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PLSP

OU Pre-Law Scholars

Description, Scope, and Purpose


A limited number of students (up to 25 per year) will be selected to join the Pre-Law Scholars Program (PLSP) before their enrollment as undergraduates at OU. The Pre-Law Scholars Program will allow these highly motivated Honors College students interested in the practice of law or judicial service to complete both a Bachelor's degree and Juris Doctor at the University of Oklahoma in six years.

In order to be selected for the Pre-Law Scholars Program (PLSP), incoming freshmen students must first be admitted to OU, and then complete the combined Honors College/PLSP application by the January 15th deadline. PLSP offers will be made no later than March 1st.

Pre-Law Scholars will spend their first three years enrolled in undergraduate courses, fulfilling the requirements of the Honors College and their majors/minors. By the end of the third year, they must have completed a minimum of 98 hours of undergraduate credit, including all degree requirements except electives, with at least 30 semester credit hours. (15 upper-division major credit courses) in residence at OU, prior to the first day of law school. By accepting the first year of law school coursework as elective credits in the final year of undergraduate study, the Pre-Law Scholars Program cuts a full year from the standard 7-year path to a Juris Doctor.

Program participants take the LSAT and apply for admission to the OU Law School during their third year. Application fees will be waived for students applying to OU Law through the Pre-Law Scholars Program. All Pre-Law Scholars who meet the following criteria will be guaranteed admission to the Law School provided they:

 

  • Earn an LSAT score that is at or above the median LSAT score for the prior year's entering class at the OU Law School.
  • Earn a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.4
  • Successful completion of the Honors curriculum and 98 undergraduate credit hours
  • No criminal arrests or convictions that would make you otherwise ineligible for admission to the Bar upon graduation from the Law School

Tuition, Scholarships and Financial Aid

Students who are Pre-Law Scholars will pay OU undergraduate tuition and fees while enrolled in undergraduate courses, and OU Law School tuition and fees while enrolled in Law School courses.

University of Oklahoma merit-based scholarships for undergraduate students, such as the National Merit Award, Regent's Award, Institutional Nominee, Award of Excellence, and Distinguished Scholar Award, may be extended through the fourth year of study when enrolled as a law student if the student is also finishing requirements for his/her undergraduate degree — pending approval from the Student Financial Center. 

These merit based awards are not extended beyond the fourth year of the accelerated Juris Doctor program, even if the student takes more than four years to complete the Bachelor's degree. (Exceptions are made for the five-year tuition waiver offered to National Merit Scholars for undergraduate or graduate education at OU.)

Any federal or state financial aid that Pre-Law Scholars receive for undergraduate studies will not be transferred to OU Law School. Prior to enrolling at OU Law, scholars should apply for scholarships and financial aid specific to law students.

All Pre-Law Scholars Program students are eligible to apply to the one-time LSAT Preparation Scholarship that provides support for your LSAT preparation courses. 

PLSP LSAT Preparation Scholarship PDF Form


 

Contact

Shelly Grunsted, JD, LL.M.
Honors College Pre-law Scholars Director
Associate Professor - Legal Studies, Price College of Business
Legal Studies Convener & LS Certificate Coordinator

mgrunsted@ou.edu

 

Shelly Grunsted, JD, LL.M.
Shelly Grunsted, JD, LL.M.


Honors College Pre-law Scholars Director
Associate Professor - Legal Studies, Price College of Business
Legal Studies Convener & LS Certificate Coordinator

mgrunsted@ou.edu

Shelly Grunsted's Bio Page