Law Pathway

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The Santa Monica College Law Pathway program offers SMC students who come from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds opportunities for access, engagement and advancement in the legal profession. Preference for program admission will be given to applicants who are representative of these populations and committed to intellectual endeavors with intentional focus on equity and inclusion in the legal profession.

Law Pathway Program Benefits

• Exposure to careers in the legal profession
• Networking, leadership and mentoring opportunities
• Academic and skill development workshops
• Membership to the SMC Pre-Law Society
• Access to Law Pathway scholarships
• LSAT Test prep resources
• Future priority admissions review at participating law schools:
  
  • UCLA School of Law
  • UC Berkeley School of Law
  • Loyola Marymount University
  • Santa Clara University
  • University of California, Davis
  • University of California, Irvine
  • University of San Francisco
  • University of Southern California
  • Pepperdine University
  • University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law

Program Requirements

Students accepted into the Law Pathway program will be required to complete an orientation, attend program activities and complete the following course requirements:

• COUN 20: Student Success Seminar - 3 units
• ENGL 1: Reading and Composition - 3 units
• ENGL 2: Critical Analysis and Intermediate Composition - 3 units
• MATH 54, Elementary Statistics - 4 units
• POL SC 1: National and California Government - 3 units
• HIST 11: United States History through Reconstruction - 3 units OR HIST 12: United States History Since Reconstruction - 3 units
• COM ST 21: Argumentation - 3 units
• POL SC 24: Intro to Law - 3 units OR BUS 5: Business Law and the Legal Environment - 3 units

**Advanced Placement credit may be used to fulfill some course requirements.

Program Admission Priorities

When Law Pathway applications are reviewed, priority consideration will be given to applicants with the following:

• Not completed 24 units of college credits
• 3.00 or higher cumulative GPA
• Eligible to enroll in English 1
• Come from a an underrepresented student background
• Willing to complete all academic and activity requirements for the program
• Designated by the SMC Office of Admissions as a California resident

Unfortunately, students who already have an associate or bachelor degree are not eligible to apply for the program.

Law Pathway Program Application Process

The application deadline for the 2022-2023 Law Pathway cohort has passed. The application process for the 2023-2024 cohort will open in July 2023. 

 

Continuing Law Pathway Participants (currently in the program)

If you are currently in the Santa Monica College Law Pathway Program and you wish to communicate with the Law Pathway Counselor, please contact Vicenta Arrizon at arrizon_vicenta@smc.edu.