Online versus in-person learning

[ami]

Could any 2L and 3L students share their opinions on whether 1Ls should take the online or in-person option if they're trying to decide whether or not to move from another city? Thanks!

[chagrin]

hi, not a 2L or 3L, but you should check the facebook group! Some people have posted in it about this and you might get some really good info! Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/254598733034955/ 

[lawjunkie]

On 6/9/2021 at 7:23 AM, ami said:

Could any 2L and 3L students share their opinions on whether 1Ls should take the online or in-person option if they're trying to decide whether or not to move from another city? Thanks!

I did online and did amazing. I found it easier than in-person. No need to get up in the morning. No extra-anxiety inducing environment. Just do it online and save yourself the $10,000-14,000 lol 

[TheRealLegallyBrunette]

Did you find that there were limited networking opportunities/opportunities to make friends when doing it online?

[TheRealLegallyBrunette]

On 6/14/2021 at 11:05 PM, lawjunkie said:

I did online and did amazing. I found it easier than in-person. No need to get up in the morning. No extra-anxiety inducing environment. Just do it online and save yourself the $10,000-14,000 lol 

Did you find that there were limited networking opportunities/opportunities to make friends when doing it online?

Edited June 23, 2021 by TheRealLegallyBrunette

[QueensDenning]

There is nothing worse than online school. If I went to Ottawa I'd be pissed off that they're allowing an online option.

[Quintessential_Gambini]

Depends somewhat on if you're an introvert or extrovert. 

[Obi-wan]

I just completed 1L online at Oz. I don't have any in-person law school experience to compare, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

If given the opportunity, I would have 100% chosen to do 1L in person. Being online was ok in some respects (sure you don't have to wear pants), but zoom classes got old really fast and there was nothing that came close to replicating the social experience online (yes - all the virtual events were great...but not the same). Also, I've found law school to be a very collegial space and the friends that I did make are amazing, however, the sheer fact of being online has prevented me from connecting with other people I would have otherwise gotten to know better if in person (both for social related things, and forming study groups). 

If you can afford to, I would highly recommend moving, and attending 1L in person. 

[SlytherinLLP]

Online school is horrible. It's nothing but a faint specter of the authentic 1L experience and I'm really sad for those that had to go through it (though always impressed with their resilience and fortitude in making the best of things).

My sincere advice is to give it your best effort to attend in-person. Even if you are an introvert or like some of the inevitable perks of WFH, it's best to get accustomed to interactions in a professional/social settings because that's going to be the norm for the rest of your career.

 

Edited June 23, 2021 by SlytherinLLP

[TheCryptozoologist]

Online school was uniquely painful. I mostly did seminars which I enjoyed, and shopped around heavy (dropped and added a dozen courses the first week).

Lots of courses I dropped consisted of sessional instructors staring into a webcam without any powerpoints, speaking in a one-way direction while everyone else has their cameras off.  The good courses were ones where professors engaged the students and encouraged participation. 

All in all, just do it in person. I found learning pretty easy when in class, but my grades and willpower noticeably declined when it went digital last year. 

On 6/23/2021 at 3:51 PM, TheRealLegallyBrunette said:

Did you find that there were limited networking opportunities/opportunities to make friends when doing it online?

Yes. Very much so. Community engagement drops to a zero when all activities and student spaces went online. Its very different when there's physical spaces and physical events and other community-building things. 

Student clubs/networking events were a great way to form friendships. Your 1L group is also a place where you can find some long-lasting friends, certainly most of them I won't forget. All of this is much harder online because it can quickly become very impersonal. 

[Primetime]

I would like to move to Ottawa for all the obvious in-person benefits. I’m just not sure if it’s worth it for only one guarantied in-person class and the hope that more could be added. What do others think, is that worth it?

[Goblin King]

Not a UO incoming 1L, but have lived in Ottawa a while. It depends on whether or not the COL would be substantially different than where you currently live and whether you value the in-person benefits more than the costs of moving away from your support network. If I was living at home and paying rent, I'd move to Ottawa to enjoy meeting classmates, professors, and employers. However, if I lived with my family, the cost savings would outweigh those benefits. Without understanding your situation better, tailored advice is difficult to give. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by Goblin King

[Primetime]

1 hour ago, Goblin King said:

Not a UO incoming 1L, but have lived in Ottawa a while. It depends on whether or not the COL would be substantially different than where you currently live and whether you value the in-person benefits more than the costs of moving away from your support network. If I was living at home and paying rent, I'd move to Ottawa to enjoy meeting classmates, professors, and employers. However, if I lived with my family, the cost savings would outweigh those benefits. Without understanding your situation better, tailored advice is difficult to give. 

I am currently living with family. It’s tough to justify the increase in cost if I were to move especially considering just one in-person class. I just wish we had more information on the possible adding of more in-person classes. It’s just all very vague right now and makes the decision process more of a gamble.

[Goblin King]

6 minutes ago, Primetime said:

I am currently living with family. It’s tough to justify the increase in cost if I were to move especially considering just one in-person class. I just wish we had more information on the possible adding of more in-person classes. It’s just all very vague right now and makes the decision process more of a gamble.

It might be possible to secure a short-term sublet for 4 months should winter term primarily be in person.