Law School Announces Comprehensive Pipeline Program
The University of Virginia School of Law just launched a new initiative to help undergraduate students build a pipeline to pursuing law careers.
The Roadmap Scholars Initiative will help prepare first-generation and low-income undergraduate students to become competitive applicants in the nation’s leading law schools, Law.com reports.
“The program’s goal is to expose participants to the law, law school and the legal profession, and to help them become competitive applicants to any of the nation’s top law schools,” according to UVA Law. “A strong preference is given to applicants who are first-generation college students, students with limited financial resources, and/or students who are interested in pursuing a legal career but lack access to opportunities to learn about law school, the admissions process and the legal profession.”
OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM
UVA Law will seek out qualified applicants who demonstrate high academic achievement as well as a commitment to learning and community service.
“Grades are factored in among other things,” Dean Risa Goluboff tells Law.com. “We’re looking for promising and challenging students.”
Scholars will kick off the program in Charlottesville for four weeks of the summer prior to their junior year. Students are introduced to law school and potential career opportunities that the legal industry offers. Room and board will be provided along with a $3,000 stipend.
“Students take mini-courses on a broad range of legal topics from the law school curriculum,” according to UVA Law. “They learn about the legal profession from alumni and other practitioners through talks, brown-bag lunches, and receptions, as well as during field trips to local and regional law firms, government agencies, private companies, and legal nonprofits. They take an intensive mini-course on critical writing and research. And they demystify the law school application process by working with administrators to help them develop a personal roadmap to law school.”
In their junior year, scholars will receive LSAT prep support as well as mentorship from both a current UVA Law student mentor and a UVA Law alumni mentor. Additionally, scholars can take part in a two-week application boot camp and a legal internship at a private-, public- or nonprofit sector employer, with travel, housing, and stipends all provided.
“We have a vast national network of alumni and we’re coordinating with them to provide internships all over the country,” Goluboff tells Law.com.
Application materials for the Roadmap Scholars Initiative are due March 15.
“I’m so excited to be launching this program because of its holistic and comprehensive support for low income and first generation students to succeed in applying to law schools like UVA,” Goluboff tells Law.com.
Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.