USF Sarasota-Manatee, Stetson launch admissions agreement
USF Sarasota-Manatee. Photo courtesy USF.
USF Sarasota-Manatee is unveiling a Direct Admission Program (DAP) this fall that offers qualified USFSM graduates direct entry into Stetson University College of Law.
Under an agreement between the institutions, USFSM students will be assured entry into Stetson after meeting certain prerequisites. Admitted students will also receive a scholarship throughout their studies at Stetson.
“We are thrilled to partner with Stetson College of Law on this opportunity for our students,” said Dr. Terry Osborn, interim regional chancellor for USFSM. “Providing pathways for our students to attend law school locally provides expanded access to potentially high-paying and rewarding careers for students throughout our region.”
“At Stetson, we continue to create innovative ways to create partnerships and assist outstanding students as they prepare for their futures. This new agreement between Stetson and USFSM is a big step in creating a pathway for exceptional students to streamline their legal education,” said Stetson Law Dean Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz.
“USFSM graduates can seamlessly transition to Stetson Law, taking one step closer to successful academic and legal careers,” he said. “Stetson’s nationally top-ranked programs in trial advocacy, moot court, dispute resolution, and legal writing prepare our students with the skills they need to distinguish themselves as graduates. We look forward to working closely with USFSM students to help prepare them to become lawyers and leaders in our communities.”
The agreement, approved late last year, applies to any academic major at USF Sarasota-Manatee. To be accepted into the program, undergraduate students must complete at least 90 semester hours of coursework with at least 30 semester hours completed at USFSM.
Applicants must complete all requirements for a bachelor’s degree and achieve a minimum 3.3 grade point average in courses at USFSM. They must also earn a score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) of no less than the 50th percentile of the most recent class to matriculate into the College of Law.
Applications will be accepted Oct. 1 through May 1 in the academic year before the student intends to enter Stetson. For more information, contact the Stetson Law Office of Admissions and Student Financial Planning at [email protected].
“This is a great opportunity for USFSM graduates and we look forward to seeing students passionate about a career in the legal profession take advantage of this pathway,” Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Andrew Telatovich.
“With the scholarship component, we are also happy to see that it will help our students save money during law school,” he said. “We look forward to a great partnership and relationship with Stetson Law in the future.”
Dr. Jane Rose, dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, said the college is well-suited to prepare students for post-graduate studies at Stetson.
“I am pleased that our College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences offers four majors that are nationally recognized as top choices for students planning to go to law school: English, History, Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, and Criminology,” she said.
“Since these degrees are designed to enable students to pursue a minor in another field, they are great preparation for the LSAT exam, which requires breadth of knowledge in the liberal arts and social sciences,” Dr. Rose said. “We offer 12 minors for students to pursue, along with one of these majors. Students choosing to pursue a pre-law plan at USFSM will also have access to a staff mentor who is a licensed attorney with a Juris Doctorate degree.”
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Post date: June 5, 2017
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