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John Carroll University / Academics / Sociology & Criminology / Accelerated Graduate Admissions / 3+3 Law Program: BA/JD with JCU & CWRU

3+3 Law Program with JCU and CWRU

John Carroll’s 3+3 partnership with Case Western Reserve University Law School allows you to complete your undergraduate and law degree in six years and launch your legal career sooner. By maintaining at least a 3.6 GPA and scoring a 157 or higher on your LSAT, you secure non-binding admission to Case Western Reserve University Law School.

You will combine the rigor of a core liberal arts curriculum — gaining superior reading, writing, and analytical thinking skills — with the depth and variety of a Case Western Reserve Law degree. Case offers specializations in Criminal Law, Health Law, Environmental Law, Business Law, Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Law, Technology & the Arts (Intellectual Property Law), International Law, Public Interest Law.

Students in the program can pursue any undergraduate major and should meet with their John Carroll advisor about the best fit for them and their goals. Earn the credentials required to sit for the bar exam to become a licensed attorney. Or apply your broad problem-solving skills to any number of careers in business, government or other field.

Program Benefits

The 3+3 Law Program condenses your academic time and expenses, and doubles your advising and career support as you get mentoring from both JCU and CWRU’s School of Law. You can apply as a college freshman or apply as you approach your junior year. Either way, you will need to complete your JCU core and academic major requirements in your first three years. Because course planning is essential to this program, you should meet with JCU’s Pre-Law Advisor as soon as you begin to consider applying to the 3+3 Law Program.

Admissions

To meet the 3+3 Law Program’s criteria upon admission to John Carroll, you must have a high school GPA of 3.6 or above, and to maintain dual-admission status, you must have a cumulative John Carroll GPA of 3.6 or above by your fourth semester and score in the top 70th percentile on the LSAT (this percentile changes year-to-year but it is typically around a score of 157 out of 180.)  The LSAT is taken in June following your sophomore year or in October of your junior year. To learn more about admissions and a more detailed breakdown of the program, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.

There are two ways through which a student may gain entrance into the 3+3 Law Program:

  1. Incoming freshmen who meet the program’s criteria are welcome to apply via the JCU Gateway
  2. All juniors in their fall semester who meet the program’s criteria may apply directly with CWRU School of Law

More information regarding the total cost of attendance can be found here.

9%

Projected career growth for lawyers

8,723

The number of lawyers employed in Cuyahoga county, where JCU is located

94%

Case Western’s October 2020 Ohio Bar Exam Pass Rate for first time takers – the best out of all 9 Ohio law schools

3+3 Dual Admission in Law Program Highlights

Real Teaching

During your first three years at John Carroll, you will benefit from small class sizes no matter what major you choose. Common majors include Classics, English, History, Political Science, Sociology/Criminology, Business, Philosophy, Peace, Justice, & Human Rights, and Psychology, but literally any major can prepare you for law school success. In any of these, you will get to know your professors on a personal level, and gain understanding and perspective that will contribute to your success as a law student and as a legal professional.

Jobs & Internships

As a 3+3 Dual Admission student, you will still be able to take advantage of local and global internship partnerships and connections doing constructive and relevant work in your summers off or throughout the school year. Fellowship partnerships with Cleveland Council of World Affairs, Global Cleveland, and Meet the Press and ongoing internships with the University Heights Mayor’s Office can give you vital experience in your field. In the past, students have interned with the US State Department, the White House, Drug Court, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office (Crime Strategies Unit and Major Trials Unit); the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland (Supervision, Credit Risk, and Cyber Security division); Office of the Presiding Judge, Third Municipal District, Circuit Court for Cook County, IL; State representative’s district office (Rep Rob Mercuri, 28th district, PA); US Representative’s district offices (Conor Lamb,  PA and Chris Jacobs in NY).  

Student Organizations & Experiential Learning

You will still have the opportunity to get involved on campus in student organizations related to the law or related to your other passions. Join Student Government, help the wrongly convicted volunteering for the Ohio Innocence Project, or promote equity and inclusion at John Carroll’s Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion, Black Student Alliance, Latin American Student Association, and many more. Take applicable experiential learning courses—such as the European Union Simulation or Model Arab League—that aim at developing negotiation, leadership, and diplomacy skills. Attend various events throughout the academic year, such as lunch roundtables with prominent academicians, judges, and politicians as well as the popular occasional series Rant on the Rails, which brings in both prominent and student panelists to discuss important issues at the local, national, and international level. 

Featured Faculty

“Our 3+3 program enables pre-law students to tap the rigor of a JCU liberal arts education and secure admission to a very competitive school in Case Western Reserve University Law School. The value add extends beyond saving a year of time and tuition, and starting a career sooner. You graduate with two robust degrees and a two-pronged network.”

—Elizabeth A. Stiles, MPA, PhD, JCU pre-law adviser

Notable Alum

Mike Bishop

Mike Bishop, Economics ‘20

Status: Law Clerk at Douglass & Associates Co LPA

What inspired your future? "The 3+3 program is a wonderfully helpful tool for students interested in the field of law but who are not quite sure if law school is for them. I think just spending time around like minded people, talking to past students and alumni, and learning about the practice of law will help you discern if law school and a legal career is right for you. Law school itself is a big commitment, but learning as much as you can about it and what your career prospects are like before entering it can really help affirm that you’ve made the right decision, either way.”

JCU Northeast Map

3+3 Dual Admission in Law Alumni Across the Region

John Carroll University alumni live, work, teach and support communities throughout the region from Northeast Ohio to Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit, Columbus, Buffalo, Rochester, Pittsburgh, New York City, Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

FAQs Pre-Law Advising Program Resources