These rules supplement the Admissions Policy of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.
I. Admission of beginning students
A. The goal of the Admissions Committee will be to enroll approximately 90 students in the full-time division and approximately 50 students in the part-time division (including any “split division” that may be approved for a particular year), plus applicants admitted under Section 5 of the Admissions Policy.
B. In considering applicants eligible for admission under Section 3 of the Admissions Policy, the Admissions Committee will use and consider:
1. A “prediction index” (index) calculated in accordance with a formula proposed each year by the Law School Admission Council and approved by the Admissions Committee that is designed to achieve the greatest correlation between (a) Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores and undergraduate grade point averages and (b) success in first-year course work at this law school;
2. LSAT scores:
a. Only LSAT scores from tests taken during the five year period preceding the date for which enrollment is sought will be considered; and
b. If multiple LSAT scores are reported, the Admissions Committee will use the highest of the scores.
3. Without an LSAT Score:
a. The law school may admit no more than 10% of an entering class without requiring the LSAT from:
1) Students in an undergraduate program of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; and/or
2) Students seeking the J.D. degree in combination with a degree in a different discipline.
b. Applicants admitted under subsection (a) must meet the following conditions:
1) Scored at or above the 85th percentile on the ACT or SAT for purposes of subsection (a)(1), or for purposes of subsection (a)(2), scored at or above the 85th percentile on the GRE or GMAT; and
2) Ranked in the top 10% of their undergraduate class through six semesters of academic work, or achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above through six semesters of academic work.
4. Undergraduate grade point averages, taking into account the school, the major, the courses and the trend of grades; and
5. Other factors as indicated in Section 3 of the Admissions Policy, to further the goals set out in Section 1 of the Policy.
C. Undergraduate Degree Requirements:
1. The law school requires for admission to its J.D. degree program a bachelor’s degree that has been awarded by an institution that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.
2. Notwithstanding subsection (1) a law school may admit to its J.D. degree program:
a. an applicant who has completed three-fourths of the credits leading to a bachelor’s degree as part of a bachelor’s degree/J.D. degree program if the institution is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education; and
b. a graduate of an institution outside the United States if the law school assures that the quality of the program of education of that institution is equivalent to that of institutions accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.
3. In an extraordinary case, a law school may admit to its J.D. degree program an applicant who does not satisfy the requirements of subsections (a) or (b) if the applicant’s experience, ability, and other qualifications clearly demonstrate an aptitude for the study of law. For every such admission, a statement of the considerations that led to the decision shall be placed in the admittee’s file.
4. Within a reasonable time after a student registers, a law school shall have on file the student’s official transcripts verifying all academic credits undertaken and degree(s) conferred.
D. The Admissions Committee may ask any applicant to supply information in addition to that which is required for admission.
E. The Admissions Committee may delegate the authority and discretion to make offers of admission under Section 3 or 4 of the Admissions Policy to less than the full Committee, but to no fewer than two members.
F. The Admissions Committee in its discretion may establish either a firm deadline or a suggested deadline for admission to the Law School.
G. The Admissions Committee in its discretion may create a waiting list for applicants.
H. The following rules apply to applicants who have been academically disqualified from this or another law school:
1. An applicant who has been academically disqualified from this or another law school must be reviewed by the full Admissions Committee.
2. Such applicants may be considered for admission only if:
a. At least 12 months will have elapsed between the date of the applicant’s disqualification and the date of the applicant’s matriculation at this school; and if
b. The applicant demonstrates to the Committee’s satisfaction that the applicant possesses the requisite ability to complete the course of study at this law school and be admitted to the bar. Applicants must make the showing of ability required above by:
1) Interim work, activity or studies indicating a stronger potential for law study, if two or more years have elapsed since the disqualification; or
2) A letter from the disqualifying school, if fewer than two years have elapsed since the disqualification.
3) The Committee may, in its discretion, require additional evidence to demonstrate the applicant’s ability to complete the course of study.
3. If the Committee admits a previously disqualified applicant, a statement of the considerations that led to the decision shall be placed in the admittee’s file, in accordance with American Bar Association (ABA) Standard 501.
II. Admission of Transfer Students
A. No applicant will be considered for transfer (i.e., for admission with advanced standing) until the applicant has completed at least 20 semester hours or 30 quarter hours of course work at another law school which is either approved by the ABA or accredited by the state in which it is located (“state accredited”). An exception may be made in extraordinary circumstances of hardship.
B. To be eligible for consideration for admission, a transfer applicant must supply:
1. A completed application for transfer.
2. A letter explaining reasons for transferring.
3. An official transcript from the law school last attended.
4. A letter from the law school last attended, certifying that the applicant is in good standing and is eligible to continue studies at that school and the applicant’s class rank (this last requirement will be waived only in cases where the other law school does not calculate a class rank).
5. The applicant’s current Credential Assembly Service Report.
6. Any other information requested.
C. A transfer applicant from a state accredited law school must also provide:
1. A letter from the school’s dean or academic associate dean stating that the applicant’s studies were “undertaken as a J.D. degree student” as provided in ABA Standard505 (Granting of J.D. Credit for Prior Law Study);
2. A copy of the school’s most recent catalog, the school’s required curriculum, and the official course description and course syllabus for each course completed in order to determine if this law school would have granted credit toward satisfaction of the J.D. degree requirements if the courses where undertaken at this law school; and
3. A copy of the applicant’s current Credential Assembly Service report.
D. An applicant who qualifies for consideration for transfer may be admitted if:
1. There is space available in the class to which admission is sought;
2. The applicant is in good standing at the law school last attended and is eligible to continue in such school;
3. The applicant may be admitted if:
a. Ranks in the top third of the class in the law school last attended; or
b. Ranks in the top two-thirds of the class in the law school last attended, and is found by the Admissions Committee, on the basis of the applicant’s whole record, to be likely to be successful in completing the requirements for the J.D. degree at this school; or
c. Desires to transfer to this school for reasons of hardship, if the Admissions Committee is satisfied with the legitimacy of the plea of hardship, and the applicant’s record provides reason to believe that the applicant will be successful in completing the course of study at this school; and
d. If applying for transfer from a state-accredited law school, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of this school determines that the content of the studies at that school was equivalent to those at this school, and the applicant ranks in the top 15% of his or her class at the state-accredited school.
E. The Associate Dean will grant credit to an applicant accepted for transfer toward the J.D. degree of this school for courses taken at an ABA-approved or state-accredited law school in accordance with this law school’s Academic Rules Section IV (I).
F. Each transfer student will be required to complete successfully at least 60 hours of course work at this school to qualify for the J.D. degree, and each such student will be required to complete successfully all required courses at this school, except for those courses for which transfer credit has been granted and which are deemed to be the subject-matter equivalents of required courses at this school.
III. Admission of visiting students
A. Students from ABA-approved law schools or state-accredited law schools may be admitted on a space-available basis, subject to the approval of the Associate Dean.
B. To be eligible for consideration for admission, a visiting applicant must supply:
1. A completed application for visiting.
2. A letter explaining reasons for visiting.
3. Any other information requested.
C. Applicants for visitor status must provide the Associate Dean with a letter from the appropriate law school authority certifying the applicant’s good academic standing at the applicant’s current law school and indicating that the applicant has permission to take courses at the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.
D. Visiting students are not candidates for the J.D. degree of this school.
IV. Requests for deferment
A. Deferments are granted only to incoming first-year students who have been offered admission to the School of Law. Transfer and visiting students are not eligible for deferments.
B. The Chair of the Admissions Committee may grant a deferment for up to two academic years to a petitioner who has been admitted both to the School of Law and to another college or institution under a joint degree program, in order to enable the petitioner to complete the degree requirements of the other program.
C. In all other cases, the Chair of the Admissions Committee may grant a deferment for no more than one academic year to a petitioner who has been offered admission if the petitioner wishes to remain in the same division or wishes to transfer from full-time to part-time The Chair should take into account the reason for the requested deferment and the number of requests for deferment to the following year already granted. Requests to defer and transfer from part-time to full-time will not be granted because of the greater demand for the full-time division. Only one deferment request per admittee will be granted.
Approved by the faculty on September 17, 1991.
Amendments approved by the faculty on May 14, 1998; October 8, 2000; May 9, 2002; November 14, 2002; Oct. 12, 2006; Dec. 12, 2016
