LexScholars Post-Baccalaureate Program

To participate in the Post-Baccalaureate Program, applicants must be referred by a law school and must:

• Be a member of one or more of the following groups:    
  • A racial or ethnic group that is underrepresented in legal education
  • A first-generation bachelor’s degree graduate
  • A Pell Grant recipient as an undergraduate
• Possess a bachelor’s degree or will receive a bachelor’s degree by August 2022.
• Have an LSAT score no higher than the 25th percentile (145).
• Have not previously enrolled in a J.D. program at an ABA-approved law school
• Commit to enroll at the referring law school, upon successful completion of the program

Participants who successfully complete the Post-Baccalaureate Program curriculum will receive:

• Fall 2023 admission by the law school that offered deferred admission
• A scholarship award of at least 20% tuition from the law school that offered deferred admission
• A $3,000 stipend from AccessLex ($1,000 each year for FT students and $750 per year for PT students)
• A Helix Bar Review course, upon graduation

From July 2022 through July 2023, Post-Baccalaureate Program participants will be exposed to a rigorous law school prep curriculum that will focus on LSAT preparation; analytical and critical thinking skills building; and financial education and literacy.

The Post-Baccalaureate Program curriculum will require participants to dedicate 8-12 hours per week completing lessons, exercises, and assessments. Participants will also be required to attend mandatory virtual class sessions. The curriculum will be formative in nature, with a goal of fostering deep learning and engagement through robust feedback and guidance. Participants will be offered multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency.

• LSAT Prep
  • Participants will take a full-length Kaplan online LSAT course, beginning in July 2022
  • Participants will be required to retake the LSAT at least one time during the time period, September 2022 through January 2023
    • Participants will be reimbursed by AccessLex for the cost of one LSAT administration.
    • Schools could foster increased participant engagement with LSAT prep by offering the potential of an increased scholarship award with an improved score.
• Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills
  • Participants will complete a curriculum of CALI online lessons covering:
    • Substantive topics: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Property Law, Torts
    • Skills: interpreting and briefing cases, understanding common terminology, note-taking, outlining, reading comprehension, rule synthesis, statutory interpretation, time management
  • Participants will complete formative assessments consisting of Helix Bar Review essay and multiple-choice problems
• Financial Education and Literacy
  • Participants will be exposed to a financial education curriculum consisting of:
    • MAX Pre-Law
    • Tailored webinars and information sessions

As a participating school, Southwestern must refer applicants to the Post-Baccalaureate Program by May 1, 2022 for entry into the July 2022-July 2023 Post-Baccalaureate Program. As such, interested individuals should submit their Southwestern Law School admission application by March 1, 2022, though later applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

In addition, we ask that interested applicants submit Southwestern's LexScholars Post-Baccalaureate Program Interest Form so we have notice of your interest and can easily identify your application once it is submitted.

Please note that Southwestern Law School applicants who are selected for deferred admission and participation in the AccessLex Post-Baccalaureate Program will be notified of this decision and asked to consent to Southwestern sharing their contact information with the AccessLex Institute.