I just finished my first year at the University of Memphis Law School.
First year is a bitch, sure 'nuff. It's the hardest thing I've ever done, including USAF pilot training. Plan on spending 4 - 6 hours a day reading, which will be mostly cases. I took 15 hours first semester and 16 the second, while running a business, which almost went under from lack of attention - this year I'm going to part-time status until I can sell the store. Oh, and I'm 46 years old. If I have the energy for it, I'm sure you do, too.
Someone else said it, and it's true: you need to know how to read cases (and brief them for class, especially in Civ Pro) but the case study method does not teach you the nuts and bolts - although that is on the exam! That was the thing that gave me fits. Go get yourself a set of Gilbert study guides and read them along with your assigned cases, and you'll understand it much, much better.
I did the first semester without getting a laptop; I took notes on paper and put them into outline form on my PC at home. I finally broke down and got one second semester, but that was mainly because I had to run back and forth so much between school, work and home, and had to do my schoolwork when and where I had time. I took much "better" notes 2nd semester, but my grades stayed about the same. So I'd say that if you have a PC at home and aren't going to have to work the first year, you don't need to rush out and buy another computer to lug around.
I chose this school because I live in Memphis, own a home and a business here, etc.
Fortunately the law school here is a good one; it's been rated one of the best values in the country for a legal education. Yes, TN is starting to pop, especially around Nashville. Memphis is not gross, but it is a bit different because of the demographics, which I won't go into here, suffice to say that this corner of the state is the part that is the most "liberal" but that has a lot more to do with government handouts than actual political beliefs. But it's a great place to practice criminal or bankruptcy law.
Oh, and amazingly, the professors at U of M are completely apolitical, at least in class. After talking to them, it seems to be a pretty even split, the ones who've been in something like contracts are usually conservative while the ones who have had academic careers tend to be liberal. But I really respect the fact that I don't have to deal with their personal politics in class.
Just as an aside, my class is probaby 70% white, 25% black and 5% other, and is pretty evenly split male/female.