Accelerated law school program

So you are sure you want to be a lawyer.

Should you go the normal route of obtaining a B.A, then applying to various law schools, or apply for an accelerated program?

In an accelerated program, also called a 3 +3, you’ll spend 3 years in college, then 3 years in law school. After six years of hard work, you will have completed college and law school.

Benefits:Save money and time

Assuming you qualify with a high enough GPA, you do your fourth year at a specific law school. For example, UC Santa Cruz—UC Hastings Law. Credits from the first year of law school will complete your undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree.Note: There are no special undergraduate major requirements. You take classes in a major of your choice, then move on to law school at Hastings. You can enter the 3 + 3 program as a freshman or early sophomore year.

Cons:

Can only attend the law school(s) affiliated with this program.Only offered at certain colleges, usually state colleges

This is only for students who are sure they want to go to law school. It is a lot of rigorous coursework in a short time.

Another alternative for shortening your college years is for students who have done well on AP tests; check if the colleges have a policy for awarding credit. At the UC and Cal States, students sometimes start with enough credits to be sophomores, thus already shortening the time in college to 3 years instead of the usual 4 or 5

For more information on other topics, check out the other blog posts on this site.