The goal of the Academic Achievement Program is to assist students in developing the skills they need to succeed in law school while providing a community based atmosphere to ease the transition process. Through skills development sessions, individual tutoring, and various workshops, the program will expose students to the basic skills needed to become independent learners and to make the most of their academic efforts.

 

The Skills Development Sessions are lead by upper level students with proven academic success known as Peer Leaders who focus on study skills and learning techniques using substantive material as a basis for the class. The Peer Leaders will address topics such as briefing, note-taking, outlining, exam writing as well as time and stress management.  They will work closely with a professor in the development of active learning materials and exercises. These weekly. one-hour sessions focus on skills enhancement in the context of a particular subject matter; they are not review sessions of class material and do not take the place of professors or their teaching materials. Instead, the sessions will enable students to get the most from these resources as they adjust to the study of law.

Peer Leaders are available to work with 1Ls on an individual basis after the eight Skills Development Sessions have ended and at the beginning of the spring semester. For the spring, priority will be given to those students whose GPA’s are 2.5 and below. The goals of the tutoring sessions are to help students develop good study habits and to recognize and adapt to their own learning styles. 

Peer Leaders will hold office hours on a weekly basis for the academic year. Students are encouraged to utilize these office hours prior to requesting individual tutoring. 

Faculty members from the Legal Communication and Research program host various workshops throughout the year that reinforce the skills taught in their courses.

 

Spring Academic Workshops

Peer Leaders and members of the faculty facilitate workshops that reinforce the study skills learned in the Fall as it relates to the Spring courses. There will be a focus on exam preparation and techniques. 

Individual Counseling
Students may meet with Associate Director for Academic Support, Melanie C. Rodriguez, Esq., Director of Student Programs & Pro Bono Initiatives, Alexis Martinez, Esq., and with Assistant Director for Academic Counseling, Emily Cadwallader, located in the Office of Student Life, Suite 444, to address their academic or personal concerns that may be affecting their overall success.