Ed. Note: This summer, Ms. JD solicited law school myths from law students across the country.  Many students weighed in on the subject of competition. Are law students really monsters that will tear pages from books, steal notebooks from lockers, and hide outlines?

Sara Brucker, UC Davis School of Law, writes:

Law students aren’t monsters. I lost a close friend my first year of law school and missed several weeks of school. Without request, without explanation, several of my classmates sent me their class notes and picked up copies of worksheets and handouts for me. I was not expecting such a generous gesture. I really believed the scare tactic books that every law student has read (or secretly read), that tell you the unseemly stories of cutthroat students ripping pages out of books, deleting outlines, stealing flash drives, etc. I wish I would have started school with more faith in the honesty and integrity of my fellow students.

An International student shared an experience with a classmate:

Because of the language barriers, at first I couldn’t type down what professors said and understand them at the same time. However, since it is said that there [is] lots of competition going on and law school students tend to keep their notes and outlines as holy secrets, I was too shy to ask my classmates for help...terrified by the thoughts of being rejected cruelly. It was not until the end of the first semester of my 1L year that I decided to ask the boy sitting next to me in my Con Law class. To my surprise he said yes at once and kindly gave me all his notes and outlines for all the classes. I was moved and regretted that I didn’t ask earlier. The truth is your classmates are not from a planet named GPA-is-everything. Law school is still a world of human beings.

Toni Stone, California Western School of Law, writes that overly competitive law students are the exception:

Before entering law school I worked at a law firm. All of the attorneys warned me of the competitive nature of law school and I heard horror stories about students tearing pages out of library books and sabotaging research projects. Although these stories left a bad taste in my mouth I decided to pursue law school in spite of them and I am glad I did. Either I was very fortunate or the horror stories were greatly magnified because I have never experienced the type of competition exemplified in those stories. Overall I find the students in law school to be supportive and genuine. On numerous occasions I have shared notes, outlines, study aides, and briefs with other students and they have reciprocated. Don’t get me wrong, there will always be overly competitive law school students but I find they are the exception and not the rule.


Saida Khanukayev, California Western School of Law, writes that the competition myth made her doubt her own abilities:

At law school orientation, my entire class was told that the competition among students would be very difficult because we were all intelligent and capable. As a result of hearing this, I spent most of my first year doubting my academic abilities. Every time another student answered a question in class that I did not know the answer to, I believed that I stood no chance of doing well on my exams because my own knowledge was inferior. This doubt was only quelled upon receiving my first year grades and finding out that I did well. It was at this point that I realized that instead of always worrying about how well other students were doing in comparison to me, I should have just focused on doing well for myself and trusting my own abilities.

Jennifer Paige Friend, Walter F. George School of Law, reminds us that our law school competition will be our professional peers for life:

“The Curve” in all its notoriety can create a ferociously competitive streak in even the kindest of law students.  Many students will spend their days strategizing ways to outwit their “competitors.” This is a big mistake.  Your fellow students are your best resource now and in the future.  They will be your professional peers for life.  Your classmates will be the judge you are appearing before, opposing counsel sitting across from you, and possibly even in the position to recommend clients to you. Reputation means everything, so don’t ruin it by being overly competitive in law school.  Spend time making friends and you will be rewarded throughout your career.