Starting this fall, Mason students will take part in a new pilot program together with the The Law School Admission Council called the The Legal Education Program. The stated goals of the new program are to "help students develop the skills necessary to succeed in law school, learn to navigate the admission process, and acquire the tools they need to build a network to support them during law school."
Through the pilot, Mason students receive incentives to take two courses in the 2022-2023 academic year, Logic and Critical Thinking and Introduction to Ethics, and two free LSAT tests. The courses will provide instruction on reasoning, argumentative writing, speaking, active listening, and other non-cognitive skills. Students will be measured on the development of these skills.
According to Professor Shannon Fyfe, the Philosophy Department's graduate director, and a key leader in the program, “Mason students are a perfect fit for this exciting and innovative program, and we are thrilled to be participating. This program acknowledges that we can predict (and encourage!) student success in law school without relying exclusively on standardized testing, which we know is prone to cultural and racial bias. Through the LEP program, a diverse group of 35 Mason students will prepare to apply to law school through their regular course load, avoiding the cost and time associated with an external LSAT prep course. We hope that this program will increase the number of Mason students who feel like they have the tools to pursue a career in law and justice, especially first-generation college students. I look forward to getting to know our LEP pilot students through their logic and ethics coursework and helping them develop the reasoning skills they will use in their future careers.”
August 24, 2022
