Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Outstanding Pre-1L Read
This was one of two books I've read in anticipation of starting law school this fall. I've been looking at some others, but I'm convinced that I won't find a better guide than Miller out there.Some who've been through law school take the attitute that "you either have it or you don't" towards success in school. This book debunks that theory. It gave me a workable plan for success, both in class and out. Don't discount the importance of a good bed and an 'office' to study. His study plan of briefing in the casebook, using the outlines and hornbooks, quite frankly all the tools at your disposal, makes sense, especially from a time efficiency point of view. Time is your most valuable asset. It doesn't pull punches about the pressures of law school, but it's not alarmist, either. Miller spends time discussing what's important. There's little nobility in doing things the hard way just for the sake of having done it the hard way. Remember your goal, and ignore this book to your own detriment.
Rating: - fantastic guide!
This guide to law school is extremely readable and practical. Miller provides advice on everything from study methods to social etiquette. Many of the best portions of this guide have been treated in other reviews on this site, but I'll elaborate on a few which I found very helpful: the section on briefing cases using many colors is great. This method is designed for quick recall of facts, even under the pressure of in-class Socratic questioning. Also helpful is the section on using "case maps" and "bullet outlines." These frameworks are a logical way to view, respectively, the relationships between cases and the general principles of a legal area. I loved the section on how to study if you're behind on reading or outlining. Miller has a keen sense for how to make the best use of a short time frame to achieve at least decent results. Finally, Miller's method for choosing among law firm employment offers is methodical and concerned with a broad array of factors, both economic and lifestyle-related. I am entering law school this fall, and feel significantly better prepared after having read this book. I highly recommend Miller's guide to anyone considering law school.
Rating: - Very Useful For Applicants
I have recently completed the law school admissions process and have been accepted at an Ivy League institution that was one of my top choices. Because my application had some serious "issues" that the book specifically addressed, I sincerely recommend that all applicants take the time to read Robert Miller's work. In my experience as a student, I have found that most of the school admissions preparation books that have been published are quite vague and are not written by people who have had firsthand experience with the process. To this effect, many law school admissions guidebooks are written by professional "experts" or "consultants", not people who have recently been through the actual application and educational experience. This book clearly gets to the heart of the whole law school admissions process by interviewing actual law students and an actual law school admissions officer. It takes the questions and concerns that the students had when they were applying and has the admissions officer answer them in great detail. This discussion does a wonderful job at clarifying the issues confronting a person who actually makes the decision on a file. What do you look for when a person has a good GPA and other excellent credentials but an LSAT score that is not up to the school's par? Why is this school not a realistic shot for this person? Does it really benefit someone to apply earlier rather than later? Under what circumstances should an applicant send an addendum of some sort and how should he/she write it? These are the sorts of matters that Miller talks about with the admissions officer and to students who now know the answers but wish they had known them earlier. I have yet to go through law school. But I can honestly say that I had never thought of some of the issues that the book discussed when I was filling out application forms. I credit the book's specific suggestions with my decision to say certain things on my admissions materials that I believe made a decisive impact in getting me accepted to one of my favorite schools early in the admissions cycle. And while I cannot say that everyone will have the exact same experience, I think that there is a great likelihood that the book will bring up issues and perspectives that many applicants never thought of.
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