Attending a summer program is a great way to demonstrate your interest in studying a pre-law-focused major in college. Summer programs are a great way to meet students from a variety of backgrounds and simulate the experience you’ll have in college–many of these serve as an introduction to college for high-school students.
We’ll review some of the best programs for students who wish to pursue studies in law. Many programs this year are hybrid online/in-person, and it’s important to remember that plans can be changed if the pandemic worsens.
Application materials vary by program, but most will require your academic transcripts, a letter of recommendation from a teacher, and sometimes a personal statement or sample of your work. Most of the programs below are targeted towards rising juniors and seniors, but some are open to all high-school students.
Summer Legal Institute
Location: Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, DC
Overview: JTB’s Summer Legal Institute is designed to introduce high-school students to the law with a focus on law schools, law firms, and local courts. The four-day program is offered in multiple cities over the summer and is free for all participants.
Age: All HS Students
Application Deadline: April 15th, 2022
Dates: Varying by location, June/July 2022
Tuition: FREE
National Student Leadership Conference - Law and Advocacy
Location: Duke University // Yale University // Georgetown University
Overview: The National Student Leadership Conference offers multiple sections of conferences focused on the law throughout the summer. The Law and Advocacy program is generally around eight days, and introduces students to the court system with a focus on trial simulation. Students also hear from various legal professionals–judges, lawyers, and forensic and legal experts.
Age: All HS Students
Application Deadline: Rolling Decision
Dates: Various (~10 different sections across the locations)
Tuition: $3,595
The School of the New York Times
Location: Washington DC, New York City, Online
Overview: The School of the New York Times offers various courses focusing on the law and legal topics, including Government/Law/Ethics, Inside the UN, and Introduction to Human Rights Studies. Students have the option to take courses online or on-site in NYC or DC, and the variety of courses means there’s something for everyone.
Age: Students 15+ (including graduating seniors)
Application Deadline: April 4th, 2022
Dates: Various
Tuition: $5,325 (commuter) or $5,925 (residential)
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
Location: Online
Overview: Stanford offers a full slate of summer courses, with many focusing on Law and Legal Studies. Stanford’s Summer Institutes will be fully online in 2022. Students pay by the course, and Stanford’s Institutes are generally a bit less expensive than most of the competition.
Age: All HS Students, but certain courses are Juniors/Seniors only
Application Deadline: March 15th, 2022
Dates: June 20th-July 1st 2022 OR July 11th-July 22nd 2022
Tuition: $2,700
UCLA Mock Trial Summer Institute
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Overview: UCLA’s Mock Trial Summer Institute offers an introduction to trial procedures and practices for aspiring pre-law students. The institute also features a number of speakers and panel discussions–students will get the opportunity to hear from a variety of legal professionals. UCLA also offers online Summer Sessions that focus on law and government. .
Age: All HS Students
Application Deadline: May 1st, 2022
Dates: June 22nd-July 6th, 2022
Tuition: ~$2,500
NYU SPS Pre-Law Bootcamp
Location: New York City
Overview: NYU’s SPS Pre-Law Bootcamp offers students the opportunity to learn about the law in the center of NYC. Students will meet with and hear from a number of legal professionals and judges, and will simulate the legal process with mock trials and proceedings.
Age: Grades 10-12
Application Deadline: May 16th (residential), June 1st (commuter)
Dates: June 27th-July 1st or July 18th-22nd, 2022
Tuition: ~$5,000
Columbia Summer Immersion Program
Location: New York City, Online
Overview: Columbia’s Summer Immersion Program features numerous courses focusing on the law and legal studies, and students can select to study online or on-campus in New York City. Columbia’s Summer Immersion Program is targeted towards Juniors and Seniors, but is open to students of all high-school grades.
Age: All HS Students
Application Deadline: March 3rd, 2022
Dates: Various dates depending on program / course selected (1 week or 3 week, offered at different times in summer.)
Tuition: Varies based on program length and residential/commuter/online
UChicago Summer Immersion Programs
Location: Chicago, IL, Online
Overview: UChicago offers summer courses for students that focus on the law and legal studies, like Justice, the State, and the Individual, and Pathways in Human Rights. UChicago summer students can study online or on-campus. The courses offered are part of UChicago’s normal roster: high schoolers study alongside college students.
Age: All HS Students
Application Deadline: March 9th, 2022 (regular decision), April 7th, 2022 (Extended Decision), May 1st (Rolling)
Dates: Various, courses offered in different sections throughout the summer
Tuition: $4,300–$7,775
Harvard Summer School
Location: Cambridge, MA, Online
Overview: Harvard’s Summer School offers both full-length summer courses and shorter immersion programs that focus on law and legal studies. Students can choose to study (and live) in Cambridge, or to study online at-home. The information provided below is for the full summer programs, but more information on the shorter immersion programs can be found here.
Age: 16 or older by June 18th, 2022
Application Deadline: March 2nd, 2022 (regular decision), May 11th, 2022 (Late Decision)
Dates: June 18th-August 6th, 2022
Tuition: $3,500–$13,200
Georgetown University Law Academy
Location: Georgetown, Washington DC
Overview: Georgetown’s Law Academy teaches students about the practice and history of our legal system. Students study the law in the center of Washington, DC, and will listen to distinguished speakers and lawyers who work in the capital.
Age: All HS Students
Application Deadline: May 15th, 2022
Dates: June 19th-25th or July 24th-30th, 2022
Tuition: $3,115
Many of these programs have deadlines that are fast approaching–it’s best to get those applications started soon. While many of the programs are expensive, the first one on the list (Summer Legal Institute) is absolutely free to all students.
If you have any further questions or would like to discuss your summer with us, please feel free to reach out to us here.