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Volume 72, Issue 118,
Thursday, March 29, 2007
News Courses to teach pre-law basics Intensive summer program offers
seminars,
by MELANESE A. PHILBERT
The UH Law Center in partnership with the Council on Legal Education Opportunity is creating a new program aimed at familiarizing Houston-area students with law. "We have done a lot of self-examination over the years trying to improve the process. We think that teaching students the nuts and bolts about any profession is something that we are in the business of doing," Michael Olivas, the William B. Bates Distinguished Chair in Law, said. "It's just that at University of Houston, we have not done it in a very coordinated or university-wide way." Olivas said the program was created to help all law schools because there was no prescribed curriculum for undergraduate students interested in law. "Other areas such as med school and applicants in dental and optometry and pharmacy and the other health and allied health programs all have pathways that are clearer," he said. During the program, organizers plan to have various seminars for students, including meeting with admission officers to see what law schools look for in candidates, the law school application process, how to go about getting letters of recommendation and the importance of writing essays. Olivas said carelessness in the writing of essays is one error that keeps many students from getting into law school. As a former chair of admissions, Olivas has first-hand experience with this issue. "You would be astounded at how little thought and effort some students put into this very important process that is very competitive," he said. "We get over a dozen applications for every seat we fill at UH, so when (carelessness) is the case and there is a reason not to admit someone, it is going to hurt them." In addition to discussing law school and the application process, organizers also plan to provide students with academic training in critical reasoning, writing and communication. Students will also have the opportunity to meet individuals from various fields of law to see if they want to pursue a career in law. "A lot of students discover early on through programs like these that after working in a law office for a summer that it isn't what they want to do, and we think that screening people out is just as important as screening people in," Olivas said. Olivas said the institute is a pilot program and once the summer has ended the program will be evaluated. He said he has high hopes for the program and what it will accomplish. There is no charge for the program, and it is open to all Houston area college sophomores. Those accepted into the highly intensive program are expected to devote full-time study and cannot be employed during the program. Upon completion, students will receive a $1,000 stipend. Olivas said the application is easy, though the deadline is a "drop dead" one that will be observed, although there is a little bit of flexibility for students with special cases. He urged those interested to contact the office concerning their case. "If it were easy, everyone would do it," he said. The month-long UH/CLEO Summer Prelaw Institute, set to launch this June, was created to improve the pool of potential law school candidates. The deadline for applying to the program is Friday, and applications are available at www.prelawprograms.uh.edu. More information is available at www.prelawprograms.uh.edu or by contacting Lateki Lewis at (713) 743-8991. Send comments to dcnews@mail.uh.edu |
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