At SUNY Old Westbury, a new accelerated path to a law degree

SUNY Old Westbury is now offering its students an accelerated path to a law degree. The institution has signed an agreement with the University at Buffalo School have law, offering a “3+3 joint degree program.” With this program, eligible Old Westbury students can earn an undergraduate degree and a law degree in six rather than seven years, saving a year of tuition.

The program was designed so that Old Westbury students earn credits to complete the final year of their undergraduate degree during their first year at UB School of Law. The program not only saves them a year of tuition, but also any related expenses associated with the traditional seven-year route to earning both undergraduate and law degrees.

“We’re excited to collaborate with UB Law to offer SUNY Old Westbury students the ability to earn both bachelor’s and juris doctor degrees in just six years,” SUNY Old Westbury Provost David Lanoue said in a news release about the combined program.

“This is an opportunity for academically strong students to maximize their educational opportunities while benefitting from the support and expertise of outstanding faculty and staff on both campuses,” Lanoue added.

”As the State of New York’s law school, we are pleased to partner with another SUNY school to expand pathways to the legal profession,” S. Todd Brown, dean and professor at UB School of Law, said in the news release.

“Many of our law alumni received their undergraduate degree from Old Westbury and now serve as leaders in our legal community. We expect that this partnership will facilitate even more,” Brown added.

The program is open to Old Westbury students majoring in programs that include politics, economics and law, English, philosophy and religion, and American studies. Admission into the program requires a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Additionally, applicants must have either an LSAT score at or above the median LSAT score for UB School of Law's previous year's enrolled class, or a GRE score at or above the 70th percentile on Verbal Reasoning and at or above the 40th percentile on Quantitative Reasoning.

The School of Law’s Class of 2027 entered this year posting a median score of 152 on the LSAT and medians of 161 (Verbal Reasoning) and 149 (Quantitative Reasoning) on the GRE.

Students must complete the approved 3+3 course plan for their respective undergraduate degree by the end of their third year of enrollment at SUNY Old Westbury and apply to the School of Law during their junior year.

In their fourth year, accepted students are admitted as full-time students at the School of Law and will follow the course of study for full-time, first-year law students. Upon successful completion of the first year of law school, the credits earned will be transferred back to SUNY Old Westbury in satisfaction of remaining undergraduate graduation requirements.

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