The Academic Enhancement Program (AEP) is a collaborative effort involving law school administration, faculty and students with the goal of assisting all students in developing the critical experiences and skills necessary for academic success in law school and beyond.

The AEP program is designed to promote academic excellence through enhancement and supportive services for students at all levels of academic performance. For first year students, the learning curve for mastering the law school curriculum can be steeper than expected because the study of law is unique and challenging.

"Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives-choices, not chance determine your destiny." - Aristotle

Read more about the AEP »

Year Specific Information Available

Looking for year-secific (1L, 2L, 3L, LLM-LI) information? Skip to the year-specific information »

AEP Academic Counseling Appointments

Meet with an AEP Fellow - (1Ls Only) - Available to answer course-specific only questions. Will be available the week of January 29th. 

Students discussing with each other in a classroom

AEP 1L Workshops and Study Groups

AEP skills workshops for spring 2024:

  • Closing Arguments for Mock Trial - Tuesday, Feb. 20th at 12:00pm
  • Tips for the Write-on Process for Law Journals - Mon. April 8th or Tues. April 9th

AEP Property study groups begin on Friday, February 9th. More information will be emailed.

students in a classroom

Using Academic Resources

The AEP has a collection of 1,000+ books that serve as secondary sources with focus on subject areas of select law classes. 

student highlighting notes in the library

Bar & MPRE Prep 

The AEP has external exam prep resources available and offers Bar Success Skills Sessions to help students enhance critical reading, thinking, and writing skills to maximize the chances of success on the bar exam.

birdseye shot of a student studying in the atrium with a book and highlighter

Year/Program-Specific Information

1L

The AEP has the following support services specifically designed to help make your first year at law school a success. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with AEP programs and services, then plan to take full advantage of them.

  1. LASSI
  2. Skills Workshops
  3. AEP Fellows Program
  4. Individual Consultations
  5. Enrichment Workshops
  6. AEP Study Group Program
  7. AEP Library Resources
  8. Exam Period at AEP
  9. Academic and Learning Skills
  10. Additional Resources

Not sure where to start? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions.

1. LASSI

The Learning And Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) is an online assessment tool which assesses skill-sets proven to help students maximize academic performance and be strategic learners. All incoming 1Ls are required to take the LASSI. More information about LASSI will be provided during Orientation.

Instructions for Completing LASSI (PDF). Only available during Fall Orientation.

Your results will be emailed to you shortly after completing the assessment. The AEP also gets a copy. If you have questions about your LASSI results, you may discuss the results with the AEP assistant Dean by scheduling an appointment.

2. Skills Workshops

AEP skills workshops are designed to equip students, sooner rather than later, with academic, learning, and study skills needed to master the law school curriculum. Workshops focus on topics such as outlining, issue spotting, legal analysis for exam writing, and exam prep. 

View the AEP Programming Schedule (PDF). 

3. AEP Fellows Program

AEP fellows will assist the AEP in carrying out its mission of providing academic skills necessary for LLM and first-year JD students' academic success in law school.  

AEP fellows are upper-level students who have performed well in a course and work with students, both JD and LLM students in that respective course, on a 1-on-1 basis. AEP fellows will assist students with their understanding of the course, study skills, and share AEP resources as needed.  AEP fellows assist students in understanding general topics, along with class-specific recommendations. They are not teaching assistants.

Please make an appointment to meet with an AEP Fellow.

4. Individual Consultations

You are able to meet one-on-one with the AEP Assistant Dean to brainstorm and strategize about how to academically succeed in law school.

The following are a few topics that students often address during one-on-one meetings:

  • LASSI Results (Fall Semester)
  • Individualized study strategies
  • Outlining: feedback on your drafts
  • Exam prep: planning ahead for finals
  • Exam-writing skills: practicing questions and getting feedback
  • Time-management tips
  • Grade follow-up: to highlight the good and brainstorm on improving performance
  • Stress Management: to achieve balance and avoid over-loading
  • Other related topics

Please make an appointment to meet with the AEP Assistant Dean.

5. Enrichment Workshops

The AEP has the following workshops scheduled for the spring semester.

  • Closing Arguments for Mock Trial - Tuesday, Feb. 20th at 12:00pm
  • Tips for the Write-on Process for Law Journals - Mon. April 8th or Tues. April 9th

6. AEP Study Group Program

The AEP study groups are designed to provide out-of-classroom opportunities for students to further clarify topics, and to discuss practice questions sometimes provided by the professor. Study groups are led by 2Ls (or 3Ls) who took the class with the same professor during their first year of law school. Weekly discussion sessions are on Fridays at 12:00pm during the semester. Participation is not required but strongly encouraged. For the spring 2024 semester, their will be a study group for Property.

7. AEP Library Resources

There are over 1,000 books and numerous handouts available to assist law student's studying.

See a list of AEP resources and learn more about how you can use the resources.

8. Exam Period at AEP

The last 5-6 weeks of each semester the AEP calls Exam Period. It means:

  • Practice questions and model answers are available.
  • UW law past exam and student answers. 
  • One-on-one exam prep appointments with AEP Assistant Dean is encouraged to establish individual study and exam prep strategies.

9. Academic and Learning Skills

The AEP is committed to equipping law students with academic, learning, and study skills they need for mastery of course contents and to achieve sound academic success. To that end, the AEP subscribes to the notion that law students must be self-regulating and strategic learners. To achieve that goal, law students must be proactive and avoid procrastination.

Fill out the AEP Academic Self-Assessment form.

10. Additional Resources 

The AEP has listed helpful links on a variety of subjects including outlining, stress management, and exam taking strategies form vetted sources. As with all other resources, please use information at these links as secondary study and learning suggestions only. Faculty members for your classes are the primary sources on all instructions regarding course contents.

View the Additional Resources page (Net ID required).

2L

As you know, the AEP provides support services and resources to assist you with your legal studies. For 2Ls, we highlight the following:

  1. Individual Consultations
  2. MPRE Prep Class
  3. AEP Skills Workshops
  4. AEP Library Resources 
  5. Exam Resources at AEP
  6. Academic and Learning Skills
  7. Additional Resources

1. Individual Consultations

One-on-one appointments with the AEP Assistant Dean to brainstorm and strategize about any topic you may want to discuss to enhance your academic performance is available to you.

The following are a few topics that students often address during one-on-one meetings:

  • Individualized study strategies
  • Outlining: feedback on your drafts
  • Exam prep: planning ahead of finals
  • Exam-writing skills: practicing questions and getting feedback
  • Time-management tips
  • Grade follow-up: to highlight the good and brainstorm on improving performance
  • Stress Management: to achieve balance and avoid over-loading
  • Other related topics

Please make an appointment to meet with the AEP Assistant Dean.

2. MPRE Prep Class

If you are planning on taking the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) and a bar exam in another state, we have information about requirements and resources available. Learn more about resources and information about the bar exam (Net ID required).

3. AEP Skills Workshops

Check back for spring 2024 skills workshops.

4. AEP Library Resources

There are over a 1,000 books and numerous handouts available to assist law students learn the law more efficiently. In addition to first year classes, the AEP has resources for most required law classes (i.e. Evidence, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, etc.) as well as a few upper level classes (i.e. Federal Income Tax, Business Organizations, etc.). Note we do not have books for every law class.

View the list of AEP resources and lean more about how you can use the resources. Email us at aep@law.wisc.edu with the study aids you are requesting.

5. Exam Resources at AEP

Check back closer to exams.

6. Academic and Learning Skills

The AEP is committed to equipping law students with academic, learning, and study skills they need for mastery of course contents and to achieve sound academic success. To that end, the AEP subscribes to the notion that law students must be self-regulating and strategic learners. To achieve that goal, law students must be proactive and avoid procrastination.

Fill out the AEP Academic Self-Assessment form.

7. Additional Resources

The AEP has listed helpful links on a variety of subjects including outlining, stress management, and exam taking strategies from vetted sources. As with all other resources, please use information at these links as secondary study and learning suggestions only. Faculty members for your classes are the primary source on all instructions regarding course contents.

View the Additional Resources page (Net ID required).

3L

In addition to academic support services that the AEP provides for all law students, we provide comprehensive information for getting a license to practice law in all 50 states in the U.S. We also offer classes to help you learn the academic expectations and goals of Bar Examiners in the 3 major section of bar exam.

Below are the list of academic support and related services that the AEP makes available to all 3Ls:

  1. External Exam Prep 
  2. Individual Consultations
  3. AEP Library Resources  
  4. Exam Resources at AEP
  5. Academic and Learning Skills
  6. Additional Resources

1. External Exam Prep

General Information

If you are planning on taking the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) and a bar exam in another state, we have information about requirements and resources available. Learn more about resources and information about the bar exam (Net ID required).

Skills and Strategies in Preparation

The AEP offers bar exam classes two times during an academic year. The classes are designed to teach skills and strategies needed to be well prepared in preparation for taking the bar exam. The class focuses on the 3 tests on the bar exam: the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE)/State Essays Exam, and the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE).

The AEP Bar Success Skills sessions is not intended to replace commercial bar preparation courses such as Barbri, Themis, or others. The AEP class complements such courses to enhance chances of success on the bar exam.

Learn more about the bar exam skills sessions.

Note: Please check the National Conference of Bar Examiners website regularly for detailed information and/or updates to the syllabi of the bar exam. 

2. Individual Consultations

One-on-one with the AEP Assistant Dean to brainstorm and strategize about any topic you want to discuss to enhance your academic performance is available to you. 

The following are a few topics that students often address during one-on-one meetings:

  • Individualized study strategies
  • Outlining: feedback on your drafts
  • Exam prep: planning ahead for finals
  • Exam-writing skills: practicing questions and getting feedback
  • Time-management tips
  • Grade follow-up: to highlight the good and brainstorm on improving performance
  • Stress Management: to achieve balance and avoid over-loading
  • Other related topics

Please make an appointment to meet with the AEP assistant Dean.

3. AEP Library Resources

There are over 1,000 books and numerous handouts available to assist law students learn the law more efficiently. In addition to first year classes, the AEP has resources for most required law classes (i.e. Evidence, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, etc.) as well as a few upper level classes (i.e. Federal Income Tax, Business Organizations, etc.). Note we do not have books for every law class.

See a list of AEP resources and learn more about how you can use the resources. Email us at aep@law.wisc.edu with the study aids you are requesting.

4. Exam Resources at AEP

Check back later in the semester.

5. Academic and Learning Skills

The AEP is committed to equipping law students with academic, learning, and study skills they need for mastery of course contents and to achieve sound academic success. To that end, the AEP subscribes to the notion that law students muse be self-regulation and strategic learners. To achieve that goal, law students must be proactive and avoid procrastination.  

Fill out the AEP Academic Self-Assessment form.

6. Additional Resources

The AEP has listed helpful links on a variety of subjects including outlining, stress management, and exam taking strategies from vetted sources. As with all other resources, please use information at these links as secondary study and learning suggestions only. Faculty members for your classes are the primary sources on all instructions regarding course contents. 

View the Additional Resources page (Net ID required). 

LLM

The AEP welcomes you to the University of Wisconsin Law School. We look forward to meeting you during the orientation program organized for you by the Graduate Studies Program. In addition to AEP presentations during your orientation, the AEP will schedule large-group skills workshops designed for your academic needs every month during the semester.

The Academic Enhancement Program provides academic support services and resources to assist you with most (not all) of your classes you take as electives. Below are the list of academic support and related services that the AEP makes available to LLM students:

  1. External Exam Prep
  2. Skills Workshops
  3. Individual Consultations
  4. AEP Library Resources 

1. External Exam Prep

General Information

If you are planning on taking the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) and a bar exam in another state, we have information about requirements and resources available. Learn more about resources and information about the bar exam (Net ID required).

Skills and Strategies in Preparation

The AEP offers bar exam classes two times during an academic year: winter session (in January), and during the spring semester. The classes are designed to teach skills and strategies needed to be well prepared in preparation for taking the bar exam. The class focuses on the 3 tests on the bar exam: the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE)/State Essays exam, and the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE). 

The AEP Bar Success Skills sessions are not intended to replace commercial bar preparation courses such as Barbri, Themis, or others. The AEP class complements such courses to enhance chances of success on the bar exam. 

Learn more about the bar exam skills classes here.

Note: Please check the National Conference of Bar Examiners website regularly for detailed information and/or updates to the syllabi of the tests on the bar exam. 

2. Skills Workshops

Spring 2024 skills workshop schedule will be posted here.

3. Individual Consultations

As an LLM student, you may be allowed to meet one-on-one with the AEP Assistant Dean to brainstorm and strategize about your academic support needs by following these steps:

  • Step 1: Go to the Graduate Studies Program and meet with Jason Smith to discuss your need for academic support. 

  • Step 2: Have Jason complete the Student Referral Form (PDF).

  • Step 3: Bring completed and signed form to the AEP office in Room 5224 to schedule an appointment with the AEP Assistant Dean.

4. AEP Library Resources

Books and Study Aids: There are over 1,000 books and numerous handouts available to assist law students learn the law more efficiently. Note we do not have books for every law class. However, we do have them for most required law classes. View the list of AEP resources and lean more about how you can use the resources. Email us at aep@law.wisc.edu with the study aids you are requesting.

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