Prelaw at Samford
Is Law School Right for You?
Whether you are a prospective or current student interested in a legal career, our Prelaw program is designed to help you decide if law school is right for you.
We show you the steps to apply and connect you to career opportunities in the legal profession. You also have the opportunity to attend prelaw meetings, pursue internships, take law-related classes and participate in extracurricular activities, such as our Prelaw Society, mock trials and Model United Nations.
Samford has an excellent record of sending graduates to the nation’s top law schools, including its Cumberland School of Law.
Advising and Mentoring
Classics and Philosophy Assistant Professor Taylor Cyr, PhD, is our Prelaw advisor. He serves as the primary advisor for first-year students who have not declared a major and helps them figure out a path that best meets their interests and prepares them for a legal education. Cyr arranges professional development opportunities and guides them through curricular and extracurricular choices.
Our prelaw section, FOUN 210 (Vocation Exploration: Law), taught by Cyr every spring, is a one-credit course targeted at students applying to law school the following fall semester. In addition to covering important material regarding application procedures and preparing for the LSAT, this course helps students write a personal statement, perfect a résumé, request letters of recommendation and explore financial aid for law school.
To schedule an appointment with professor Cyr, contact him at tcyr@samford.edu.
Choosing A Major
We follow the recommendation of the American Bar Association and encourage you to choose a rigorous undergraduate major supplemented by courses that develop the core skills and values needed to prepare for a sound legal education. We do not recommend any particular major for our prelaw students but focus on skill development, practical experience and vocational discernment.
Regardless of major, students should strive to develop the following ABA-recommended core skills and values:
- Analytic/Problem-Solving Skills
- Critical Reading
- Writing Skills
- Oral Communication/Listening Abilities
- General Research Skills
- Task Organization/Management Skills
- Public Service and Promotion of Justice
In addition to these skills and values, prelaw students should take courses that develop the following subject competencies recommended by the ABA:
- A broad understanding of history, including the various factors (social, political, economic and cultural) that have influenced the development of our society
- A fundamental understanding of political thought and the contemporary American political system
- Some basic mathematical and financial skills, such as an understanding of basic pre-calculus mathematics and an ability to analyze financial data
- A basic understanding of human behavior and social interaction
- An understanding of diverse cultures within and beyond the United States, international institutions and issues, world events and the increasing interdependence of the nations and communities within our world
Read more about “Preparing for Law School” from the American Bar Association.
3+3 Accelerated Law Program
Cumberland School of Law's accelerated law program at Samford enables you to earn a bachelor of arts or sciences degree and a law degree (JD) within six years.
When
If you have completed three-fourths of your bachelor's degree, you may be admitted to Cumberland. After completing your first year of law classes, you will be awarded a bachelor's degree in your undergraduate major.
How
To gain admission to the accelerated law degree program, you must apply to the law school through the standard application process. It would be best to generally score equal to or better than the median LSAT in the fall before your application and you should have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
What if I change my mind?
You will complete the standard law curriculum of 30 credit hours during your first year of law school, with some work counting toward your undergraduate major and other work as upper-level electives. If you choose to drop out before completing your first year, any completed law courses will count toward a bachelor's degree.
Cost
You will be charged law tuition rates for your fourth year at Samford. Four-year tuition scholarships can count towards your tuition. Because students in the law program are classified as graduate students, they would be eligible for more federal aid and higher loan limits.
Are you interested in learning more about the 3+3 Accelerated Law Program? Please meet with your academic advisor to ensure your program eligibility. You are also encouraged to meet with Cyr and contact the Office of Law Admission at Cumberland School of Law by phone at 800-888-7213 or by email at lawadm@samford.edu.
LSAT & Prep Courses
We do not offer LSAT prep courses but Cyr connects you to opportunities that prepare you for the LSAT. Below is a list of resources you may find helpful:
- Law School Admission Council - Get information about the LSAT, prep tools, free practice tests and other relevant information for prospective students.
- Princeton - Princeton Review includes material designed to aid in studying for the LSAT.
- Kaplan Test Prep - Kaplan provides aid for taking the LSAT and other graduate school options.
- TestMasters LSAT Prep – TestMasters provides online and live LSAT prep courses.
- Blueprint LSAT Prep – Blueprint provides online and LSAT prep courses.
Mock Trials
As an American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) member, Samford's Mock Trial team competes in national and regional trial simulations.
Mock trials allow students to develop critical thinking, public speaking skills and knowledge of legal practices and procedures. Competitors also cultivate valuable advocacy skills, such as constructing opening and closing arguments, employing rules of evidence and preparing witnesses for direct and cross-examinations. Cumberland Law is home to one of the nation’s premier Trial Advocacy programs, and the Prelaw Mock Trial Team, coached by two mock trial veterans who are practicing attorneys, seeks to uphold this tradition of excellence.
Prelaw Society
Our Prelaw Society aims to create a community of students and faculty interested in the legal profession by promoting an awareness of the law and legal process. The society strives to help students prepare for law school by providing opportunities for academic advancement while fostering social growth. To develop you into exceptional attorneys, the society will encourage you to fellowship with students, faculty and local members of the legal profession.
