The ACU Pre-law program has helped prepare students for a career in law with opportunities like internships, LSAT preparation and All Rise, a community group for first-generation and Pell-eligible students.
When asked about the key steps students should take during their time at ACU to prepare for law school, pre-law advisor Chris Riley said.
“Meet with me as soon as they start considering law school,” Riley, associate professor in the Department of Government and Criminal Justice said, “second, pursue the Legal Studies Minor. As the university pre-law advisor, my role is to help students explore how they might live out God’s calling through the legal profession.”
ACU offers a wide range of support for students pursuing law school through hands-on experiences and community-building programs. Students have access to “one-on-one advising with an attorney-faculty advisor and a Legal Studies Minor,” Riley said.
The university also provides an LSAT prep course, on-campus recruiting events, alumni guest speakers, a Pre-Law Society, and related chapels. Students also have the chance to participate in legal externships.
One of the key support programs the university offers is All Rise, which is designed to assist students from underrepresented backgrounds in the legal field. The program was created after conversations with upper-level students and ACU alumni about their pre-law experiences and how the university could improve support.
All Rise focuses on first-generation and Pell-eligible students, inviting them to take part in informal monthly meetings where they can “build community, ask questions, and learn more about the journey ahead,” Riley said.
More than anything, Riley hopes students feel supported throughout the process. He said he wants students to feel informed and know they aren’t navigating this journey alone. But more importantly, he hopes they’re “learning to live out the call to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”
Riley’s guidance is just one part of the support ACU offers its pre-law students. For William Culp, who is graduating from ACU and heading to OU Law, those resources have played a meaningful role in helping him prepare for what’s next.
Culp, a senior history major from Temple, will be attending OU Law with the intent of becoming a defense attorney and the long-term goal of becoming a judge.
“ACU prepared me for law school by providing me access to the Pope Fellows Program that taught me public service skills and gave opportunities to speak with top judges and lawyers,” Culp said.
He took part in an internship at Harrell, Stoebner, and Russell in Temple, Texas, during his time as a student at ACU. The experience gave him practical insight into the legal world, including areas like family law, inheritances, wills, and contracts.
“The summer I spent working there solidified my desire to become a lawyer and criminal defense attorney,” he said.
One thing Culp wishes he did differently was score better on his first LSAT. “So I would not have needed to retake it for a second and third time until I earned a competitive score for law school.”
His advice for ACU students considering law school is to take the LSAT as early as possible, giving themselves time to retake it if their first score isn’t as high as they’d like.
