Program Overview

Akron Law's Summer Start Program

The University of Akron's School of Law offers a Summer Start program, which allows students to begin their JD studies in late May instead of August. This program provides students with the opportunity to get a head start on their degree with small classes and a reduced course load.

Program Description

The Summer Start program is designed to make the first year of law school more flexible and accessible to both traditional and nontraditional students. Participants in the program will take two first-year courses in small class sections over the summer, providing them with the option to get a head start on their graduation requirements.

Eligibility

Any student who meets the criteria for admission to Akron Law's full-time or part-time JD program is eligible for the Summer Start program. However, the program is capped at 30 students to ensure a small-class experience for participants. The admissions criteria and requirements are the same as for the traditional August start option. The Summer Start program is not available to non-JD students.

Application Process

To apply for the Summer Start program, students must complete a special Summer Start application for admission to Akron Law. The application deadline for the Summer Start program is March 31, which is the same date as the fall admission application deadline. Late applications may be possible depending on space availability.

Program Details

• The Summer Start program will be canceled if enrollment is insufficient. If it is necessary to cancel the program, enrolled students will be notified as soon as practicable and in no event later than April 30.
• Most Summer Start students will be eligible for financial aid during the summer, including federally guaranteed student loans.
• Summer Start students will take two required first-year courses during the summer, totaling between 6 and 8 credit hours. The course offerings will be determined each year and are subject to change.
• Summer Start courses will be held during the 10-week summer semester, beginning in late May and ending in early August. They will be scheduled between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Summer Start students will be required to participate in a special orientation program in late May, prior to the beginning of classes, as well as the regular first-year orientation program in late August.

Course Options

Summer Start students have two options for the fall and spring semesters of their first year in the JD program:

• They can get a head start on their degree requirements by taking up to six credits' worth of upper-division required courses in place of the courses they took during the summer.
• They can take a reduced course load, completing their first year of law school at a more relaxed pace.
• Summer Start students will take the remaining required first-year courses (totaling between 20 and 22 credits for full-time students) in assigned sections alongside other first-year law students.