0L: Should you buy a copy of Black's Law Dictionary?

I've found my copy of Black's portable edition useful. The others seem to be a bit cumbersome, especially since you can look words up through Lexis or WestLaw. Also, it's not like they're using too many crazy legal words or anything. The need to look things up in the dictionary goes down considerably after the first month.

LSAT Courses

Here's my LSAT course primer:

The LSAT is a learnable skill. As such, most people should take an LSAT class. The few exceptions know who they are. LSAT courses help you focus, force you to study for the LSAT.

There are 4 major LSAT courses out there, and they can be divided into two subsections. There are few differences within the subsections.

Kaplan and Princeton Review
No one I know that has taken these has been overly happy. Compare to the endless praise given by PowerScore and Testmasters folks. They're supposed to do a good job on most everything but the logic games section. Most people I know that took Kaplan or Princeton Review recommended buying the Powerscore Logic Games Bible to supplement.

PowerScore and Testmasters
PowerScore is becoming the most recommeneded LSAT course, in no small part because of its LSAT Bibles it releases. Powerscore is an offshoot of Testmasters. Their methods are similar, if not the same in almost every respect. Each of these companies are praised by everyone I've talked to. A final note, Testmasters is known as ScorePerfect in Texas. Something about copyright infringement?

Bottom Line
Take an LSAT course. It's more important to take the course and do the practice stuff than to take the right course. It's better not to take a course and take practice exams than to take a course and think classroom time is going to save you.

Hope that helps.

0L Literature and Cinema

There's quite the market for 0L books out there.

I am part of the problem. I have quite a few of these on my bookshelf.

Looking at Amazon, some people have made "Books to read before Law School" lists. My view, which of course is the correct one, is that most of these are worthless for all practical purposes, but necessary for social purposes. Parents, friends, and lawyers are all going to ask you which you read. You have to be able to say "1L, of course, but that hasn't really reflected my experience here at [my school]. I also read [some other book] that seemed to get some things right and most things wrong."

If you are going to read something before your 1L year, here's the reading list:
One L by Scott Turow - Every Lawyer and Law Student has read this.
The Paper Chase - The classic law school movie. Not close to accurate, but we've all seen it.

Honorable Mention:
Getting to Maybe - Everyone I know that has read this says it's "OK, but repetitive". A copy is on most students' shelves.

Other books often recommended:
Law School Confidential - This book is more about fear and less about help. I tried to use some of their methods (5 highlighters?), and switched to other methods soon after. Factual issues seem to be correct, however.
Introduction to the Study and Practice of Law in a Nutshell - This is one of the only 0L books you can buy that doesn't attempt to scare you. It was useful in relieving some of the 0L stress, and it has some interesting essays by people with law degrees about life after school.
The Complete Law School Companion - I've only skimmed this one, can't say much. It covers more topics than most books, including LSAT and applications.
Planet Law School II - Often seen as taking second place to Law School Confedential in every respect, including amount of fear created. Haven't read it. Yet.

There's a DVD now - "All About Law School" - I'd love to watch this thing; the Youtube ad is a bit over the top.


Summary:
Buy a copy of 1L and read it. Watch The Paper Chase. Pick up a copy of Getting to Maybe an never read it in its entirety. Get at least one of the scary books and skim it, realizing that the more they can scare someone who is skimming the 0L section at Borders, the more copies they sell. If you're scared of law school already, read one of these and see that your imagination is far more active than it ought to be.

Law Shows

One of the upsetting things about law school is watching Boston Legal, Law & Order, and other legal shows. What we notice now are the specious claims (we also use the word specious), the contrived circumstances, and the questionable, if not outright wrong, legal rules. However, they often get things right, especially when the thing isn't driving the plot.

They also say things like "I became a lawyer because of blah blah blah." These people don't really exist.

Long story short, if you love your Law & Order, prepared to be let down.