Types of Help Offered by PASS Volunteers and Graduate Mentors

1. How to Succeed in Law School: PASS Volunteers and Graduate Mentors can share strategies they used in their approach to the first year of law school. Study tips, scheduling, hours of study, and strategies for managing the workload and time constraints can be discussed with the student.
2. Briefing Critiques: PASS Volunteers and Graduate Mentors can provide feedback on student briefs. This critique is most successful when the student brings samples of more than one brief, along with the relevant casebook and class notes.
3. Outlining Critiques: PASS Volunteers and Graduate Mentors can provide feedback on student outlines. This critique is most successful when the student has done a full outline of a portion of the subject matter. The outline doesn't need to be finished but should be fairly up-to-date. In fact, a critique of a full outline is not likely to be effective, because most students aren't finished with the outline until close to exam time, when there would be insufficient time to make any substantial adjustments. Students should think about how they plan to use their outline. Outlines may be used as a comprehensive outline of the area of law or as a study aid during the study period. It's usually best to develop a comprehensive course outline throughout the semester and then condense it into a study outline near the end of the semester.
4. Practice Exam Critiques: Graduate Mentors and PASS Volunteers can critique practice exams written by students. Critiques can focus on any aspect of exam-writing, including issue-spotting, depth of analysis, organization, or knowledge of the law. The student should e-mail or fax the practice exam and the student's answer to the Graduate Mentor or PASS Volunteers in advance. This will allow the Graduate Mentor or PASS Volunteer time to review the exam and the answer before meeting with the student to ensure efficient use of the meeting time.
5. Help with Specific Topic Areas: Graduate Mentors and PASS Volunteers can answer particular questions a student might have about a specific topic they are covering in class. Law students with a specific question like this should inform the Graduate Mentor or PASS Volunteer in advance. While Graduate Mentors or PASS Volunteers may broadly remember the topic, it helps to give them time to review the subject before a session.
6. Small-Group Study Sessions: Graduate Mentors and PASS Volunteers can meet with small groups of three to four students who have specific questions about a specific topic they are covering in class. Groups should inform the Graduate Mentor or PASS Volunteer in advance so the Mentor or Volunteer can review the topic before the session. Larger groups with questions about a specific topic should inform their Professor or the Director of Academic Support to see if a workshop on that topic can be arranged.
7. E-mail or Telephone Help: Some questions can be answered efficiently by telephone or e-mail rather than scheduling a formal meeting. It helps to be as specific as possible when asking questions in this manner. The Graduate Mentor or PASS Volunteer may determine that the question would best be answered in person, though, and might decide to schedule a meeting.

"Walk-in Meetings": Graduate Mentors and PASS Volunteers are available in Library Study Room 135 at posted times, about once or twice a week, to meet with students. No appointment is needed during these times, but students may sign up in advance. Students with questions about specific topics should try to sign-up in advance and e-mail the Graduate Mentor or PASS Volunteer so he or she can brush up on the topic. Students should bring any relevant study materials with them. Dates and times will be posted on the Academic Support TWEN page at Academic Support Calendar, the announcement whiteboard on the 2nd floor, and in the library.