Maine Law 3+3 Agreement

UMA and University of Maine Law School offer a joint accelerated 3+3 program for UMA students interested in pursuing a legal career.

This program permits students to complete their first three years, or 91 credits, at UMA and then fulfill their Bachelor’s requirements through completion of their first year at University of Maine Law School. Students who choose the accelerated 3+3 program save their final year of college tuition and prepare themselves to enter the legal field a year earlier than they otherwise would.

Students in the 3+3 program must apply to University of Maine Law School in their Junior year, or the year before they plan on attending law school. Admission is not guaranteed, and students are evaluated along with the entire field of applicants to the law school. They are required to complete all UMA general education requirements, the program requirements for their major, and to have completed at least 91 credits at UMA. There are no set GPA and LSAT requirements that will guarantee admission, but students should consult this grid from the LSAC which shows that, in the past, students who have had a GPA above 3.25 and an LSAT above 150 have significantly improved their odds of admission.

Application Process

• Students who have completed their freshman year (or 30 credits) should reach out to the 3+3 program by filling out the form below.
• The student will be assigned a 3+3 advisor to help prepare them for the admissions process and to work with the program coordinator of their department to make sure that they meet program requirements for their major.
  Many majors, including, but not limited to, English, Interdisciplinary Studies, Justice Studies, Liberal Studies, Public Administration, and Social Science, will naturally suit the 3+3 Program, but it may be a challenge in other programs. In all cases, however, a conversation between your 3+3 advisor, your academic advisor, and the program coordinator of your department is encouraged.
• As soon as the student decides to join the 3+3 program, the student should choose a target date to take the LSAT from this list of available dates. The test should optimally be taken at a time that permits the student around three months of part-time test preparation in advance of the test date. Many students on traditional, full-time academic-year schedules will find the late August/early September test date to be ideal, permitting them time in the summer to study, without interfering with course work. But some students will find other test dates to be a better fit for them.
• The student should prepare to submit an application to University of Maine Law School as early as possible once admissions open in November. This will require the student to gather a number of items, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, so it is best to start working on this at least a couple of months before the student plans to apply. Please consult this Maine Law checklist of admissions items. Application to the law school is rolling, but admissions fill up, so those applying are highly encouraged to do so as close as possible to the date that admission opens.

Questions?

Please contact Eric Allain at eric.allain@maine.edu.