theit entry requirements. Now I will wait and see if their teaching skills will correlate with their entry requirements.

Wow didn't know queen Mary is that good for law?
I guess I just have to wait until results day and see what happens....hopefully they may drop their requirements a little if they have loads of places available because reading above some people got accepted despite not attaining their target grades

What unis did you apply to?

Hi
I've got a place for Law too which was unconditional. initially they gave me a conditional offer of AAA but then they told me later they would change it to unconditional.

I think there are places for SOAS in clearing but I'm not sure about the grade requirements - they sound high if they are asking for AAA but then again it is a London University.

Oh wow I didn't know they could change it to unconditional afterwards, thats an amazing opportunity! if you dont mind me asking, what were your predicted grades? and did you have anything extraordinary ish that stood out?

My predicted grades were AAB. With my personal statement I noted that I did a week in a law centre, performed in a West End theatre (even though it was for a day), Duke of Edinburgh, NCS ect.
I don't know if that stood out to them but I probably thought they looked at my grades too.

Good luck with everyone on results day anyway - I'm sure everyone will be fine just don't overthink everything (don't worry even though I've got an unconditional offer i don't feel as if I'm less scared than anyone else)

Your lucky haha but you probs deserve it
Congrats - what grades are you hoping to get?

I'm hoping SOAS have places in clearing for me

I got ABB but taking a gap year

SOAS were in clearing for law I heard../:

Does anyone know what grades they wanted?

They weren't in clearing

They wanted AAA