Monday 11 May 2009

How To's: Getting Into Faculty of Law, UM, and Afterwards.

[Disclaimer: The Faculty of Law in UM implemented the semester system in 2010, thereby affecting the relevancy of a big portion of this post to all subsequent fresh intakes. The author graduated in 2012 and is not in the position to validate the accuracy of the information in this post with regards to the ongoing policy changes in the Faculty of Law in UM. Readers are advised to proceed with caution. =)]

i don't know how also. lols. crazy people in the panel. who knows what goes on in their minds?

hah.

anyway.

i checked my nuffnang page, and found that all sorts of people stumble upon my blog for many different reasons. it makes me wonder - how on earth does my blog have anything to do with "how to kill boredom"?

i know i play lame games all the time and then put them on the blog, but that doesn't mean... aih. never mind.

right. let's get back to the main objective of this post. this is for the benefit of clueless people who are probably as clueless as i was a year ago.


How I Filled In My Application
My motto at the time (still is) was:

I Will Be A Lawyer. Period.


I was dead bent on doing law. So I intelligently filled only two spaces in the form, out of eight:

UM - UNDANG-UNDANG
UKM - UNDANG-UNDANG


Something like that. Can't really remember what the form looked like. Codes and all are completely forgotten.

The system wrote back and said the minimum courses applied for is four. Aiseh. Again, I intelligently completed the form:

UM - UNDANG-UNDANG
UKM - UNDANG-UNDANG
UM - UNDANG-UNDANG
UKM - UNDANG-UNDANG

Clever?

The system apparently didn't think so.

"Kursus pertama sama dengan kursus ketiga; kursus kedua sama dengan kursus keempat."

Again, accurate quotation forgotten. Go try yourself if you're really so interested.

Fed up, I turned off the computer. I had a long talk with Dad about how to get round this, because although I had an interest in other stuff that had to do with writing, I would die if I couldn't do Law. So this is what we intelligently did:

UM - UNDANG-UNDANG
UKM - UNDANG-UNDANG
UiTM - UNDANG-UNDANG
UUM - UNDANG-UNDANG


Why this is so intelligent? Because although the minimum four slots are filled, the last two are bogus. As everybody knows, UiTM is for Bumiputeras, and fortunately (that's a first), I am so not a Bumiputera. As for UUM, only Form Sixers who took History for STPM were eligible to apply for Law in UUM. I took Business Studies, Math, Economics and PA.

I essentially only gave the panel two options to choose from. It was a risk, but I wouldn't have myself taking any other course.


Academic Requirements
I have no idea. It gets lower, methinks. Unless the seniors were bluffing during the faculty orientation (highly likely). During the Orientation, the seniors conducted an on-the-spot survey of everybody's STPM, Diploma, and Matrics results. The lowest they got to was 3.5. However, coursemates told me that there are people who achieved lower CGPAs than that.

Louis told me that for lower CGPAs, co-curricular achievement matters. That is, however, an undergraduate's speculation, and not an accurate diagnosis of the panel's brains.

If you want to survive in the faculty, though, it would be good to have done well in STPM or wherever you're from. If you can't even do STPM, how're you going to do Law? I mean, can la. But you'll be cursing the subjects everyday la. You don't want that, I think.

Both Science and Arts students can apply for Law. Some people say that their Science background helps because they can think better. Some people say their History background helps because they can memorize better.

It's up to the individual. I switched from Science to Arts in Form Six, because my sister took Phy-Chem and cursed every page she turned of the textbooks. History isn't all that necessary, because Law isn't all about memory work. That said, it's not all about analytical work either.

Your memory work is redundant if you can't analyze what you just spit out.
Your analytical work is worthless if you can't spit out a case @ authority.

You need both. Don't worry about not being a Science or History student. I was neither, and I still enjoy doing Law. And if you do get into the faculty, please don't go around insulting other people's courses or academic background. It's demeaning to yourself, because people tend to insult other people to bring themselves up. What business do you have being so pathetic?


Co-Curricular Requirements
I got a B, I think. I was super active in the Christian Fellowship (CF) in school. Was the President, joined the National Bible Quiz (this brings in a lot of marks, i tell you) etc.

However, my active participation in this all-year-long club cost me my participation in PBSM, because they were both on Fridays. I tried to attend as many meetings as I could, but still quite lousy la. No post somemore. And I don't believe in cheating i.e. asking friends to get you marks you didn't earn. Not to insult those who did, but it's a personal conviction that being resourceful in that way is not independence, but dependence in every sense of the word. I'm dependent enough on other people on other things. It was one thing I didn't want to depend on others for. =)

I emerged myself in EVERY sports house practice. Because I can't do sports. At all. Unless swimming counts. But nowadays people place more importance on land activities than water activities. We are creatures of the land, after all. Aih. I was also there for every ujian TARA and what-not.

I don't know if co-curric means anything, but I wouldn't be too worried about it.


What to Expect: Orientation
It's the entire week after college orientation. Ah, can't tell you much about this. Just be prepared. Really prepared. Mentally. Physical preparation isn't that important. Except for attire. Attire is HUMONGOUSLY important. i warn you first.

Don't wear white socks, for goodness' sake. bad experience.
Everything on you (except undergarments) must be either black or white.

White shirt@blouse, without frills and other-than-white lines
White@Black band for hair (actually i can't remember, but to play safe...)
Black shoes
Black socks
Black tie
Black pants@skirt


Other reminders:

o Don't wear heels. A lot of standing in store.
o Take care of your throat and health. Seriously.
o Long hair must be tied up.
o Use the blasted UM bag. It's the best for your shoulder.
o Remember Dean, Attorney-General, and Chief Judge's names.
Ahaha...
o Don't be afraid. If you know you're right, stand for it.

What to Expect: Buddy System
The seniors will start looking for a 'little buddy' among the freshies during the Faculty Orientation week. There's this buddy system in the faculty, where there's the first-year, second-year, third-year, and final-year family line. Each buddy on above will pass down his/her notes to the buddy below at the end of the semester. For freshies, you will obviously receive what we call your buddy notes after the Orientation, or during the Orientation, if your second-year buddy is not a member of the Orientation Committee. Some buddy notes are useful, and some are useless, depending on what kind of buddy you get. No worries. If your buddy is useless, then you can start practicing independence. It's a good thing.

My buddy was and still is, awesome, by the way. =D

You might want to organize your buddy notes ASAP, because different people study differently, and the syllabus might've changed in a year's time. Some notes may be redundant. Throw them away or recycle them without hesitation.

There's also that compulsory buddy meet you'll have some time after Orientation. It might or might not be fun, again depending on your buddies. My buddy-line is the largest with 32 people in it. Hard to explain here. But it gets better as more buddy meets happen. Try to berkamcheng with your buddies. I only got to really berkamcheng with them in the second semester, and for that, I regret how I spent my first semester. I randomly sat with my final-year buddy, Sher How, in the library during study week. For the first time. Because I'm only so often in the library. Huhu.

I asked him if he'd miss university life, and life as a student. At first he said no. After a few random conversations in between, and the taking of a Star newspaper for both of us by the Big Buddy, he let a moment of silence go by. And then he looked up from his notes and said:

"I think I will miss university life la."

He said it as if in unbelief.

"This is the first time I'm telling this to anyone.
You all la.
(referring to me and the other buddies)
Before this never even come to the library.
Then now, when there's only so little time left,
You come and sit beside me and make me think all these things."



Yeah. He was kinda scolding me for not coming to the library, but still. I was very moved. Time goes on as usual, and friendships are possible here in the faculty. Don't be tricked into thinking that lawyers are heartless and all that nonsense. We're still human. Very much so.


What to Expect: Subjects and Credit Hours
Credit hours = weightage.

1ST SEMESTER
Kemahiran Maklumat | 1 credit hours
Hubungan Etnik | 2
Legal Method | 3

Achievements (example)
Kemahiran Maklumat | 1 | No grade wan, either pass/fail nie. (-)
Hubungan Etnik | 2 | A- (3.70)
Legal Method | 3 | A (4.00)

CGPA Calculation[(2 . 3.70) + (3 x 4.00)] / (3 + 2) = 19.4 / 5 = 3.88


2ND SEMESTER Asas Keusahawanan | 2 credit hours
Tamadun Islam dan Tamadun Asia | 2
Malaysian Legal System | 3Law of Contract | 6Law of Tort | 6Undang-Undang Islam | 6
Why those three papers are 6-credit-hour papers is because you actually study them in the first semester, but you're not tested on them until the second semester. It's sort of like STPM, except it's a year instead of two years.

You kinda die like nyamuk mati terseksa if you don't start studying a little earlier than a week before.


What to Expect: Schedules
The Faculty of Law has this funny system, where you don't exactly have finals in the first semester. You goyang kaki in the first semester and start dying after the study week in the second semester.

I suggest that you goyang as much kaki as you can in the first semester. =P After your first year, tarak this kind of luxury d.

No la. Study also. AT LEAST organize your buddy notes. That's what I did. Very thankful I did.

You have two hours of lecture and an hour of tutorial for each law subject.
You have one assignment per subject. =D That said, keep the strict marking in mind. Lecturers here have very high standards, since we only have one assignment.

Fridays are usually off-days for the Faculty, as in no classes. Except poor students who have to go for English classes on Friday, 9 - 11am.


What to Expect: Subjects
Nuts to you if you can't do the university subjects.

I'd say that somehow, in the Faculty, law has become equivalent to language. Meaning, the better your command of English, the better your life will be here.

IMHO*, a good grasp of the Bible and how to study it would also help a lot. Law is all about analysis in context of the case or principle, the historical context of a principle, knowing when to interpret a word literally and when to interpret it figuratively. English Law has a lot of Biblical foundations as well, which should make it easier for Bible-reading Christians. E.g. the neighbour principle in the Law of Tort.

"Who is my neighbour?"

Sound familiar? =)


Legal Method
It's the foundation of all other law papers. You fail this, you can start reconsidering your choice to do Law. It covers basic aspects of Law e.g. What is Law, the contents of a case, how to differentiate principle from obiter, contents of statutes, statutory interpretation, the doctrine of judicial precedent etc.

Malaysian Legal System
Two parts: Legal History of Malaysia and Sources of Law. If you get Dr. Johan, pay your utmost attention to every single thing he says. Even stuff you think are not important. It helps if you're the kind of blogger who writes down everything people say that strikes you.

Law of Contract
This, in my opinion, kills people in the most horrible way. As the Chinese say, die also dunno why you died. Study earlier! The Law of Contract was my personal favourite, because I am a person who thrives under procedure and set rules and regulations, and this is one subject with a statute, meaning most of the principles are set out in black and white, with some exceptions. BUT the interpretation of those statutory provisions is pure murder.

Law of Tort
Tort is mostly case law. The only Act you have is the Defamation Act, which is not so very useful during the exam. You'll have an interesting lecturer for Tort, fondly known to us as Prof Nor. She has a cool Associate Professor husband who walks around the faculty with a ponytail and a sports bag and plays the guitar in his office in the faculty. She makes tutorials interesting, particularly because the questions will make you laugh till you drop. Difficult part about Tort is understanding the principles of Tort law, because there are no statutory provisions, and everything is really connected in a big picture, unlike the Law of Contract. However, it's the fun-est subject.

Undang-Undang Islam
Both our lecturers are awesome: Ustaz Khalil and Ustaz Muhsin. Ustaz Khalil lectured us for most part of our semesters. Don't worry about racism or whatever. If Ustaz Muhsin is anything like Ustaz Khalil, you'll find that he's the most tolerant Muslim you'll ever meet. He respects other religions and is cautious about demeaning or insulting them. He acknowledges certain grey and dark areas of Islam, and doesn't brush aside controversies, but rather, faces them right on. Islamic Law requires reading your buddy notes and listening during tutorials. Period.

English Proficiency for Law
It's actually just English. Except your comprehension articles would be about drafting wills etc. How fun your English class is depends on your lecturer. You can jump like a happy madman if you get Ms Cecily Joseph.


What to Expect: Seniors
Seniors may appear fierce at first, during Orientation, and perhaps for the most part of your first semester. But remember to have ideals, good ideals, and know how to communicate those ideals, and you'll find that you will earn respect sooner or later.

Seniority can sometimes be an issue in the Faculty. I have been put off quite a few times by this issue myself. Recently, however, I have found that it becomes increasingly easy to forgive their faults when you notice the good that they do. Let's just say that when they're mean, only a few of them are mean. When they're nice, all of them can be extremely nice. You'll learn to love 'em. Just try to do that earlier. I only started on that in the second semester.

Seniors like people who read the news, know current issues, have their own convictions, and seek to uphold justice. What else did you expect? Ahaha. Don't pressure yourself into being such a person if you're not, though. Don't ever let anyone make you someone you're not. If they try to inspire you into being someone better, that's a different thing. By all means, be inspired.

Be polite to seniors. I think it's a reasonable expectation. As a prospective senior, I don't expect juniors to bow down to me or whatever. Just smile when you see seniors, acknowledge that they're not invisible, and don't insult the faculty when you're with them.

It's a taboo.


What to Expect: Lectures and Tutorials
Go jump down a building and continue your dream in heaven if you think you're gonna get hand-out notes. You write your own notes. And you write fast if you want to write anything.

Anyhow, course outlines are handed out during the Orientation. Make full use of them. Analyze them and KNOW what's going to happen in lectures. Get a book to be your textbook, for goodness' sake. You wouldn't be able to survive on your oh-so-awesome cakar ayam notes for long.

Tutorials require you to speak. A lot. No speech bubble, no marks. Every single mark helps you in this Faculty. Don't undermine the power and necessity of tutorials. Prepare well for tutorials. Read up, so you'll have something to say during tutorials. And don't talk nonsense. It's annoying. Think before you speak, and DO speak. Don't hold back. Start this habit in the first semester. I only started really talking in the second semester, and that was so not cool for my tutorial marks.


What to Expect: Academic Achievement
Don't expect so much. It's not STPM/Matrics/Diploma and definitely not SPM. Not the same. Honestly. Your Form Six doesn't help much. It only helps you get rid of the SPM mentality. And perhaps gain some maturity.

Of course, if you scored a high CGPA for your pre-U stuff, it shows you might have a good brain up there la. But you still have to work hard and READ. How on earth are you supposed to know cases if you don't even read the case summaries in the books?

That said, don't be pessimistic either. You wanna get a star? You reach for it. Reaching means working hard. Get a ladder. Make one if you don't already have it. Get some hammer and nails and UHU glue. WORK.

For the easily-contented, you can stick with the first sentence under this heading. =P



That's all for now. Off to Bank Islam to get my bank statement. Buhbye.


*IMHO = in my humble opinion

30 comments:

Kock Sin said...

good analysis!! i wish i could read this post before i came to law faculty..

Stefienoki said...

u r really a good senior-to-be... haha

ray said...

wow, mmg bagus.

I laughed so hard on how u filled yr application lol

hwei said...

[Kock Sin] You couldn't have. Cuz I was a junior back then too. Ahahahaha. But yeah, I wish someone told us earlier. Especially the studying the Law of Contract earlier part. Huhu...

[Seoks] Eeeeeeee I don't really want to be a senior. T_T Macam tua semacam.

[Ray] Lols. I DID fill it in that way. And I DID think it was intelligent. =.=

Kauntan said...

holey smokes! you writing survival guide book ah =.=''xD

so kind to your juniors!

wah so fast you second year de loh.

Anonymous said...

hurm..i wonder..is the tutorial and lecture held in english or bm? or both?cuz like in uitm its fully english and ukm its fully malay.. so how bout um?i prefer english tho:)

saun said...

[Kee Aun] Yeah. It's well-needed. =P And I memang sangat kind wan. =D And yeah, I'm a second-year student d. T_T

[Anonymous] Er, I wonder who you are also. ^_^" Lectures are supposed to be held in BM, but the lecturers mostly don't bother that much wan la. As in they're not rigidly tied to the rule. They try to adhere to it la, but when they explain stuff, they go bilingual. sometimes. Tutorials are in English. We're using the bilingual system. =)

saun said...

Btw, this is Hwei using my brother's account. Aha.

nO_BoDy said...

hyepp.....
sorry 4 interupt...
juz wanna ask...
kenal ark ngan Fadzilah Dun????
kenal ark....
plezzzz.....
help me find her.....
dier amek law kt univ.malaya....
=(....

Ajer said...

wah!!i personally think that u r kinda freak economist cuz put everything the freakiest about law and UM into really in-depth analysis!
i strongly recommend u to read Superfreakonomist!really fun yet its freaking me out!

hwei said...

[Nobody] (weird haha) I am so so sorry for not replying for so long. Truth is I haven't seen your comment till today. I don't know Fadzilah Dun. =( Don't think you'll see this comment soon anyway. ^_^"

[Ajer] What a strange thing to say. Haha. Superfreakonomist? Sounds fun. Hahaha.

Wei Jiet said...

Hey, thanks for the info so much! I'm heading to UM Law faculty this July!

Deb said...

Hi...

I came across your blog during a google search about law in UM...very useful and informative...i'm gonna use this method to apply for next year too xD

btw...nice blog, i'd like to visit more often to hear your experiences as a law student:)

missandreajules said...

Hi, such a great post.
May I know your experience during the interview? There's a written interview right? What's it all about?

hwei said...

Haha. Hi. =D

No, there wasn't a written interview back then. I'm not sure about how it works now. =)

朋友 said...

Hmm can I ask?well I get the interview by dis 23rd.n I was wondering bout wat should I prepare ?Izit hard during the interview n wat mostly they ask?sorry for being dis troublesome..coz I dunno where to turn to..

朋友 said...

Hmm can I ask?well I get the interview by dis 23rd.n I was wondering bout wat should I prepare ?Izit hard during the interview n wat mostly they ask?sorry for being dis troublesome..coz I dunno where to turn to..

hwei said...

Hey Pei Yeong Teng.

There was no interview during my time, so I'm not sure what questions they ask.

My humble opinion is that they won't ask you about the law, because that won't be fair, especially if you didn't do foundational studies in Law.

I suppose you should prepare yourself for the standard questions at least, i.e. why did you choose to read Law, what are your expectations, what do you hope to achieve, why UM, etc.

Maybe stock up on knowledge of current issues too? If they want to ask anything about it, you should at least know about the elections, and maybe the issues that come with it (if you want to make an impression).

Be confident, and show them that this is what you really want, that you have faith that you can do it, and that you will be an asset to the Faculty of Law, UM.

That's the general underlying principle for every interview. =)

朋友 said...

Tanks for ur advice^^I appreciate it~well I will b well prepared coz i won't let ur advice to b wasted jz like dt..c u soon in UM^^

朋友 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Fun and Comfort said...

A witty explanation. Thankiew :)

Chen Fung said...

hey, can i know do you have any coursemate from matriculation without scoring 4.0 in their exam?

hwei said...

Dear Chong Chen Fung,

Yes, I did have coursemates from matriculation who did not score 4.0 in their exams.

Pixi3mo said...

Hey, what are the subjects that you covered for your 3rd year?

hwei said...

Dear Pixie Muzic,

As far as I can remember, the mandatory subjects in my third year were:-

(a) Jurisprudence;
(b) Company Law;
(c) Equity & Trust; and
(d) Public International Law.

I also had English for Professionals, took an Italian class and worked on my Academic Project (a much easier version of a thesis). =)

I seem to recall taking six mandatory subjects in my third year, but for the life of me I can't remember the last two now. So sorry. Haha.

Jean Lee said...

Hi , mind asking why did you choose to read law ?

hwei said...

Hi Jean,

I was on the school debate team for two consecutive years in Form 4 and 5. I found in Form 5 that having gotten over the "newcomer" jitters of being on a debate team that I had experienced when I was in Form 4, I actually enjoyed analytical work (thinking, mulling over options and possible rebuttals from opponents) and verbalizing the results of my analytical work (the actual debating). My dad had also suggested once that I read law because I enjoy those things.

Once I had determined to be a lawyer, the next issue was - what kind of lawyer would I be? I read a Christian newsletter detailing how Orang Asli churches in Malaysia were demolished by the government, and I decided that I should be a "land lawyer".

The first issue later on was that I found Land Law really dry in my 2nd year.

The second issue was that on hindsight, what I had really wanted to be was not a "land lawyer" (which, I think, is a conveyancing lawyer haha), but a human rights lawyer.

I'm still looking for opportunities to be a human rights lawyer, but I've found that it is quite difficult to do much human rights work in Malacca. What I've been able to do is to do a lot of pro bono work (more like helping people for free, but not necessarily anything to do with Article 5 of the Constitution) which are quite unlike the high profile human rights work we get in the Klang Valley.

The reason I chose to read law has remained the same throughout my years since that day in Form 5 when I made the decision. It was even affirmed on my first day in law school - I found that I really enjoyed my classes.

As to what kind of lawyer I want to be - that is still constantly being refined, and I'm enjoying the process as I go along. :)

Unknown said...

Hello
I need someone's help . I have an interview for law faculty soon. Please kindly share with how can i prepare for this. Thank you very much.

geetha

hwei said...

Dear Getha, I didn't go through the interview phase, so I don't have personal knowledge of what goes on during the interview. But my juniors have told me that the questions will be quite general and revolve around why you applied for that particular course, especially if you've applied for more than one course in UM. It wouldn't hurt to also read up on current issues if you would like to make a better impression. Hope that helps.

mailificent said...

Hi you took stpm first right before you enroll in this course? May i know your pointrr in stpm? I'm so sorry I just want to like set up my goal in order to enroll in this course. How old were you when you graduated? Hihi hopefully you notice my comment btw have a nice day ahead!!