3+3 Law Program Advising

3+3 Law Program with Mercer University's Walter F. George School of Law.

Advisor: Dr. Nicholas Steneck 

Program Description

A juris doctor (J.D.) leads to a broad range of careers that impact people’s lives. Lawyers help with buying homes, writing wills, prosecuting and defending criminals, creating business contracts, and attempting to protect people from litigation. A law degree may also open up law-related careers in government, business, higher education, health care, communication, and numerous other fields. Legal practice is intellectually challenging and requires the use of ethics, reasoning and judgment. To practice law, students must typically complete an undergraduate degree, earn a JD degree from an accredited law school, and pass their state's bar examination

3+3 Program Description

Mercer University's Walter F. George School of Law and Wesleyan College recognize that certain students have the ability and readiness to complete their undergraduate education and their law degree training in less than the normally required seven years of study. The 3 + 3 program provides an opportunity for select students to accelerate their course of study by completing both an undergraduate degree (from Wesleyan) and the JD degree (from Mercer University) in approximately six years of full-time study. Students enrolled in this program are expected to complete all Wesleyan College core requirements, including those of their chosen major, with a minimum of two and a half years in residence, and at least 90 credit hours at Wesleyan prior to attending law school. This program is recommended for majors in politics & global studies or English. Students may elect other majors, but MUST have a pre law minor and engage in the requisite coursework required for the 3 + 3 program. To be considered for Mercer Law, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above in Wesleyan College coursework and score at or above the median LSAT score of the preceding year’s entering class. Students interested in pursuing this program should identify themselves to their first year advisor during orientation and meet with the pre-Law advisor no later than fall semester of their first year at Wesleyan, to ensure that they are on track for this program. 

Three Year Curricular Plan* 

The 3 + 3 student should take at least 15 hours each semester and should be prepared to finish her Wesleyan courses in three years, prior to application for the law school at Mercer. The following courses must be taken at Wesleyan:

Sample Coursework Plan*

3+3 Timeline

First Year  

• FALL: Meet with first year and pre-law advisor to map out curricular plan for 3+3 program of study
• SPRING: Enquire about internship opportunities; contact Center for Career Development for assistance 

Second Year

• FALL: Research partner institution (Mercer University) to familiarize yourself with cost, LSAT scores, application deadlines, etc. 
• Meet with pre-law advisor and discuss any questions about partner institution, potential internships, LSAT, etc. 
• Begin LSAT prep; consult dates for testing dates, locations and practice exams
• SPRING: Continue LSAT prep
• Engage in PDE/internship
• Excel in coursework
• SUMMER: Take LSAT; a score at or above the median LSAT for the previous year’s cohort at Mercer University's Walter F. George School of Law is required for admittance
• Begin work on application to Mercer; contact faculty to request letters of recommendation (one from pre-law advisor and one from the chair of the applicants major department)

Third Year

• FALL: Take LSAT (if unable to do so in summer)
• Apply to Mercer, submitting all required materials well in advance of the deadline
• SPRING: Finish Wesleyan coursework strong (minimum 3.5 cumulative required)
• Prepare for matriculation into Law School

Fourth Year

• FALL: Begin law school at Mercer
• SPRING: Continue coursework at Mercer

Fifth Year

• FALL: Continue coursework at Mercer
• SPRING: Continue coursework at Mercer

Sixth Year

• FALL: Continue coursework at Mercer
• SPRING: Finish coursework at Mercer 
• Earn juris doctor degree
• Earn Wesleyan bachelor of arts degree

Resources for Pre-Law Students

The resources below are helpful for students preparing for a career in law. Wesleyan's Center for Career Development can help students with deciding if this path fits them, as well as with strategic career planning, creating resumes/CVs, writing personal statements, and more.

• Law School Admission Council (LSAC): https://www.lsac.org/ This organization provides resources for LSAT preparation and law school selection, as well as runs the Credential Assembly Service through which you submit all law school applications. Additionally, the LSAC maintains a database of scholarships and pre-law programs for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Scholarship info
• American Bar Association: While primarily for law students and attorneys, this organization has some good resources for exploring careers in law and trends in the field.
• Council on Legal Education (CLEO): This nonprofit arm of the ABA provides resources to students and works to diversify legal education. LexisNexis - How to Prepare for Law School
• Mercer University School of Law Exploration Days: Mercer hosts several visit days, and Wesleyan's Center for Career Development periodically provides transportation to these events.
• Michigan State College of Law Webinars: This site links to recorded webinars about law school admissions, the LSAT, financing your legal education, and more.

Gaining Relevant Experience as a Pre-Law Student

Law schools want to see evidence that students have developed exceptional critical thinking, analytical, research, and oral/written communication skills. These can be gained in a variety of settings, so don’t limit yourself to just interning at a law firm. Also consider opportunities where you can hold leadership roles, or where you conduct extensive research, synthesize large amounts of information, write for a variety of audiences, and analyze information or data. Nonprofits and advocacy organizations often offer experiences where you can practice these skills. The Center for Career Development can help you prepare a resume and practice your professional introduction as you get ready to contact organizations about shadowing, volunteer, or internship opportunities.

• Prelaw Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) Programs: LSAC’s Prelaw Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) programs are targeted, but not restricted, to college students from racial and ethnic minority groups underrepresented in the legal profession.
• List of Summer Enrichment Pre-Law Programs for Underrepresented Students (courtesy of Boston University)
• List of Selected Legal/Advocacy Groups and Summer Opportunities (courtesy of Wesleyan University)
• Idealist.org: Database of nonprofit and advocacy organizations. Search both internships and organizations, as not every organization updates their internship postings on this site. If you are interested in working with an organization, don’t hesitate to contact them directly even if they don’t have an internship listed here.
• Martindale-Hubbell Lawyer Locator: Use this site to search for an attorney by firm, location, or area of practice, and then contact them to inquire about internships or shadowing.

Local/Statewide Opportunities

• Bibb County Superior Court Judge Verda Colvin hosts student interns as she has availability. Contact the Center for Career Development to request information.
• Use Purple Briefcase to search for both employer profiles of advocacy organizations or attorneys, as well as search current internship listings. Sometimes, employers have a profile on Purple Briefcase and you simply need to contact them directly to inquire about internships. Employers who have hired interns or posted positions with us in the past include Middle Georgia Justice; Georgia Women (And Those Who Stand with Us); Bennett Law & Mediation Services LLC; Hogue and Hogue LLP; and the National H.I.R.E. Network. 
• Intern with local government offices such as the Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office, the Macon Bibb County Government - Veterans Court, the Macon/Bibb Circuit Public Defenders Office, or the State Court of Bibb County. Contact information for these departments is on Purple Briefcase as well as on their websites. They may not have an official internship or volunteer posting, but generally welcome inquiries from interested students.
• The Georgia Legislative Internship Program is a full-time, paid internship at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. The internship runs from early January through March every year, and is open to current juniors and seniors. Applications are usually due in October each year for the upcoming spring. You must receive college credit for this internship, and because the work is full-time you are not usually able to take other classes. Interns have the chance to perform research, media assistance, legislative tracking, constituent services, bill summary writing, and more. This is a fantastic opportunity for students interested in government, law, and policy. Interested students must submit their completed application to the designated College Coordinator in the Center for Career Development. Refer to the program website and contact the CCD if you’re interested in applying.