The Penn Law Pre-College Academy is a rigorous academic program that gives high school students from around the world the opportunity to experience law school at a world-class university. This 3-week intensive academy provides a well-rounded introduction to the American legal system and how law is practiced in the United States.

Penn Law prides itself on offering students of all ages and backgrounds a superior legal education and engaging experience in a congenial and stimulating environment. As a student in this summer’s Pre-College Academy, we believe this new opportunity will provide you the chance to have contact with a greater array of world-class faculty and legal practitioners representing more than one branch of legal knowledge, ultimately allowing you to participate in a range of activities and interdisciplinary lectures specifically designed to immerse students in the most cutting-edge legal issues shaping the United States and the world today.

Week One & Two: Students will spend the first two weeks of the academy taking an accelerated first-year law school curriculum, including such doctrinal legal subjects as contract, torts/liability, constitutional, and criminal law. Through the study of these doctrinal legal subjects, students will gain an understanding of the American legal system, develop legal reasoning skills, and experience the Socratic Method of dialogue with Penn Law professors.  With that foundation in place, students will also hear lectures on the cutting-edge legal issues that are shaping America today from Penn Law’s fully tenured professors.

Week Three: 

The third week of the 2022 Pre-College Academy will expose students to a diverse range of timely and specialized fields of law, such as business & entrepreneurship law, environmental law, human rights & immigration law, technology, privacy, & intellectual property law allowing you to see the myriad of opportunities in the legal profession and the many ways in which law impacts our world each and every day.

Program Highlights

• Law School Experience at an Ivy League Institution A one-of-its-kind opportunity for high school students to experience the first-year law school curriculum at an Ivy League university.
• Access to Renowned Faculty & Thought Leaders Drawing on the scholarship of one of the nation’s top law schools, directly learn from Penn Law faculty and legal practitioners on the cutting-edge legal issues that are shaping the United States today.
• Unique Chance to Observe Law in Action Virtual visits to court rooms and firms to experience the legal profession first-hand.
• Opportunity to Pursue Your Own Interests In addition to gaining a firm understanding of the American legal system, the Academy provides the chance to specialize in a focused area of law.
• Build a Strong Foundation for Future Success The Academy is designed to help further develop and fine-tune the communication, analytical, logical reasoning, and leadership skills essential for future academic and professional success. 

Admissions

Admissions to the Penn Law Pre-College Academy is selective and based on a record of academic achievement and leadership. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis and admissions decisions are made by Penn Law. The specialized area of law for Week Three (Business & Entrepreneurship Law, Human Rights & Legal Advocacy, or Sports & Entertainment Law) is expected to be chosen upon applying for the program.

About Penn Law

A member of the Ivy League, the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School is one of the oldest and most selective law schools in the world, with a history of innovation in education. Distinguished alumni include global political leaders, jurists, law professors, managing partners at top firms, and corporate counsel at Fortune 100 companies. With its beautiful and historic campus in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the U.S. Constitution, Penn Law is the perfect setting for a pre-college law academy.