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First B2B Group Graduates in May, Some Preparing for Baylor Law this Summer

Summary: Baylor’s program streamlining high schools into their law school is set to have its first group graduate from Baylor University and move on to Baylor Law.

The first group of Baylor undergraduate students participating in their Baylor2 Law School Program (B2B Law) are graduating this May. As part of the program, the students receive scholarships and conditional admission to Baylor Law School.

The B2B Law targets high school seniors interested in law. Those high school students interested and eligible select the pre-law track in their application and submit it by November 1. The website explains that the program “is designed for students with an interest in attending law school who have scored 1300/1306 (old/new) or above on the SAT (math and critical reading) or a 29 or above on the ACT.”

Pre-Law program coordinator Benjamin Cooper is excited to see what the students end up doing. “Did they graduate and go to Baylor Law?” Cooper said. “Did they go and get some work experience first? The program is so new that this year is really the first year of people completing their Baylor degree.”

One of the first students is Sheridan Berry of Germantown, Tennessee. Berry said she first learned of the program when she received an email from Baylor during her senior year of high school. “Since 2014 was the inaugural year for this B2B law scholarship, they told me I needed to send in a personal statement of my own along with my high school resume,” she stated.

In the personal statement, Berry had to explain why she wanted to attend law school and how a law degree would further her career. The applications get reduced to 60 applicants, who are then interviewed on campus. She said, “They told me I would be invited for an interview at the law school if my resume and personal statement were something they were looking for.”

Berry explained in her statement that she was drawn to law because she could help administer justice. She enjoys serving others and wants to be a voice for those who do not have one. She feels that the law gives people an ability to help tackle injustice. “I found that my passion lies in giving a voice to those involved within our legal systems. I have found that I cannot stand by and let an injustice be done to others if I in any way could be of help,” Berry said.

To prepare for the interview, Berry had her family and friends use her resume to ask her questions regarding her high school activities. She stated, “They helped me shape how my extracurricular activities aided me in preparing for a career in law.”

Cooper explained that of the 60 students who interview, six are selected for the program. The students interviewed also attend on-campus activities like a mock law class and Dr. Pepper Hour.

The program provides a scholarship for both Baylor University and Baylor Law School with a conditional admission to the law school “subject to certain GPA and LSAT test scores.” Cooper added, “There’s a seat and there’s a scholarship waiting for them at Baylor Law School. B2B Law comes with the certainty of knowing that while you’re pursuing your studies at Baylor, there’s a seat in the law school waiting for you.”

The students must maintain an overall 3.6 GPA. The students that choose to do this program are generally high achievers, hard workers, and academically focused but that does not mean they are subject to over-committing themselves. The program also requires them to be involved in the pre-law department.

Berry will be starting Baylor Law this summer.

Do you think high school students know what they want yet? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

To learn more about other programs aimed at streamlining the process of getting a J.D., read these articles:

Photo: pexels.com

Amanda Griffin: