Law School Programs

The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University (Hofstra) and Lake Forest College have established an accelerated admissions program that allows eligible students to complete a Lake Forest College bachelor’s degree and a Hofstra law degree in a shorter time period than usual. This arrangement permits a limited number of exceptionally well-qualified students to enter the law school after completing their junior year of undergraduate study at Lake Forest College. Students participating in this accelerated admission program receive a bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest College following successful completion of the first year of law school and the law degree (J.D.) from Hofstra after successful completion of the required law school curriculum.

Juniors at Lake Forest College applying for admission to this accelerated admission program must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Hofstra evaluates carefully the quality of the student’s academic record, faculty recommendations, and the applicant’s LSAT score. Successful applicants for accelerated admission usually have an undergraduate cumulative grade point average and LSAT score at or above the median of college graduates accepted into the regular J.D. program. Those medians have been a 3.21 GPA and a 156 LSAT, however applicants should review current Hofstra data related thereto.

When an applicant’s GPA/LSAT profile is at an acceptable level, other qualifications are considered, including extracurricular activities, involvement in cultural or civic affairs, and work experience. Hofstra welcomes applications to this accelerated admission program from qualified students belonging to groups under-represented in the legal profession.

Before entering Hofstra (in other words, by the end of the junior year), accelerated-admission students must complete all requirements of their academic major and earn at least 24 Lake Forest College course credits (96 Hofstra semester credit hours) toward the bachelor’s degree. Upon successful completion of two full semesters of law school, a maximum of 32 semester credit hours (8 more Lake Forest College credits) will be applied as elective credit toward the undergraduate degree.

Students applying for accelerated admission should complete the application process by April 15 of their junior year. Students should contact their pre-law advisor early in the fall semester of sophomore year to discuss the admissions process. At the time of application, students should have completed at least 16 course credits (64 semester credit hours) toward the bachelor’s degree.

Chicago-Kent College of Law and Lake Forest College have established an accelerated admissions program that allows eligible students to complete a Lake Forest bachelor’s degree and a Chicago-Kent law degree in a total of six years, rather than the usual seven.

Under this arrangement, the Chicago-Kent College of Law permits a limited number of exceptionally well-qualified students to enter the Chicago-Kent College of Law after completing their junior year of undergraduate study at Lake Forest College.  Students participating in this accelerated degree program receive the bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest College following successful completion of the first year of law school and the law degree (J.D.) from Chicago-Kent College of Law after successful completion of the required law school curriculum.

Before entering the Chicago-Kent College of Law (in other words, by the end of the junior year), accelerated degree students must complete all requirements of their academic major and earn at least 24 courses toward the bachelor’s degree.  Upon successful completion of two full semesters of law school, 8 Lake Forest credits will be applied from Chicago-Kent as elective credit toward the undergraduate degree.

Students should contact their pre-law advisor early in the fall semester of junior year to discuss the admissions process. At the time of application, students should have completed at least 16 courses toward the bachelor’s degree.

Juniors at Lake Forest College applying for admission to this accelerated degree program must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).  The Chicago-Kent College of Law evaluates carefully the quality of the student’s academic record, faculty recommendations, and the applicant’s LSAT score.  Chicago-Kent College of Law welcomes applications to this accelerated degree program from qualified students belonging to groups under-represented in the legal profession.  Accelerated degree students are guaranteed admission to Chicago-Kent College of Law provided they meet the following criteria:

• take the LSAT exam by February of their junior year;
• maintain an undergraduate GPA of 3.25 and obtain an LSAT score that it equivalent to or higher than the median score for the Chicago-Kent entering class OR obtain an LSAT score of at least 154 and maintain an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.60;
• complete a law school application by April 15 of the third undergraduate year;
• fulfill the undergraduate requirements specified by Lake Forest College and complete the required undergraduate courses;
• maintain a record that the law school director of admissions determines to be consistent with the character and fitness requirements of the bar examining authorities.

Students who participate in the program but who do not meet the academic standards for guaranteed admission are invited to apply through the regular competitive application process for admission to Chicago-Kent College of Law after three years of undergraduate study. In addition to GPA and LSAT profiles, other qualifications are considered, including extracurricular activities, involvement in cultural or civic affairs, and work experience.

UIC Law permits a limited number of well-qualified students to apply and be accepted to UIC Law after completing their junior year of undergraduate study at Lake Forest College.

Students participating in this accelerated admission program receive the bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest College following successful completion of the first year of law school and the law degree (J.D.) from UIC Law after successful completion of the required law school curriculum. Accelerated admission to The John Marshall Law School permits completion of the requirements for both degrees in a shorter period of time than is usual.

Juniors at Lake Forest College applying for admission to this accelerated admission program must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Applicants under this program will be evaluated for admission as part of a competitive, holistic process, which carefully evaluates the quality of the applicant’s academic record, letters of recommendation, personal statement, writing sample, work experience, student activities, character and fitness, and LSAT or GRE score. Successful applicants for accelerated admission usually have an LSAT score at or above the median of the last UIC Law fall matriculating class and must have an undergraduate cumulative GPA at least equal to 3.40.

Before entering UIC Law (in other words, by the end of the junior year), accelerated-admission students must complete all requirements of their academic major, the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, and earn at least 24.5 Lake Forest College course credits (98 UIC Law semester hours) toward the bachelor’s degree. Upon successful completion of two full semesters of law school, a maximum of 30 more UIC Law semester hours (7.5 more Lake Forest College credits) will be applied as elective credit toward the undergraduate degree, making 32 Lake Forest College credits, total, i.e., the number needed to complete the BA.

Students applying for accelerated admission should complete the application process by early January of their junior year (for August admission) or mid-October (for January admission). Students should contact their pre-law advisor early in the fall semester of junior year to discuss the admissions process. At the time of application, students should have completed at least 16.5 course credits toward the bachelor’s degree.

Loyola University (Chicago) School of Law and Lake Forest College have established an accelerated admissions program that allows eligible students to complete a Lake Forest bachelor’s degree and a Loyola law degree in a total of six years, rather than the usual seven.

Under this arrangement, the Loyola University (Chicago) School of Law permits a limited number of exceptionally well-qualified students to enter after completing their junior year of undergraduate study at Lake Forest College. Students participating in this accelerated admission program receive the bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest College following successful completion of the first year of law school and the law degree (J.D.) from Loyola (Chicago) after successful completion of the required law school curriculum.

Before entering the Loyola College of Law (in other words, by the end of the junior year), accelerated-admission students must complete all requirements of their academic major and earn at least 24 course credits toward the bachelor’s degree. Upon successful completion of two full semesters of law school, a maximum of 32 Loyola course credits (8 Lake Forest Credits) will be applied as elective credit toward the undergraduate degree.

Students applying for accelerated admission should complete the application process by early January of their junior year. It is preferable for applicants to have taken the LSAT by October of their junior year. Students should contact their pre-law advisor as early as possible in their academic career to discuss the admissions process. At the time of application, students should have completed at least 16 course credits toward the bachelor’s degree.

Juniors at Lake Forest College applying for admission to this accelerated program must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Successful applicants for accelerated admission will be expected to have an undergraduate cumulative grade point average and LSAT score at or above the median of college graduates accepted into the regular J.D. program. When an applicant’s GPA/LSAT profile is at an acceptable level, other qualifications are considered, including extracurricular activities, involvement in cultural or civic affairs, and work experience. Loyola welcomes applications from qualified students belonging to groups under-represented in the legal profession.

Vermont Law School and Lake Forest College have established an accelerated admissions program that allows eligible students to complete a Lake Forest bachelor’s degree and a Vermont Law law degree in a total of six years, rather than the usual seven.

Under this arrangement, Vermont Law School permits a limited number of exceptionally well-qualified students to enter the Vermont Law School after completing their junior year of undergraduate study at Lake Forest College. Students participating in this accelerated admission program receive the bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest College following successful completion of the first year of law school and the law degree (J.D.) from Vermont Law School after successful completion of the required law school curriculum. 

Before entering Vermont Law School (in other words, by the end of the junior year), accelerated-admission students must complete all requirements of their academic major and earn at least 24 course credits toward the bachelor’s degree. Upon successful completion of two full semesters of law school, a maximum of 32 Vermont course credits (8 Lake Forest credits) will be applied as elective credit toward the undergraduate degree.

Students applying for accelerated admission should complete the application process by February 15 of their junior year. It is preferable for applicants to have taken the LSAT by October of their junior year.  Students should contact their pre-law advisor early in the fall semester of sophomore year to discuss the admissions process. At the time of application, students should have completed at least 16 course credits toward the bachelor’s degree.

Juniors at Lake Forest College applying for admission to this accelerated admission program must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Vermont Law School evaluates carefully the quality of the student’s academic record, faculty recommendations, and the applicant’s LSAT score. Successful applicants for accelerated admission usually have an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher and LSAT score of 159 or higher. When an applicant’s GPA/LSAT profile is at an acceptable level, other qualifications are considered, including extracurricular activities, involvement in cultural or civic affairs, and work experience. Some preference may be given to Lake Forest College majors in Environmental Studies. Vermont Law School welcomes applications to this accelerated admission program from qualified students belonging to groups under-represented in the legal profession.

The applicant’s file, from his/her tenure at Lake Forest College and any other academic institution from which credits were earned and/or applied toward the Lake Forest degree, must contain no evidence of character or fitness concerns that would generally disqualify the applicant from admission into Vermont Law School.