Gain Hands-On Experience in Law School: How One Student Thrived in an Experiential Program

Summary

Experiential learning is an educational model that allows students to gain knowledge and skills by actively engaging in direct experiences. Through experiential learning, students have the opportunity to develop practical knowledge and meaningful relationships, as well as gain an understanding of the real world and its complexities.


One such student who has thrived in this type of learning environment is Ashley, a rising senior from a public high school in Florida. After her freshman year, Ashley transferred to an experiential learning program to gain a real-world education that would prepare her for college and beyond. She has gone on to excel in every area of her studies and has already been accepted to numerous universities.

The experiential learning program that Ashley attends consists of three main components: a small-group experiential learning course, a full-time job placement, and college advice and support. Her experiential learning course is designed to teach her how to think critically and creatively by exposing her to real-world situations and allowing her to experience different cultures and places. She is also placed in a full-time job, which has enabled her to develop her professional skills, network, and gain valuable experience. Lastly, she has access to college advice and support to help her navigate the college admissions process.

Ashley's experience with experiential learning has proven to be immensely beneficial. She has gained the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college and is now well on her way towards her goal of attending a top university. In addition, she has built meaningful relationships with different people in her community, has developed respect and appreciation for different cultures, and has been able to experience the real-world complexities of different settings.

Experiential learning has been extremely successful in Ashley's case, as it has enabled her to gain the knowledge and skills needed to pursue her professional and educational goals. Ashley's experience speaks to the effectiveness of experiential learning, and the effectiveness of the unique approach to learning that Ashley's school employs. For students looking for an enriching and meaningful educational experience, experiential learning may be the answer.

Experiential learning is an educational model that allows students to gain knowledge and develop meaningful relationships by actively engaging in direct experiences. Ashley, a senior in Florida, has experienced success in this type of learning environment with the help of three main components: a small-group experiential learning course, a full-time job placement, and college advice and support. These components have enabled Ashley to develop her professional skills, think critically and creatively, gain respect and appreciation for different cultures, and experience the real-world complexities of different settings. Ashley's experience is a testament to the effectiveness of experiential learning and the approach that her school takes towards providing an enriching learning experience.
 

Experiential Education in the Legal Studies Field

Experiential learning is becoming increasingly popular among law school programs. Law students are now gaining valuable hands-on experience in the field to complement their theoretical education. One student, who participates in the Washington University School of Law's Experiential Program, has found several advantages in the program.
 

The Benefits of Experiential Programs

Research has shown that law students enrolled in experiential learning programs benefit in many ways. The hands-on experience translates into more confidence when they practice law in the professional environment. It has also been found that students of experiential programs are more likely to secure jobs in law. In the case of Washington University's Experiential Program, the student felt that the program gave her the ability to gain a greater appreciation for the practice of law itself.
 

The Experiential Program at Washington University School of Law

The Experiential Program of Washington University School of Law is unique in that it offers multiple educational opportunities for its students. It is divided into three different programs – the Clinical, the Externship and the Residential. Each of these choices offers students a distinct way to learn about the legal profession. The program has also been recognized as a top-tier program by the National Law Journal.
 

The Student's Perspective on the Experiential Program

The student who is enrolled in the Washington University School of Law's Experiential Program has found that the program offers numerous advantages. She has more confidence in her abilities due to the hands-on nature of the program, and she has also been able to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the legal process. She commented that the program, “gave me a greater appreciation of the legal professionâ€.

<<It is precisely this positive, upbeat, attitude that has propelled an ambitious kid from the O.C. on his way to a career in law. Mr. Smith graduated as valedictorian from Dana Hills High School in 1997 and went on to pursue his undergraduate studies at U.C. Berkeley, where he had ''the time of my life.'' Now 25 and still having fun, Mr. Smith is a second-year law student at Southwestern University School of Law's SCALE program. He said the advice to never forget who he was or where he came from has helped him get through law school unfettered.

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''This advice comes in handy so much because of how competitive law school gets, because it is based on a curve, and I have seen some real caddy behavior, and keeping a level head and competing with a good attitude will really help you enjoy law school the way it can be.''

Mr. Smith chose Southwestern's two-year SCALE program for a number of reasons. He cited its smaller-sized campus, its impressive alumni, its location in Southern California, and scholarship money as factors that contributed to him choosing Southwestern. ''The fact that it was a two-year program played a huge role as well. Law school, I had been told, pushes students to the limit either way, and since I would not know any different, two years sounded better than three, and it has been.''

Mr. Smith said he is very satisfied with SCALE's unique program. In contrast to his friends who attend other law schools nationwide, he is given the opportunity to participate in law firm simulation training such as motions, depositions, arbitrations, and other work an attorney would do in the real world.

Mr. Smith added that because of the conceptual approach of the SCALE program, students are given the opportunity to have ''the cream of the crop professors'' teaching at the law school. He said that the small classroom setting offers more teacher-student interaction, particularly in projects that overlap with other classes. ''The two-year program seems intense to onlookers, as I am constantly told that I am crazy for doing this, but the program has an 'eerie' ability to push us when we have time and ease up when we are crunched,'' said Mr. Smith.

The small classroom setting has allowed many of the students to become close, but he admits for some people it could have the reverse effect of being a bit too close for comfort. But on the plus side, Mr. Smith said it is because of the small class size that the law school atmosphere differs from other law school settings that he has heard about.

''It is not a high school scene with popularity contests and parties,'' he noted. ''The class is diverse in age and background, and we have classmates of all ages and work history which is a benefit that we get to hear from other students' successes and failures in the business and legal world.''

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Mr. Smith's own advice for students currently shopping around for a law school is location, location, location. ''This is because there are few schools that have the national prestige that will give a student the contacts in order to get an internship which ultimately leads to a job. After you get some experience under your belt, it makes it easier to change locations, but for the immediate future, your school's location can play a big role.''

Another important factor to consider, he noted, is the size of the school. Since he did his undergraduate studies at the large campus of U.C. Berkeley, Mr. Smith wanted a smaller school entirely devoted to law. He added that tuition is also a big factor, since loans can pile up quickly.

Although he is still unsure which area of law he will specialize in, he looks forward to the externships that are coming up during his second year. The intense and highly structured curriculum of SCALE allows little time for summer internships, but students are given externships which are eight weeks of experience working for a law firm or judge ''This is going to be integral, as the only real downside to the program is our inability to do summer externships.''

Once a skeptic about the common sense of the law, Mr. Smith said his experience at Southwestern has changed his views and made him appreciate law, which he describes as a code of conduct that yields structure in our society. ''After reading so many opinions and really going through the thought process and logic that fuels our legal system, I have really gained a lot of respect for our legal system and the judges that preside over it,'' he said.

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