As long as the school to which you've applied has provisional approval when you begin your studies there, your status with the bar will indicate that you've attended an ABA-approved law school. Even if the college doesn't gain full approval within the stipulated five-year time period, you are guaranteed eligibility to sit for the bar exam in all 50 states, provided you meet the testing board's other requirements. The acceptance rates are considerably higher at the provisionally approved schools, as well.
Charleston School of Law seeks candidates who are interested in providing ethical legal assistance to under-represented and minority populations. The school's admissions committee tends to show preference towards applicants who are motivated to practice law, versus those geared towards earning a law degree to increase career opportunities in a different profession, such as history or politics. This Charleston, South Carolina school has been provisionally approved since 2006. The median Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score for the 2013 full-time class was 155 and the median grade point average (GPA) was 3.25. They received 2,200 applications, and offered admission to 847.
This school's mission places importance on serving at-risk communities and providing community service. Their curriculum includes a heavy emphasis on applying law theories to real-world professional situations.This law school has had provisional ABA approval since 2008. Their 2010 admissions statistics include a 75th percentile LSAT score of 152 and 75th percentile GPA of 3.35. Although they haven't published the total number of admissions offered for the most recent year, they had 3,478 applicants and 414 newly enrolled students.
The Earle Mack College of Law is in Philadelphia, Penn., and in 2008 gained provisional approval from the ABA, just in time for its first graduating class to be eligible to sit for the bar exam. This school participates in a co-op program, which means that students get extensive professional experience prior to graduation. Only a select few schools in the nation offer such an opportunity. The most recently published class statistics information show a median GPA of 3.28 and a median LSAT score of 159.
Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, Elon University School of Law gained ABA provisional approval in 2008, and was eligible to apply for full accreditation in the summer of 2010. This small, private school prides itself on its preceptor program. Each student at Elon is assigned to a practicing attorney who advises and leads them through their legal education. The 2013 class profile includes a median LSAT score of 155, and a median GPA of 3.12. There were 885 applicants, 363 offers of admission, and 132 candidates enrolled at the school.
This Ontario, California, school gained provisional ABA approval in February, 2006. La Verne College of Law is the only law school in Southern California's inland area, and offers it students small class-sizes and extensive courtroom experience. The class of 2013's median LSAT score was 153, and the median GPA was 3.07. The school reviewed 1,462 applications for admission, admitted 619 students, and enrolled 150.