By Crystal Stevens, recipient of the 2008 Ms. JD Summer Scholarship Honorable Mention Award

Perhaps the single greatest myth about being a law student is the idea that one can succeed on her own. Amidst studies of tort liability and civil procedure, law students also learn the value of networking. We find ourselves being members of a unique community, relying on each other for support and guidance. A year ago, the term “networking” carried a negative connotation for me. I have since come to think of networking within the legal profession as lifting as you climb. I am confident that much of my success, and perhaps even sanity, this year was possible because of the network of colleagues, upperclass mentors and staff with the sincere desire to help me thrive in law school. Moreover, when I began to look for a job, networking allowed me to reach out to alumni and friends who were genuinely excited about their chance to give back and help me. In turn, I anticipate the soon-coming day when I will be able to help rising law students in the same manner I have been helped.

The importance of community leads me to a second myth about being a law student: Law students are so competitive that it becomes difficult to make friends. I was surprised when a friend, and prospective student, asked me about my experience making friends with my classmates because I have found my classmates to be some of the best friends I have. Law school curves and rankings certainly do create some competition and even stress. However, I believe that it actually binds friends together as opposed to pitting friends against each other. The ladies with whom I have spent long nights studying and researching are the sisters that I never had.

While stressful moments do forge friendship, I believe it is a common myth that law school is nothing more than three years of inevitable stress. Law students do themselves a disservice by approaching the experience as just “paying dues” in order to achieve some other desired goal. Law school is a rare opportunity to stretch oneself, to discover unknown passions and to show what one is made of. In order to make the most of life as a law student, one must see law school as most than just a hurdle but as a journey with value beyond that of a mere stepping stone.

Perhaps at the root of the misconception that law school has to be stressful is the fourth myth about being in law school: Life begins and ends with class rankings. One of the greatest challenges in law school, aside from the work itself, is keeping balance and perspective. Law school takes the best and brightest from undergraduate institutions and puts them together in one place. Every law student simply cannot be at the top of her class. All one can do is put forth her best effort. A friend once told me, “When you do your best for a righteous cause, you cannot fail.” I believe that it is important to remember that there are things in life much more important than law school rankings. When I die, nobody will mention my class rank or salary, but I hope they will speak fondly of what I did with my law degree. I remind myself of this often. In times of global food shortages, genocides, devastating acts of nature and rising poverty, my success or worth is not determined by my GPA or rank but rather what I do humanity.

Tied to this notion of balance is another myth about being a law student: There is no time for anything else. As a first year, I volunteered 36 hours each month with the DeKalb Rape Crisis Center; I got involved with our chapter of the Black Law Students Association and took a small part-time job as a research assistant. I had Sunday dinners with my parents every week; I attended church and maintained a social life with old friends who do not attend law school with me. A person makes time for what she wants to make time for. That is not to say that such decision shouldn’t be weighed carefully. It is crucial that academic success remain a priority, but it is possible to keep other priorities as well. For me, community service and family were priorities that I felt important enough to balance with my academics. In fact, I think that balancing these priorities has enriched my experience as a law student. Law school is time consuming, as is practicing the law. Instead of buying into the myth that a law student has no time for anything except law school, a law student should see law school as an opportunity to practice balancing a career in the legal field with other priorities such as community involvement and family life.

Another daunting myth is that an entering law student should have an idea as to what kind of law she wants to practice. A Juris Doctor is among the most versatile degrees a person can obtain. Law school teaches students how to think analytically, not just how to memorize laws and statutes. The value of such an adaptable skill set cannot be overstated. Law school curriculums expose students to a variety of practice areas, but the opportunities available to a law school graduate are even more numerous than the courses offered to us as students.

Finally, the myth which I most dislike is the idea that the best ranked school is the best school, period. While there is undeniable value is attending a well-respected law school, other factors such as school size, geographic location, programming, alumni support and faculty should be weighed. Choosing Emory over University of Chicago, for example, allowed me the opportunity to pursue a joint degree program in an extremely collegial atmosphere. Had I chosen the best ranked school that accepted me, without considering any other factors, I doubt that I would be as happy on a day to day basis.