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Applications will be available online and may
be completed online, downloaded and printed, or you may request
a paper application.( Visit the
Admissions page.) You may also mail the completed application,
with a nonrefundable application fee of $50.00 to the Charleston
School of Law, PO Box 535, Charleston, SC, 29402.
- Register for and take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
The Charleston School of Law LSAT Code is 5821.
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Register with the LSDAS. You may register for
this service by contacting the LSAC at Law School Admissions
Council, LSDAS, Box 2000-M, Newtown, PA 18940-0993) or by registering
online at www.lsac.org.
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Submit two letters of recommendation. Applicants
may use the LSAC letter of recommendation service, have letters
mailed directly to the School of Law, or submit letters with
their application.
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Submit a personal statement describing your
reasons for wanting to attend law school, hardships or challenges
you have faced and overcome, or relating other relevant information
about yourself that you would like the Admissions Committee
to consider along with your application.
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Submit transcripts from all institutions attended
through the LSDAS service.
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Submit directly to the School of Law a dean's
certification form from all colleges and universities attended
for 12 or more credit hours.
Can I send information through the Law School Data Assembly
Service (LSDAS)?
Yes. LSAT scores, recommendation letters, and transcripts can
be sent through the LSDAS service. For your reference, the Charleston
School of Law's LSDAS code is 5821.
How will applications be evaluated?
The Charleston School of Law admits students selectively after
a thorough evaluation of all personal and academic criteria. Many
factors are considered in the decision to accept an applicant.
LSAT performance and undergraduate GPA are statistically proven
indicators of law school success. Other factors such as postgraduate
work, employment, community service, extracurricular activities
and leadership experience will also be weighed in the decision-making
process.
Is the LSAT required? How long are my LSAT scores valid? Will
multiple scores be averaged?
Completion of the LSAT is required for admission into the Charleston
School of Law. LSAT scores will be accepted up to five years from
the original date of the test. The LSAT registration packet can
be obtained from the Law School Admissions Council, Box 2000,
Newtown, PA, 18940, by calling (215) 968-1001, or by registering
online at www.lsac.org.
Multiple LSAT scores will be averaged.
Are there any specific undergraduate degree requirements?
Prior to enrolling in the School of Law, all applicants must
have received a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or
university. No particular pre-law curriculum is required.
Does the Charleston School of Law conduct personal interviews?
Formal interviews are not part of the normal application process.
Students may contact the Admissions Office at 1-843-329-1000 with
any questions or concerns. If the Admissions Office decides to
conduct interviews as supplements to the application process,
students will be notified.
Tuition,
financial aid and scholarship information
What is the tuition for the Charleston School of Law?
For the 2007-2008 school year, per semester tuition is $14,824
for full-time students and $11,119 for students in the part-time
program. Fees are $475 per semester. Incoming students pay a one-time
matriculation fee of $160. The late registration fee is $50.
Will scholarships be available?
The Charleston School of Law offers both merit and need based
scholarships. A student's application to the School of Law serves
as the application for merit scholarships. To be considered for
merit scholarships, files must be complete by February 1.
Need-based scholarship applications are available in early January;
the deadline for applying is June 1. You may download
the application for the need-based scholarships on our website.
Please contact the Office of Financial Aid with any questions
about scholarships and loans.
Will financial aid be available?
To learn more about the financial aid process, visit our Financial
Aid page.
Links to private loan information from lenders our students have
used are listed below to assist students:
If you have questions or need additional student loan information,
please contact the Office of Financial Aid at 843-377-4901.
Program
information
Do you offer both a full-time and a part-time course of study?
The Charleston School of Law offers both full-time and part-time
courses of study leading to a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. The
standard course load is 15 credit hours per semester for full-time
students and 9 to 12 credit hours per semester for part-time students.
It is expected that students enrolling in the full-time division
will graduate in three years and those in the part-time division
in four years.
When will part-time classes be held?
Classes for the part-time program will be taught by the same
professors as the full-time program. Classes for the part-time
program will be held in the evening from 6 P.M. to 10 P.M. to
accommodate student work schedules.
What courses are required?
The following courses are required: Business Associations, Civil
Procedure, Commercial Law, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal
Law, Criminal Procedure, Domestic Relations, Equity, Evidence,
Insurance, and Wills, Trusts and Estates. Students also have to
take Legal Research and Writing, and Professionalism. Third year
students must enroll in an Interning, Clinics or Lawyering course.
A student must also meet the Advanced Writing Requirement.
Can students enroll in elective courses?
First year courses are predetermined. However, in the second
and third years of law school students are free to choose from
a wide variety of elective courses ranging from Historic Preservation
Law, Admiralty, and Sports Law to Accounting for Lawyers and Poverty
Law. Ample opportunities for outside study are also available
to second and third year students including various internships
and clinics. For more information on course selections, please
request a catalog from the Office of Admissions.
Will the classes be scheduled at convenient times for working
students?
The school offers early classes and twilight classes, as well
as regular day classes, to accommodate both full and part-time
students.
General
questions about faculty and facilities
Who is the dean of the Charleston School of Law?
Professor Andy Abrams
serves as the school's interim dean. His academic interests are
education law and sports law.
Prior to joining the Charleston School of Law in August 2005,
Abrams served in key leadership roles at the College of Charleston
including provost, senior vice president for strategic planning
and administration, and general counsel. He also was a tenured
professor of legal studies.
Abrams teaches education law and sports law at the Charleston
School of Law. On Jan. 1, 2008, he took on the additional responsibility
of serving as the law school's interim dean. Prior to joining
academia, he was a trial lawyer in Greenville.
Who are the other faculty and administrators?
John S. Benfield is the school's Associate Dean for Admissions,
Administration and Alumni. He was educated at The University of
South Carolina (M.A. 1982) and Wofford College (B.A. 1978). He
has experience as Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial
Aid, University of South Carolina, 1993-2003; Director of Admissions
and Financial Aid, University of South Carolina, 1990-1993; Project
Director, South Carolina State Reorganization Commission, 1987-1990;
Political Science Instructor, Spartanburg Methodist College, 1982-1987.
Where is the Charleston School of Law located?
The Charleston School of Law now occupies the historic 81 Mary
Street building. The building, more than 170 years old, is the
previous railroad depot for the Best Friend of Charleston and
was most recently the offices for the Charleston Metro Chamber
of Commerce. The downtown location is convenient to parking, housing,
restaurants and shops. The school also has offices and classrooms
at the adjacent BellSouth building on Meeting Street, as well
as offices at 440 King Street.
Do you offer housing?
The Charleston School of Law does not provide student housing.
However, Charleston and the surrounding areas offer many housing
options, and the school will assist students in locating suitable
housing. Students may also meet future roommates at the reception
planned for matriculating students this summer. In addition, the
Office of Admissions has a guide to area housing and keeps a roommate
list to assist students in finding roommates for the school year.
Accreditation
and licensing questions
When will the Charleston School of Law become ABA accredited?
The law school received provisional accreditation in December
2006. Learn more.
Is the Charleston School of Law licensed?
The Charleston School of Law is licensed by the South Carolina
Commission on Higher Education.
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