What does the JD student experience actually look like?

Frankie Shinn-Eckberg

Senior Director of Student Services

Frankie Shinn-Eckberg serves as Senior Director of Student Services at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, where she supports JD students across the full arc of their law school experience.

Most people think of law school in snapshots: the first cold call, finals week, graduation day, the bar exam. What matters more, though, is how those moments connect — and how the JD experience is structured so students are not guessing their way through three years of high-stakes decisions.

At ASU Law, the JD experience follows a clear progression. Each year builds toward the next, academically and professionally, with bar preparation and employment planning woven in from the start.

Orientation: learning how law school works

Orientation is where students begin learning how to operate in law school — not just where to be and what to read, but how expectations differ from undergraduate or graduate study.

Students are introduced to:

This is also when students start hearing a consistent message: law school is cumulative. Choices made early — coursework, habits, disclosures, financial planning — carry forward.

The 1L year: structure, skills, and adjustment

The first year is intentionally structured. Everyone takes the same core courses, covering the subjects that form the backbone of legal education and appear on the bar exam:

Students spend much of 1L year learning how to think and work differently. Reading cases efficiently, organizing large amounts of material and writing under time pressure are learned skills, not assumed ones.

Alongside coursework, students are encouraged to:

By the end of 1L year, most students have adjusted to the workload and developed systems that carry them forward.

The 1L summer: first legal exposure

The summer after the first year is often a student’s first opportunity to see how legal work looks in practice.

Common paths include:

• Judicial internships
• Government or public interest roles
• Law firm positions
• Research or externship experiences

The purpose of this summer is not specialization. It’s exposure. Students begin learning what kinds of environments they enjoy, how legal organizations function and what skills they want to continue developing.

The 2L year: choice and direction

Second year is where students gain more control over their schedules and start making decisions with longer-term consequences.

This is also when most students plan for and take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE), which is required for bar admission in most states. Preparing for the MPRE gives students an early sense of how bar-style testing works.

Students also begin budgeting more intentionally during this year, factoring in bar exam fees, preparation costs and the post-graduation study period.

The 3L Year: Closing the Gaps

By third year, students are no longer learning how law school works. They are using it deliberately.

Key focuses include:

• Completing remaining graduation requirements
• Filling in any gaps in bar-related coursework
• Selecting a bar exam jurisdiction
• Submitting bar exam and character and fitness applications
• Choosing and registering for a bar review course

3L year is also when timelines matter most. Application deadlines, disclosure requirements and exam logistics vary by jurisdiction, and planning ahead prevents unnecessary delays after graduation.

After graduation: bar exam preparation as a full-time commitment

Once classes end, bar preparation becomes the primary responsibility.

Most graduates spend eight to ten weeks:

• Following a structured bar review program
• Completing practice questions and essays
• Reviewing results to identify weak areas
• Managing time, stress and personal obligations

ASU Law continues supporting graduates during this period through structured bar success programming and direct access to bar preparation guidance. Students are encouraged to stay connected and ask for help early if they need to adjust their approach.

How the pieces fit together

The JD experience is not a series of isolated hurdles. Orientation, coursework, experiential learning, career planning, bar preparation and licensure all connect.

Students who understand that structure early tend to make more confident decisions later — about courses, careers, finances and timelines. The goal is not just to graduate, but to enter the profession prepared for what comes next.

Looking ahead

If you’re considering law school, the most important question isn’t whether it will be challenging — it will be. The more useful question is whether you’ll have a clear path, consistent guidance and support that extends beyond the classroom. Understanding how the JD experience unfolds gives you a way to evaluate fit, ask better questions and plan intentionally from the start. If you’re ready to take that next step, the best place to begin is a conversation — about your goals, your concerns and how law school can work for you.