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Summer Skills Enhancement

The Summer Skills Enhancement Program is a four-week intensive program that helps prospective students develop the skills they need to be successful law students. Each June, approximately 20 students (selected from the J.D. applicant pool) commit to full-time participation in this program.

The SSEP consists of two courses designed to help develop the skills required for success in law school. Both courses are very demanding and help prepare participants for the intellectual challenges and strenuous workload of the first year of law school. Participation in SSEP does not guarantee admission into law school, but those who successfully complete this challenging program are much more prepared for law study and are offered the opportunity to join the first-year J.D. class.

“People come into law school and don’t know what to expect. But if you’re in this program, you get to know exactly what the professors are looking for, how the classes are run and what they expect when they grade.”

-Aissa Barrera (J.D. ’20)

How do I apply for this program? Do I need to submit a separate application?

All applicants for admission to the J.D. program are considered for potential participation in the SSEP.  The application for admission and all materials submitted with it will be used to determine which students can most benefit from the program. During its normal review process, the Admissions Committee will recommend candidates for the program. Then, great care is taken to determine which of those candidates can most benefit from the program, and we invite a cohort of about 20 to participate.

Can I somehow request consideration for this program?

There is no separate avenue for requesting consideration for this program, but applicants are welcome to submit an addendum to their application for admission expressing their interest in the program and describing how they believe that the program will benefit them.

Will I get credit for the program?

This is not a program for which academic credit is awarded.

“Going through the program was challenging. It was on another level. It’s a semester condensed into four weeks, a boot camp. But it will set you up for success afterward. It instilled in me a strong work ethic that I was able to carry with me throughout the school year”

-Aaron Diaz, 3L