Admission Requirements

"Excellence through knowledge, Achievement through Commitment"

PRE-REQUISITE BEFORE APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO PACIFIC WEST

Before applying for admission to law school applicants MUST investigate the requirements for admission to the practice of law in the jurisdictions in which they intend to practice.

Pre-Application Counseling

Pre-application counseling is encouraged for those interested in learning more about Pacific West College of Law. This will provide personal insight into the admissions process, admission criteria, academic standards, and many other concerns confronting entering and transfer students.

Read the REQUIRED DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS

Business and Professions Code Section 6061.7(a)

PACIFIC WEST COLLEGE OF LAW

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

FOR JURIS DOCTOR DEGREE

JD DEGREE

For the Jurisprudence Doctorate in Law (JD) degree a student must have a Bachelors Degree or 60 semester units transferable per Education Code Requirements as a pre-requisite.

Applicants for admission to the Juris Doctor Degree at Pacific West College of Law must qualify under one of the following categories.

A.) Degree Regular Applicant

An applicant who has previously earned a Bachelor's Degree from a qualified institution.

B.) Non-Degree Regular Applicant

1. An applicant who has completed an Associate Degree from a qualified institution.

2. An applicant who has completed a minimum of 60 semester units of which 90% are applicable toward a Bachelor's Degree from a qualified institution, and whose cumulative grade point average is at or above the requirement for graduation from that institution. The pre-legal education obtained MUST satisfy the requirements pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 6060.

If student is unsure if they satisfy the pre-legal education requirements pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 6060, a student MUST have their transcript evaluated by the State Bar of California click here or refer to the CBE informations on the other column.

Students may also use Credential Evaluation Services from various Credential Evaluation Institutions recommended by the State Bar of California click here

Applicants who enter under this category with 60 qualified units, maybe eligible for the Bachelor of Science in Law Degree at the end of their Third Year in Law School and upon completion of 70 semester units at Pacific West College of Law by submitting a petition to the office of the Dean. The student must then complete the remaining units required to earn the Juris Doctorate Degree and become eligible to take the California Bar.

C.) Special Student Applicant

An applicant who has successfully passed the three required College Level Equivalency Program (CLEP) test, or such tests as required by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California, and has earned an LSAT score at or above the 50th percentile.

For more information and details about CLEP test please visit their website click here and here

D.) Transfer Student Applicant

An applicant who has previously enrolled in another law school whether or not the applicant completed any units toward a law degree.

Transfer Students Categories:

Admission of Applicants previously disqualified for academic reasons.

Applicants previously disqualified for academic reasons will be granted admission when there is an affirmative showing by the applicant that he or she possesses the requisite ability for the study of law. Such a showing may be made:

(a) At any time, if the applicant presents credible evidence that the prior disqualification was not caused by the applicant’s lack of capacity for the study of law, but resulted from a traumatic event or serious hardship that prohibited the applicant from performing at their normal level, this maybe accomplished by a letter from a Dean or faculty member from the prior law school or explained in a personal statement with corroborating information.; or

(b) After at least two years have elapsed since the disqualification, if the applicant demonstrates that work, study, or other experience during the interim time has resulted in a stronger potential for law study than the applicant exhibited at the time he or she was previously disqualified for academic reasons.

(d) Transfer credit cannot be granted unless the student has passed the First Year Law Students Examination or is exempt therefrom.

(e) Transfer credit shall only be approved by the Dean if it concerns courses completed not more than 27 months before study begins at Pacific west College of Law and only under special circumstances.

(f) Any transfer credit must be by a grade above passing or satisfactory grade as required by CBE Guidelines 5.35 for Guidelines for Unaccredited Law Schools.

Course Repetition, transfer Credits and awarding of Transcript credits shall be governed by Guidelines 5.23, 5.24, 5.34 and 5.35 of the Guidelines for Unaccredited Law School Rules in California.

E.) Visitor Auditing a Class(es)

An individual may enroll in a limited number of classes as a visitor provided that they can demonstrate that they have the ability and knowledge to benefit from the course(s) and will not be detrimental to those regularly enrolled students pursuant to (Guidelines 5.36 Admission as Visitor, Auditor or Non-J.D. Degree Candidate of the Guidelines for Unaccredited Law School Rules)

Pacific West regularly invites practicing attorneys to its Trial Practice type programs.

PACIFIC WEST COLLEGE OF LAW ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREES BELOW THAT DO NOT LEAD TO THE PRACTICE OF LAW IN CALIFORNIA AND ANY OTHER JURISDICTIONS

L.L.M DEGREES

For the L.L.M in Taxation and Environmental Law a student must have a Juris Doctor Degree as a pre-requisite.

FOREIGN STUDENT APPLICANT

An applicant who has completed college level work at a college or university outside the United States' educational system. Transcripts from such institutions must be evaluated by one of the California Bar approved agencies. A list of the agencies is available from either the Committee of Bar Examiners or the Administrative Office at Pacific West College of Law. The evaluation will determine under which of the above categories the applicant may apply. Click here for reference and guide.

CBE Information and Form Regarding the Evaluation of Pre-Legal Education and

Law Study Completed and Contemplated

EVALUATION OF PRE-LEGAL EDUCATION

Students contemplating beginning law study who are unsure whether they have the necessary pre-legal education required by Business and Professions Code Section 6060 may file an application for Evaluation of Pre-Legal Education for a determination of their eligibility to begin law study. Law schools may file an application on behalf of a potential student. In order to be accepted for processing, the student or law school must ensure all necessary documents are submitted. These include:

A completed Application for Evaluation of Pre-Legal Education form;
A cashier's check or money order made payable to The State Bar of California for $100; and
All official college transcripts.

EVALUATION OF LAW STUDY COMPLETED AND/OR CONTEMPLATED

Students who are unsure:

1. if they qualify for or have established exemption from the First-Year Law Students’ Examination;

2. how much credit they will receive for law study completed; and/or,

3. how much more law study is required in order to qualify to take the California Bar Examination may file an application for Evaluation of Law Study Completed and/or Contemplated. Law schools may file an application on behalf of a currently enrolled or potential student.

In order to be accepted for processing, the law student must be registered with the State Bar of California’s Office of Admissions and ensure all necessary documents are submitted. These include:

A completed Application for Evaluation of Law Study Completed and/or Contemplated form;
A cashier’s check or money order made payable to The State Bar of California for $100.00;
Official/certified law school transcripts of all law studies completed to the date of the request in the sealed school envelope(s); and
A proposed plan of study, if applicable.

Following receipt of an application for either of the above evaluations, the law student of law school official will be advised in writing of his/her status. An evaluation generally takes three to four weeks to complete. Foreign-educated law students should not use either of these forms, but file an application for registration as a foreign-educated General Applicant.

POLICY REGARDING COLLEGE LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAM (CLEP)

Rule 4.25(B) OF Title 4, Division 1 of the Rules of The State Bar of California (Admissions Rules)

Applicants who have not completed at least two years of college work in accordance with Rule 4.25(A) of the Admissions Rules and Section 6060(c)(1) of the California Business and Professions Code may satisfy the general education requirements that must be completed prior to beginning law study by attaining a score of 50 or higher on the following College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) examinations, which are administered by the College Board:

1. Under Composition and Literature category, either

College Composition*, or
College Composition and Modular*;

AND

2. Two other examinations, each designed to correspond to full-year courses (6 semester hours each**) or four other examinations, each designed to correspond to semester courses (3 semester hours each*) that can be selected from any of the following subjects:

Composition and Literature (Humanities examination only)
Foreign Language
History and Social Science
Science and Mathematics
Business

Applicants must register to take the CLEP examinations directly with the College Board and request that score reports be forwarded by the College Board to the prospective law schools to which they are seeking admission. Applicants who are either requesting a general education evaluation or pursuing law study under the Committee of Bar Examiners’ Law Office Study program must have the College Board send official score reports to the State Bar’s Office of Admissions in Los Angeles, 845 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90017-2515. The score recipient code for the Office of Admissions is 7165.

Copies of informational brochures and registration forms are available at local colleges and universities, or by contacting: The College Board, P. O. Box 6600, Princeton, NJ 08541-6600, 800-257-9558, www.collegeboard.com.

* Course Title changed effective July 1, 2010

** For the Summary of Credit Recommendations for the CLEP Examinations and further information, please contact The College Board at the above address.

VARIATION IN COLLEGE POLICIES

Variation in College Policies

In the event that there are any inconsistencies or conflicts with the Policies set forth herein and the rules and regulations of the California Committee of Bar Examiners then those rules and regulations by the California Bar Examiners shall control.

Any variation or waiver of College policies must be reflected in a memorandum in the Student's file and supported by good cause.

ADMISSION DEADLINES

Admissions Deadlines

The Admission Director will consider each applicant soon after all necessary items have been submitted to the Admissions Office.

RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

Pacific West College of Law reserves the right to refuse admission to any applicant or student.

Pacific West College of Law reserves the right to disqualify, discontinue, or exclude any student for non-academic reasons either by means of the Ethical Standards Committee.

Pacific West College of Law reserves the right to disqualify, discontinue or exclude any student for academic reasons who does not maintain the established GPA, or who does not remain in Good Academic Standing, and is unable to achieve that status following an appeal to re-read blue books for grade change purposes and subject to the final adjudication by the Grade Review/Faculty Review Committee.

Policies may change at Pacific West without notice from changing legal requirements of governing agencies and accrediting agencies such as the Committee of Bar Examiners for the State Bar of California.