Search Results

Previous Next

Trial Admissions Program (TAP)

At Widener Law Commonwealth, we believe that dedicated individuals deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams. To that end, the law school created the Trial Admissions Program (TAP) to identify and admit individuals who have the teamwork, leadership, drive, and academic skills necessary to complete law school and pass the bar examination.

The overwhelming majority of previous TAP participants who successfully obtained law school admission have performed as well as, and many better than, many of their non-TAP peers. TAP participants’ success as law students is a result of their close work with a faculty advisor, meeting regularly with other TAP participants as a group, and completing other program expectations.

Application Requirements

All applicants to the law school’s Juris Doctor program are considered for TAP. There is not a separate TAP application. Applicants who do not excel on the traditional indicators of LSAT and UGPA, yet show the promise and resolve to succeed in law school, are invited to participate in the program. To be considered, candidates must apply to the law school by May 1.

TAP is a very competitive admissions process and the program rarely exceeds 30 participants. An invitation to participate in TAP is not acceptance to the law school. Candidates cannot participate in TAP if they unsuccessfully completed the program in the preceding two years. All candidates invited to participate in TAP will receive a memo describing the program procedures and requirements in greater detail.

Program Schedule

TAP participants attend an immersive summer program at Widener Law Commonwealth that begins mid-May and ends late June. TAP participants are required to take three courses: Contracts, Torts, and Legal Methods. These courses are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 9:10 p.m.

Admission Standard

TAP is a rigorous program and success is not guaranteed. To earn admission to the entering class at Widener Law Commonwealth, TAP participants must achieve a minimum 2.3 GPA in the program. TAP classes are not graded on a curve and there is no limit on the number of participants who can successfully complete the program.

No academic credit toward the JD degree is granted for TAP. TAP courses will not appear on a student’s law school transcript and will not transfer to any other program. The program grades and admission decisions are final and non-appealable.