TRIALS Pre-Law Summer Program- NYU & Harvard Law
Free program, students receive $3,000 stipend
Apply here, applications due Feb 28
Trials is a unique partnership of Harvard Law School, NYU School of Law, and the Advantage Testing Foundation. It is a fully subsidized summer study program for students of modest means whose backgrounds are currently underrepresented at the nation’s top law schools.
For five weeks in the summer, Trials students take residence at Harvard or New York University. The residency alternates from year to year.
Each week, instructors from Advantage Testing prepare Trials students for the LSAT by deconstructing the test and presenting a step-by-step approach to each question type. Students maintain a rigorous practice testing schedule, frequently sitting for full-length official LSATs under simulated testing conditions. Working closely with their instructors, students learn to develop an individualized study plan, focus their preparation, and apply the core principles they master.
Trials students also attend lectures presented by prominent lawyers, public figures, and legal scholars, including distinguished faculty from both NYU Law and Harvard Law School. These lectures provide a wide-ranging introduction to the study and practice of the law while giving students the opportunity to ask specific questions related to their particular fields of interest.
Perhaps most important, Trials allows students to experience communities similar to those they will encounter in law school. Students form study groups to challenge, motivate, and inspire one another. In lunches with instructors and speakers, students can take part in informal discussions to learn more about the law, their peers, and themselves.
Finally, Trials is committed to taking full advantage of the resources of its host locations. Students enter the field in Boston and New York City to meet with and observe lawyers at work, garnering practical experience that complements the academic curriculum.
Trials is a full scholarship program. Students are not responsible for any tuition, fees, or related expenses.
In addition to the academic curriculum of the program, every Trials student will receive:
- Transportation to and from the host university campus
- Campus housing and daily meals for the duration of the five-week program
- Access to the host university’s library, computer centers, and gym
Each Trials student also receives a $3,000 stipend to replace or supplement summer employment income. We strongly encourage students to allocate a significant percentage of their stipends for school-year expenses such as tuition, housing, books, and other supplies.
