PLEASE HELP! Female, HS Junior, First-Gen College, 2nd Gen American, 4.0 GPA, lots of ECs

Demographics

  • US citizen (born in country, lives here since birth)
  • State/Location of residency: NJ
  • Type of high school: public, but pays tuition-based b/c out of district ($16,000/year (financial cost is a strain on parents)) (parents paid for HS in hopes that it will be easier for me to get into a good college b/c the other HS in the area was NOT rigorous at all)
  • Gender/Race/Ethnicity (optional): female, white, 1/2 French, 1/2 Hungarian, and deeply connected to cultural heritage (speaks/reads/writes Hun fluently, learning French in school)
  • Other special factors: first gen, varsity swimmer (does club team as well), varsity debate, piano, environmental club, french club, volunteers 30 hours a year

Intended Major(s)

  • wants to go into law (international? immigration? still trying to decide, haha)
  • probably will end up in international relations/pol sci or 3+3 pre-law program if possible
  • technical writing or science writing are options (thinking of them because I NEED to make good money right out of college to support my parents (who are older) and my own higher education)
  • communications/journalism is a maybe, as it doesn’t pay the best

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 4.0
  • Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system): 4.4875
  • Class Rank: ? (our school doesn’t do that)
  • ACT/SAT Scores: PRE-ACT was 31 composite (34 science, 26 math (LMAO), 30 english, 33 reading), PSAT was 1210 (weaker in math, but I don’t have the numbers right now)
    • WILL PROBABLY TAKE ACT, but let me know what you think is better

Coursework
-AP Art History (this year/our school only allows 1 AP for sophomores) = 5
-will take AP Seminar, AP Lang, APUSH, AP Precalc in junior year
-will take Honors Global Citizenship/Service, Honors Bio, Honors French IV, Gym in junior year
-ALREADY HAS HIGH SCHOOL LANGUAGE CREDITS (+ OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION) IN HUNGARIAN)

Awards
-National French Contest Award (Level II (2023) + Level III (2024))
-North Jersey Spelling Bee Finalist 2022 (8th grade)
-High Honor Roll all semesters

Extracurriculars
(Include leadership, summer activities, competitions, volunteering, and work experience)
-30 hrs volunteering yearly (mainly in school library, writing/designing letters to elders)
-2 yr work experience as swim instructor (ages 3-16) + lifeguarding certification, CURRENTLY WORKING AS AN ASSISTANT COACH ON SWIM TEAM
-varsity debate team
-varsity swim team (main swimmer of 100 yd butterfly for team, often in B-relays)
*I KNOW THAT LEADERSHIP IS MY WEAK POINT. I’m really struggling to find leadership opportunities in my community, though, since so many clubs are already established in my school.

Essays/LORs/Other
N/A, but any essay advice would be helpful! :slight_smile: I’m planning on writing about something connected to my heritage if I’m prompted to write my college essay about who I am as a person.

Cost Constraints / Budget
(High school students: please get a budget from your parents and use the Net Price Calculators on the web sites of colleges of interest.)

  • Parents don’t want to pay more than 25K/year for college, but looks like colleges expect like 35K+ (hopefully some merit/scholarships will come into play)
  • schools that will OFFER MERIT ARE A PRIORITY

Schools
(List of colleges by your initial chance estimate; designate if applying ED/EA/RD; if a scholarship is necessary for affordability, indicate that you are aiming for a scholarship and use the scholarship chance to estimate it into the appropriate group below)

  • Safety: 60%-70% accept rate
  • Likely: 50-60%
  • Match: …you tell me! :slight_smile: probably 30-50%??
  • Reach: less than 25%
  • AIMING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
    • currently considering schools like: Middlebury, Bennington, Vassar, Bowdoin for reaches. Maybe some of the SUNY schools for match/likely. WOULD LIKE TO STAY IN THE NORTH EAST if I stay in America
  • PLEASE NOTE: I am open to going to college outside of the country (i.e. SciencesPo would be an option b/c I’m a French citizen / CEU in Vienna would be an option b/c I’m an EU citizen (hold a Hungarian passport as well)) If you know any good foreign, AMERICAN ACCREDITED colleges, let me know! :slight_smile: (Currently looking into McDaniel College a bit)

I am really going to struggle with paying for college. My family pays for my high school education currently because the schools around us are not good at all, so they decided to send me somewhere better out of district. We’re a middle class family of 3, so financial aid/grants for poverty are not an option. I’m struggling to find scholarships, so if you have anything, that’d be so, so helpful. Thank you!

It may also be worth it to note that I may apply to Questbridge or another school-student matching program. If you have any thoughts on this, let me know!

Run the NPC. Bowdoin, Middlebury, and Vassar do not offer merit, only need based. If your family cannot afford what the NPC spits out, cut these off the list.

4 Likes

You should check the income guidelines. If you are indeed middle class, you will not qualify for this.

I wouldn’t say so. Working is a form of leadership, especially teaching younger students. That’s excellent leadership right there. Leadership isn’t always a club title; often it is what you DO. Teaching is absolutely leadership.

When the time comes, CC offers free essay help and review - you are welcome to take advantage of this service :slight_smile:

5 Likes

Not sure why you didn’t mention Rutgers. You would be very competitive for admission.

As stated above, you’ll need to pay close attention to the NPC calculators to determine whether you’ll get sufficient aid for private schools and out of state public.

2 Likes

You mentioned SUNY:

SUNY Geneseo will match the cost of Rutgers. They also give merit to OOS students up to $8000 a year. That, along with the small student loan if necessary, should bring the cost down to your price point.

3 Likes

$25,000 is tough, maybe lower tier NJ schools like Stockton or Ramapo? Rutgers and TCNJ are closer to $35,000, and many NE OOS publics top out at $35,000 - $40,000 with top merit. If you’re eligible for questbridge you are probably eligible for FA.

1 Like

Rutgers is a very good university. I have known Rutgers graduates in many ways (fellow students in a very good graduate program, coworkers, a former boss, in-laws) and they have all made Rutgers look very good.

You might also want to consider TCNJ and Seton Hall, and possibly some other in-state public schools. Someone I know who is from NJ attended Seton Hall with significant merit aid, but this was quite a while ago. They then went on to get two master’s degrees from Columbia, and thought that the education was just as good at Seton Hall.

As a citizen of France, you would pay “citizen of Canada” prices at any university in the Province of Quebec. Your French would need to be very good to study at a French language university, but there are three that teach in English: McGill, Concordia, and Bishop’s. Concordia is just up the street from McGill in Montreal, is very good, and is approximately the same size as McGill. Bishop’s is a very good small university in Lennoxville, which is an almost fully bilingual town which I think might legally be part of the neighboring small (and French speaking) city of Sherbrooke. There are multiple universities in Quebec that teach in French, but which I do not know as well. Universite de Montreal is the one that is both the largest and the highest ranked.

The University of Ottawa is officially bilingual, and gives a tuition break to students who take classes in both English and French. The last time that I checked (which was quite a while ago) this tuition break also applied to international students. However, I have no idea whether this would be enough to get to your price point.

If considering any university in Canada, be sure to take the exchange rate into consideration. It is very favorable for those of us who live in the US and pay tuition at a university in Canada.

You should run the NPCs before you apply. For us the NPCs for Bowdoin and Middlebury were not encouraging at all, but your results may differ. Bennington does offer some merit aid, but again for us this did not bring the price anywhere near $25k/year.

7 Likes

The information you’ve shared regarding finances is a bit confusing for those of us very familiar with the process and terminology. But for many who are not, terms sometimes are misused. Apologies if I’m spelling out things you already know. :smiley:

Merit aid = (typically) awarded without consideration of a family’s income level.
Need-based aid = financial grants calculated annually based on a family’s income/assets.
Questbridge = a program providing support for low-income students. Low-income is loosely defined as less than $65k income per year and few if any assets.

In general, a middle income family on a merit hunt (because they aren’t low income enough to get sufficient need-based aid) would not qualify for Questbridge. But you should definitely look into this further if you think you’d qualify.

As others suggested, step one would be running the NPCs for a few schools in your list that do not offer merit (eg, Vassar, Bowdoin). Then let us know if they are affordable. If so, you will not be limited to schools offering merit. If they are out of your budget, we can help with a more realistic list.

You’ll definitely have good options with your profile if you apply wisely. Getting a handle on the budget up front can be challenging and unexpected for first gen families as US schools are so expensive compared to many other countries. People here will be happy to help.

8 Likes

So the first thing is - you want a 3+3 so best to apply to schools with a 3+3.

You can go to law school from any school though - if you go the more traditional route.

If you need schools that cost $25K or less, that really limits you.

The first place to start is your in state schools - you have many in New Jersey.

This list of 3+3 options might help. It looks like NJIT/Seton Hall and Rutgers are in state options. Don’t forget, law school has a cost too.

I’m not sure how you’ll hit cost - but I wish you luck and hopefull other posters can help you with your financials.

ARIZONA

University of Arizona/James E. Rogers College of Law

Program Requirements

  • Complete all graduation requirements except for the 27 law units needed for the BA in Law by the end of your junior year
  • Earn an overall cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher
  • Apply any time during junior ear with a minimum overall 3.3 GPA and either a GRE score or an LSAT score

ARKANSAS

University of Arkansas at Little Rock/William H. Bowen School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Complete a major in philosophy from UALR
  • Maintain a UGPA of 3.5 or higher
  • Score in the 75th percentile or higher on the LSAT
  • Complete the UALR Core Curriculum and satisfy the language requirement

CALIFORNIA

California State University Northridge/Southwestern Law School

Program Requirements

High-School Applicants

  • You must have already been admitted to CSUN;
  • You must have a 3.0 cumulative high school GPA as of February of your senior year (in other words, your cumulative GPA calculation must include the first semester of your senior year);
  • You must have a minimum ACT score of 25 or a minimum combined SAT (Math section + Verbal section) score of 1050; and
  • You must be planning to major in one of the majors that is compatible with the program

CSUN Applicants

  • You must have completed one full semester at CSUN;
  • Your cumulative GPA after that semester at CSUN must be a 3.0;
  • You must have completed a minimum of 15 units at the end of your first semester as a first-time freshmen (either by taking 15 units in your first semester at CSUN or by having a total of 15 units from fall semester at CSUN + any AP credits that count for GE or major requirements); and
  • You must be majoring in one of the majors that is compatible with the program

University of Southern California/USC Gould School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Complete your undergraduate degree requirements by the end of your third year of college.
  • Maintain a 3.80 undergraduate cumulative GPA.
  • Report an SAT/ACT score within the 85th percentile. Focus will be on the critical reading section. Those who do not possess a score, or do not fall into the 85thpercentile, are not eligible to apply to this program. There are NO exceptions to this rule per the ABA guidelines for non-LSAT admissions.

CONNECTICUT

Quinnipiac University/Quinnipiac University School of Law

Program Requirements

High-School Applicants

  • Be admitted to a major in the College of Arts and Sciences or in the Schools of Business, Communications, Computing and Engineering or Health Sciences at Quinnipiac.
  • Earn a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) in high school.
  • Rank in the top 20 percent of their high school class.
  • Achieve a combined critical reading and math SAT score of at least 1200 or a composite ACT of at least 25 or higher.

Quinnipiac Applicants

  • Meet or be close to the same eligibility criteria for first-year students entering the program directly through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
  • Sophomores entering the program must have a minimum of 27 credits with at least a 3.0 GPA at the end of their first year.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Catholic University of America/CUA Columbus School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Students must meet the admissions standards of the Law School.
  • By the middle of the junior year they must achieve a score above the 66th percentile on the Law School Aptitude Test (LSAT).
  • Students with less than a 3.6 at the end of their sophomore year may not apply.
  • To be admitted to the Law School, the students must also complete by the end of their junior year all non-waivable requirements (including the comprehensive examination) and a minimum of 30 courses.

FLORIDA

Stetson University (and other participating colleges)/Stetson University College of Law

Program Requirements

For Stetson University students:

  • Be a student in any major within the College of Arts and Sciences or the School of Business Administration;
  • Provide notice to the Pre-Law Advisory Committee of intent to apply for the 3+3 Program on or before September 1 of the year prior to the intended matriculation date at the College of Law (generally at the beginning of the student’s junior year);
  • Complete the number of credits necessary in the undergraduate curriculum required for graduation except for the 31 credits to be earned during the first year at the College of Law. Such credits must be earned before matriculating at the College of Law and at least 48 credits earned in the undergraduate curriculum must be completed at the University;
  • Complete all general education requirements and all requirements for the student’s major before matriculating at the College of Law;
  • Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 in courses taken in the undergraduate program as of the date of application to the College of Law;
  • On or before the application date, earn a minimum score on the LSAT at the 75th percentile of the most recent class to matriculate at the College of Law;
  • Receive the written recommendation of the Pre-Law Committee no later than December 1st in the academic year before the student intends to begin J.D. study;
  • Apply to the College of Law for admission into the full-time J.D. program between October 1st and January 15th in the academic year before the student intends to begin J.D. study;
  • Meet the College of Law’s character and fitness requirements and comply with the College of Law’s general admissions policies; and
  • Participate in the College of Law’s Academic Success Workshop during the student’s first year of law school.

For Univesrity of South Florida (Honors College) students:

  • Provide notice to the USF Judy Genshaft Honors College of intent to apply for the 3+3 Program on or before September 1 of the year prior to the intended matriculation date at the College of Law (generally at the beginning of the student’s third year);
  • Complete at least 89 credits in the undergraduate curriculum before matriculating at the College of Law; of these credits, at least 45 must be completed at USF;
  • Be eligible for graduation from USF no later than 4 years after first matriculating at USF, when courses from the first year of study at the College of Law are applied to the student’s academic record per the course equivalency table adopted and approved by the USF Undergraduate Studies Council;
  • Earn a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.5 in courses taken at USF as of the date of application to the College of Law;
  • On or before the application date, earn a minimum score on the LSAT at the 75th percentile of the most recent class to matriculate at the College of Law;
  • Receive the written recommendation of the Dean of the USF Judy Genshaft Honors College no later than December 1 in the academic year before the student intends to begin J.D. study;
  • Apply to the College of Law for admission into the full-time J.D. program between October 1 and January 15 in the academic year before the student intends to begin J.D. study;
  • Meet the College of Law’s character and fitness requirements and comply with the College of Law’s general admissions policies.

Jacksonville University/Florida Coastal School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Full-time student (12+ credit hours per semester)
  • Eligible JU students must complete all core curriculum and major specific course requirements by the end of their junior year
  • The remaining general elective credits and up to 9 credits of elective courses within the major need to earn the baccalaureate degree will be taken as a first-year law student at Coastal Law and will satisfy the remaining requirements to obtain a BA, BS, or a BBA degree from JU
  • Participants can earn no more than 30 units of lower division credit from an institution other than JU – all upper division courses must be taken at JU, making participation in the program more difficult for transfer students
  • Eligible students must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) of 3.30 as reported by LSAC (Law School Admission Council)
  • The first year of law school will be completed with the minimum cumulative GPA required by Coastal Law to remain in good standing
  • Credits required for graduation from JU must be earned by the end of August following the first year of law school
  • At the beginning of your junior year, take the Law School Admision Test (LSAT) before applying for admission and achieve a minimum score of 154
  • Participants must have their LSAT scores available by February of junior year at JU
  • Apply for admission to Florida Coastal School of Law by February 1
  • Meet Florida Coastal School of Law’s requirements for moral fitness and character

University of Central Florida/Florida State College University College of Law

Program Requirements

  • Successful completion of at least 15 credit hours of UCF course work with a 3.2 UCF GPA
  • Completion of at least one year (30 credit hours) in residence at UCF
  • Take the LSAT during (or prior to) their junior year and earn a score acceptable for admission
  • Apply for admission by the published deadline during the student’s junior year or as otherwise established by the law school
  • Meet the law school’s requirements for moral fitness and character as set out in its admissions application
  • Pay the same tuition and fees for law school as do other first-year students

GEORGIA

Georgia State University (Honors College)/Georgia State University College of Law

Program Requirements

  • Eligibility for the accelerated degree program requires completion of at least 15 credit hours earned as a high school student prior to attending Georgia State. Ideally, students will have earned 24-30 hours of credits through programs such as AP, IB or dual enrollment. Students must be enrolled in the Honors College at Georgia State to be eligible and will need to meet with the program coordinator to make a final determination of eligibility.
  • Transfer students may be eligible but still must meet high school credit requirements and apply to the Honors College upon admission to Georgia State.
  • You must submit a statement of interest to the Honors College. Current Honors College students should schedule an appointment with April Lawhorn. If you are not a current Honors College student, you can apply through the Honors College Application.
  • You must take the LSAT and complete the College of Law’s application process.
  • Credits earned during the first year of law school can fulfill your upper-level and residency requirements for the bachelor’s degree, provided you’ve finished all requirements for your undergraduate major except for electives. You’ll receive your bachelor’s degree when you successfully complete all first-year law courses, normally at the end of your fourth year.
  • To earn a J.D., you must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours (42 credit hours of required courses and at least 48 credit hours of electives)

Mercer University/Mercer Law School

Program Requirements

For Mercer undergraduates in the College of Liberal Arts

  • Complete 90 hours and all of the requirements of their chosen major in residence at Mercer University by the end of the second semester of the student’s third year;
  • Have a cumulative 3.5 GPA at the time of law school application, as well as at the end of the applicant’s third year;
  • Score at or above the median Law School Admission Test score of the preceding year’s entering class;
  • Apply for this program by completing the form available from the CLA’s pre-law advisor, Dr. Lori Johnson, by the end your second year. Email Dr. Johnson at johnson_la@mercer.edu for the application;
  • Demonstrate the character, fitness and capability of satisfactorily completing the law school program and being admitted to the bar; and
  • Complete the law school application process through the Law School Admissions Council no later than January 15 of the year for which the applicant is applying to law school. The application process includes providing at least two letters of recommendation. One letter must be from the chair of the applicant’s department and one letter must be from another Mercer faculty member, and these letters should address the maturity of the student and his or her ability to meet the rigors of the law school environment and curriculum. The law school may require the applicant to interview with its representatives during the application process.

For Mercer undergraduates in the School of Business

  • Completion of 90 hours to include all requirements of general education, all requirements of the business core, and all the requirements of their chosen major in residence at Mercer University by the end of the second semester of the student’s third year;
  • Achievement of a cumulative 3.5 GPA at the time of law school application, as well as at the end of the applicant’s third year;
  • Achievement of a score at or above the median Law School Admission Test score of the preceding year’s entering law school class;
  • Application for this program by completing the form prescribed by the SHSB prelaw advisor;
  • Demonstration of the character, fitness, and capability of satisfactorily completing the law school program and being admitted to the bar; and
  • Submission of a complete law school application through the Law School Admissions Council no later than January 15 of the year for which the applicant is applying to law school. The application process includes providing at least two letters of recommendation from Mercer faculty. One letter must be from a faculty member in the student’s business major discipline. Both letters should address the maturity of the student and his or her ability to meet the rigors of the law school environment and curriculum. The law school may require the applicant to interview with its representatives during the application process.

Piedmont College/Mercer University School of Law

Program Requirements

  • A cumulative GPA of 3.5 at the time of law school application, as well as at the end of the applicant’s third year;
  • Score at or above the median LSAT score of the preceding year’s entering class;
  • Two academic letters of recommendation from members of the College faculty, with one of these letters written by the College Prelaw Advisor and one letter from the chair of the applicant’s department. The letters should address the maturity of the student and his or her ability to meet the rigors of the law school environment and curriculum;
  • Demonstrate the character, fitness and capability of satisfactorily completing the law school program and being admitted to the bar; and;
  • Complete the law school application process through the Law School Admission Council no later than January 15 of the year for which the applicant is applying to law school

Wesleyan College/Mercer University School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Students enrolled in this program are expected to complete all Wesleyan College core requirements, including those of their chosen major, with a minimum of two and a half years in residence, and at least 90 credit hours at Wesleyan prior to attending law school.
  • This program is recommended for majors in politics & global studies or English. Students may elect other majors, but MUST have a pre law minor and engage in the requisite coursework required for the 3 + 3 program.
  • To be considered for Mercer Law, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above in Wesleyan College coursework and score at or above the median LSAT score of the preceding year’s entering class

University of Georgia/University of Georgia School of Law

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

ILLINOIS

DePaul University/DePaul University College of Law

Program Requirements

  • In order to maintain status in the program, students must demonstrate satisfactory progress toward completing their undergraduate coursework in three years, including meeting the Modern Language Requirement and necessary Liberal Studies Program or Honors Program requirements.
  • Students who enroll in the BA/JD program in 2022 or later must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.7 by the end of their second year of undergraduate study and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.7 in their third and final year of undergraduate study.
  • In addition, students must complete a series of two-credit courses, taught by College of Law faculty, prior to matriculation in the College of Law
  • In order to matriculate in the College of Law, students will be required to register with the Law School Admission Council, submit the College of Law’s online application, comply with all character and fitness requirements for admission, and submit an LSAT or GRE score. The activities should be completed no later than February 1 of the participant’s third undergraduate year. The LSAT or GRE score will only be used for consideration of merit scholarships; it will not be a factor in the admission of the participant to the program.

IOWA

University of Iowa (and other participating colleges)/University of Iowa College of Law

Program Requirements

  • In addition to being an eligible junior at one of Iowa Law’s partner institutions, applicants must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), complete the law school application, and submit a certification of eligibility from their current schools.

Drake University/Drake University Law School

Program Requirements

  • 3+3 applicants will be required to take the LSAT. The test is typically taken one year in advance of anticipated law school enrollment.

KANSAS

Washburn University/Washburn University School of Law

Program Requirements

For high-school applicants

  • Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA or an ACT score of 28.
  • This program is available to students who major in an approved area in the College of Arts and Sciences at Washburn. These majors include: Anthropology, Art, Biology, Communications, Economics, English, History, Mass Media, Modern Language (Spanish or French), Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, Theater, and the Bachelors of Integrated Studies.

Baker University/Washburn University School of Law

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

For Hays State University/Washburn University School of Law

Program Requirements

  • High school grade-point average of 3.5/4.0.
  • ACT score of 28 or higher.
  • Successful LEAP application, submitted to the FHSU Director of Pre-Law/Legal Studies.
  • LEAP Completion Requirements:
  • Maintain a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average.
  • Take a diagnostic LSAT (Law School Admission Test) each semester.
  • Complete an application to Washburn Law by the deadlines for the semester of intended registration, and
  • Earn admission to Washburn Law as determined by its admission requirements and process, including the mandated character and fitness review that is necessary for admission to both law school and the bar exam.
  • Complete all FHSU major requirements.
  • Complete all FHSU general education program requirements.

University of Kansas (and other participating colleges)/University of Kansas Law School

Program Requirements

For high-school and first-year KU students:

  • Gain admission to the program before your first in-residence year or during the first semester of your first in-residence year as an undergraduate at KU;
  • Enroll in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences seeking a B.A. degree;
  • Earn a 3.5 or better high school GPA (discretionary admission possible if GPA is 3.35-3.5); and
  • Complete an essay

For transfer students:

  • Have an exemplary, college-level academic record;
  • Have a 3.5 or better high school GPA;
  • Complete an essay;
  • Enroll in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences seeking a B.A. degree; and
  • Demonstrate the ability to satisfy all relevant degree requirements through transferred credits and their prospective credits at KU.

To be admitted to KU Law School:

  • Satisfy state bar-mandated character and fitness requirements;
  • Take the LSAT exam and complete the KU Law application form, prior to KU Law School admission;
  • Have spent 3 academic years as an undergraduate student at KU or a combination of 3 academic years as an undergraduate student at KU and a prior, post-high school, undergraduate institution, prior to KU Law School admission (For purposes of this paragraph, full-time enrollment, at least 12 credits, during a spring or fall semester shall constitute .5 academic years);
  • Score a 157 on the LSAT and earn a 3.5 undergraduate GPA for KU-only credits.

LOUISIANA

Tulane University/Tulane Law School

Program Requirements

  • Be registered for your sixth semester of course work (typically, spring of your junior year), in which you will earn the minimum 90 hours required to apply.
  • Have earned no more than 104 hours of Tulane or Tulane accepted transfer credits prior to starting law school.
  • Complete and return the eligibility form provided by the pre-law advisor. This entails gathering the signature of your major advisor who can certify that you will have completed all of your major requirements by the end of your junior year.
  • You will also need the signature of your academic advisor, who can certify that you will have completed all of your core requirements prior to law school enrollment.
  • You must complete your core and your major requirements by the end of May prior to the August in which you seek to enroll at the law school.
  • Apply to Tulane Law School.
  • Applicants who are applying to enter law school in 2019 or later (undergraduate class of 2020 and later) will be required to sit for the LSAT in order to apply to the 3+3 program.

Louisiana State University/LSU Law Center

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

MARYLAND

University of Maryland/University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Completion of at least 90 credits (at least 30 of these from the University of Maryland College Park), including completion of all University of Maryland general education requirements.
  • While no specific areas of study or disciplines are required for the 3+3 Dual Degree Program, you must choose a major and obtain at least 18 credits with a grade of C- or better contributing toward that major, with at least 6 of those credits at the 300-400 level.
  • Be accepted by the University of Maryland Carey School of Law into its 3+3 Program.
  • If you meet the criteria listed above then you will need to apply to Maryland Carey Law, including submission of LSAT scores, through the normal application process. The decision to accept a qualified student into the 3+3 Dual Degree Program will be made by Maryland Carey Law. Upon admission to the School of Law, the you must submit a copy of the acceptance letter to the Division of Letters and Sciences at the University of Maryland College Park

MASSACHUSETTS

Western New England University/Western New England University School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Candidates must have a grade point average of 3.3 and score at the 50th percentile on the LSAT (or at the median score for the previous year’s matriculants, whichever is higher).
  • Transfer students must successfully complete at least 45 credit hours of undergraduate studies at Western New England University in order to apply for this program.

MINNESOTA

Hamline University/Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Required major and Legal Studies minor
  • Sit for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and complete the application process to Mitchell Hamline School of Law through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) during their junior year. Materials and scholarship applications are also available on the LSAC website and at the law school.
  • Complete and transfer back to the College of Liberal Arts or School of Business 28 credits of successful law school work with a grade of C- or better.

NEBRASKA

Creighton University/Creighton University School of Law

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

NEW JERSEY

New Jersey Institute of Technology/Seton Hall Law School

Program Requirements

  • The Law, Technology and Culture (LTC) B.A. requires 45 credits of major courses with a grade of C or higher. These courses may include offerings at NJIT and Rutgers-Newark.
  • The B.A. in LTC also requires a minimum of 120 total credits, including completion of the General Education Requirements.
  • Each student’s program of study is subject to approval by an advisor or by the chairperson of the department.

Rutgers University/Rutgers School of Law

Program Requirements

  • A Rutgers UGPA in at least 36 Rutgers credits at or above the median for recent Rutgers Arts and Sciences applicants applying to law school nationwide, AND
  • An LSAT score (high score) equal to or above the median LSAT score for recent Rutgers Arts and Sciences applicants applying to law school nationwide.

NEW YORK

The Russell Sage College (and other participating colleges)/Albany Law School

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

Columbia University/Columbia Law School

Program Requirements

  • Accepted students must have completed at least 93 credits and all core and major requirements, and are admitted after completion of their junior year.
  • Typically, transfer students and students who have completed less than six semesters at Columbia are not eligible for the program.
  • Students must be nominated for consideration by their school; applications are reviewed and accepted by the Columbia Law School Admissions Committee.

Fordham University/Fordham University School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Complete all core and major requirements and at least 92 credits before beginning law school.
  • Maintain a superior grade point average (3.67 or above), including transfer credits.
  • Have a very strong LSAT score (93rd percentile or above). It is preferable that your LSAT score be available by December of the academic year in which the application is being made. Note that this means that you may have to take the LSAT during your sophomore year.

Hofstra University/Hofstra Law School

Program Requirements

  • Complete a minimum of 95 semester hours in the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (HCLAS) (at least 94 of them in liberal arts courses).
  • Fulfill all University requirements, and all requirements for the BA, including WSC 001 and WSC 002; all HCLAS distribution course requirements and language requirements; and all requirements for the specific academic major chosen by the student.
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 in course work toward the BA.
  • Achieve an LSAT score in junior year that is no lower than the median LSAT score for the prior year’s full-time entering class at Hofstra Law School. Hofstra Law School will consider waiving the LSAT requirements for any LEAP student who presents the law school with a minimum SAT or ACT score in the 85th percentile and who has achieved a minimum undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5. Only students who have taken either the SAT or the ACT will be eligible for a waiver of the LSAT exam.
  • Apply to and be accepted by the Hofstra Law School. Application entails LEAP students submitting the LSAT score when required, the Hofstra JD application including the personal statement, and undergraduate transcripts and letters of recommendation.

Pace University/Elisabeth Haub School of Law

Program Requirements

  • In order to be eligible to participate, a minimum of 96 undergraduate credits are required, including undergraduate core requirements as well as all required courses in the major field of study.
  • Successful applicants must meet the academic and character and fitness requirements for admission to the Law School.

University at Buffalo (and other participating colleges)/University at Buffalo School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Complete a minimum of 90 credits through residency, Advanced Placement, or transfer credits, including: undergraduate core curriculum as defined by the undergraduate institution; all course requirements of the undergraduate department(s) or program(s) in which the student is majoring or who have an agreement in writing with those departments or programs to accept courses taken in the School of Law’s J.D. program as satisfying major(s) requirements.
  • An overall/cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or above;
  • An LSAT score at or above the median LSAT for the School of Law’s previous year’s enrolled class OR GRE scores at or above the 70th percentile on the Verbal Reasoning section and at or above the 40th percentile on the Quantitative Reasoning section.

NORTH DAKOTA

University of North Dakota/University of North Dakota School of Law

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma State University/Oklahoma City University School of Law, University of Oklahoma College of Law, University of Tulsa College of Law

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

OHIO

John Carroll University/Case Western Reserve University School of Law

Program Requirements

  • To meet the 3+3 Law Program’s criteria upon admission to John Carroll, you must have a high school GPA of 3.4 or above
  • To maintain dual-admission status, you must have a cumulative John Carroll GPA of 3.4 or above by your fourth semester and score in the top 70th percentile on the LSAT (this percentile changes year-to-year but it is typically around a score of 157 out of 180.)

University of Cincinnati (and other participating colleges)/University of Cincinnati College of Law

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

OREGON

Oregon State University/Lewis & Clark Law School, Willamette University College of Law

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

University of Oregon (Clark Honors College)/University of Oregon School of Law

Program Requirements

  • You have an LSAT score that is at least one point above the median LSAT score for the prior year’s entering class at the Law School
  • At the time of application, you have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5, and maintain that minimum prior to beginning Law School courses
  • You have completed a minimum of 136.5 undergraduate credits at the time of matriculation into Law School
  • You have no criminal arrests or convictions that would make you otherwise ineligible for admission to the Bar upon graduation from the Law School

Willamette University/Willamette University College of Law

Program Requirements

  • Complete all general education requirements, major/minor requirements, and accrue a minimum of 96 credits within three years.
  • Interview in person with the CAS program advisor and Law Admissions officer.
  • Apply to the College of Law by the end of your junior year. JD Application Process
  • Have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.4 by the end of your junior year.
  • Take the LSAT or the GRE and achieve a score that is no lower than the current median of the College of Law’s most recent entering class. Students should plan on taking the LSAT or the GRE in the summer between their sophomore and junior year, but no later than March of their junior year.

PENNSYLVANIA

Drexel University (and other participating colleges)/Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences/University of Pennsylvania Law School

Program Requirements

  • Prospective applicants to the B.A./J.D. program should have fulfilled most—if not all—of their undergraduate degree requirements by what is generally a student’s junior year (between 16 and 23.99 c.u.).
  • A prospective applicant should have a g.p.a. of 3.4 or above to apply.
  • Students pursuing dual degrees or coordinated dual degrees are not eligible to apply for this program.
  • Following matriculation to the Law School, four College courses (4000-level or above) must be taken and will be counted toward both the B.A. and the J.D. These courses must be approved by a Law School advisor.
  • Up to four Law School courses may be counted toward the B.A., either as electives (as long as the student has taken the total required Arts and Sciences c.u. as determined by their major ) or as part of their major (as approved by the major advisor).
  • No more than 8 c.u. in all can be double counted toward both degrees. Students must satisfy all the requirements for the J.D. during their fourth, fifth and sixth years of study.
  • Students in the program must complete an advanced-level seminar or independent study in their major field of study by the time they have completed 23.99 c.u.

Pennsylvania State University/Penn State Dickinson Law

Program Requirements

  • Prior to matriculation at Dickinson Law, students must develop an Individual Academic Plan (IAP) that allows for successful completion of their undergraduate and J.D. degrees. The IAP must be signed by an undergraduate academic adviser, forwarded to the student’s college records coordinator, and submitted to Dickinson Law’s Registrar.
  • All applicants must submit a valid and reliable standardized test score, which must be submitted through the official means of score reporting

West Chester University/Penn State Dickinson Law, Widener University Delaware Law School

Program Requirements

For applicants to Penn State Dickinson Law:

  • Complete all major and core requirements at WCU
  • Complete 75% (90 credits) of bachelor’s requirements
  • Earn a 3.50 GPA or higher at WCU at time of application
  • Achieve an LSAT score in the top 30% of national test takers (most recently 157)
  • Satisfy all law school admissions requirements relating to character and fitness
  • Submit completed admission application by March 31 of student’s third year

For applicants to Widener University Delaware Law School

  • Complete all major and core requirements at WCU
  • Complete 75% (90 credits) of bachelor’s requirements
  • Earn a 3.00 GPA or higher every semester at WCU
  • Achieve an LSAT score at or above the median score among current Delaware Law first-year entering class
  • Satisfy all law school admissions requirements relating to character and fitness
  • Submit completed application no later than April 1 of calendar year student plans to begin legal study

RHODE ISLAND

Roger Williams University/Roger Williams University School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Students must maintain a 3.2 cumulative undergraduate GPA with 90 credits and the LSAT completed by end of junior year to be eligible. Students must present no serious character and/or fitness issues.

SOUTH CAROLINA

University of South Carolina (Honors College)/University of South Carolina School of Law

Program Requirements

  • Graduate with a 3.5 GPA with honors from the Honors College
  • An LSAT score of at least 158
  • A letter of support from the dean of the Honors College

TENNESSEE

University of Memphis College of Arts and Sciences/Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

Program Requirements

For philosophy majors:

  • Complete the required sequence of courses and meet the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law admissions criteria

For Legal Studies majors:

  • A minimum undergraduate GPA at or above the Law School’s median for the current first-year class and an LSAT score at or above the 75th percentile.
  • Students applying under the 3+3 program would also be subject to all other standards and criteria that apply to traditional applicants.

University ofTennessee/University ofTennessee College of Law

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

VIRGINIA

George Mason University (and other participating colleges)/Antonin Scalia Law School

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

WASHINGTON

Gonzaga University (and other participating colleges)/Gonzaga University School of Law

Program Requirements Not Specified on Website

3 Likes

Thank you all so much for the help! You guys mentioned a lot of very, very helpful and important information! I’ll definitely look into all of it! Thanks again! I really appreciate it! :smiley:

3 Likes

I just wanted to quickly mention you might want to check out the University of Denver’s IR program (at the Korbel School). It is a great program and in fact made this list of top undergrad IR programs:

I am also mentioning it because it also has quite a bit of merit aid, and might get within budget for you given what you reported.

Another school off that list you might want to look at is Macalester, for similar reasons–excellent for IR, has robust merit that might get you on budget.

Of course these are not in the Northeast–but they are in great cities (Denver and Minneapolis-St Paul respectively), with lots of direct flights to the Northeast and in fact Europe.

2 Likes

Law school admissions are based upon gpa and lsat. There is a lot of merit money awarded for high stats. So you wanna go where you can get a high GPA. You wont need a 3 plus 3 program, you might do better applying the usual way to law school.

Your issue is going to be undergrad costs. Rutgers. If there is any way you can prep up for the PSAT to make national merit, but youve got a long ways to go, youd have a free ride at Alabama and some other schools.

You will need languages for your career goals. Can you do 12th grade in France living with relatives to consolidate your French? Or at least next summer in France? Plan to start another useful language in college, maybe Russian or Chinese. Positioning yourself as someone who speaks English plus 3 European languages who is interested in international law will help for law school admissions, and having fluent French and Hungarian would help with college admissions.

4 Likes

Hi! I’m hoping to spend next summer in France w/ a study abroad/French immersion program. I’m taking AP French senior year and hope to get my C1/C2 certification by the end of HS too.

Since a few people on this thread mentioned Rutgers, I looked into it and found some programs that might be promising. Not sure how familiar you are with law school admissions, but do you think having an MA through an accelerated BA/MA program would be a positive, negative, or no impact on the overall application? Thank you! :grin:

An MA has no impact on law school admissions.

Key drivers- GPA and LSAT scores.

Secondary drivers- Work experience (either during or after college graduation), you having life experience which will add to your profile as a lawyer- growing up in foster care, incarcerated parent, homelessness, under-represented group.

Tertiary drivers- EC’s.

2 Likes

Thank you for the clarification! :slight_smile:

I’d disagree with that a little. I think a Masters can sometimes fit into the same box as post-college work experience, meaning as a secondary consideration. But it may depend on the Masters. I also think sometimes a Masters may help you better prepare for law school, particularly if it is a rigorous reading/writing sort of program.

That said, I also would not usually recommend it over work experience if you know you want to go to law school, including because most people pay for a Masters, whereas most people get paid for work. But if you have a legitimate interest in getting a certain Masters coming out of college, and then end up pivoting to law school, I think in some circumstances it might add something.

The really critical thing to understand, though, is in no way will grad school grades offset college grades, or really even be considered.

3 Likes

Because you said your parents don’t want to spend more than $25K a year on college, that needs to be your driver - because it’s not just college but law school.

If a there’s an affordable college in NJ - whether Rutgers, Ramapo, Montclair, Stockton - wherever - that’s what you need. Then you can supplement with high merit schools or take a chance on perceived high merit private or some that will stack need and merit.

If you look at the top law schools - they have students enrolled from hundreds of colleges - from - Arizona to Youngstown State and everyone in between,

You need to do well on your GPA and most especially your LSAT.

That is the driver - not the name of the school.

There are other drivers - at top schools. Work experience, ethnicity (at Harvard, and this is just one school - there are hundreds of law schools - but 51% were of color, 14% first gen college students, 147 colleges represented of 561 enfollees. 82% were one year out of school and 69% two years out. It doesn’t show if that was work, grad school, or sponsored programs such as Fulbright…likely a mix of all.

The 25/75 LSAT was 171 / 176 - so very very high.

Penn, just to give another example, has over 200 colleges represented in its law school body.

But that’s a ways away - but you can get to a top law school from anywhere. But more importantly - there are many many many law schools.

But once you get to law school, you also have to pay.

So talk to your parents about the 7 year financial plan - and figure out for these first four (or three if you do a 3+3), how are you going to get through without a debt burden and at a cost your parents are willing to cover.

To me, that’s step one.

Good luck.

1 Like

It’s impossible for you to get a C2 certification as a HS student since this indicates about 10 years working as a high-level professionnal (diplomat, researcher used to international conferences, etc.)
AP=B1 and should be extremely easy. Since you’re fluent, you wouldn’t need to study much of anything but having the class on your transcript will serve as an official certification.
B2 DELF is quite a bit more difficult. If there’s a nearby university you may want to look into taking the 1st post-AP classes they offer (typically, students would have been placed ibto or taken 12 or 15 college credits before that class.)
Since you have European citizenship, you can have some programs there as safeties and of course you’ve got McGill, Concordia, UdeM,w Laval, Ottawa that don’t have holistic admissions. Sciences Po/Columbia with the campus that specializes in Eastern Europe would also make sense though not a safety. Full pay tuition for the French part is 15k and there’s FA for the Columbia part if you qualify.
BA/MA wouldn’t impact Law school admissions. It’s really GPA×Lsat×(to a certain extent, brand name, ie., NESCAC, flagships, etc. + work experience + evidence of leadership, volunteering experience, etc.)

1 Like

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. If you’d like to reply, please flag the thread for moderator attention.