LexPostBacc Direct Program

To participate in the LexPostBacc Direct program, applicants must:

• Be a member of at least one of the following groups:
  • Racial or ethnic group that is underrepresented in the legal profession
  • First-generation bachelor’s degree graduate
  • Pell Grant recipient as an undergraduate
• Possess a bachelor’s degree or have completed at least 90 bachelor’s degree credit hours (in progress count towards total)
• Have a highest LSAT score that does not exceed the 25th percentile among the national pool of test takers (as reflected on the CAS report)
• Have not previously enrolled in a J.D. program at an ABA-approved law school
• Plan to apply for 2027 or 2028 law admission

Direct Scholars who successfully complete the LexPostBacc Direct curriculum will receive:

• A $500 award from AccessLex Institute^® upon successful completion
• A $7,000 stipend from AccessLex Institute^® beginning with enrollment in an ABA-approved law school in fall 2027, spring 2028, or fall 2028 (paid in installments over the course of law school study)
• A Helix Bar Review by AccessLex^® course, upon graduation

• Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills
  • Direct Scholars will complete a curriculum of online lessons, including Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) learning modules covering:
    • Substantive topics: Contracts, Criminal Law, Torts
    • Skills: interpreting and briefing cases, understanding common terminology, legal writing, note-taking, outlining, reading comprehension, rule synthesis, statutory interpretation, time management
  • Direct Scholars will complete formative and summative assessments consisting of short answer, essay, and multiple-choice problems
• Financial Education and Literacy
  • Direct Scholars will be exposed to a financial education curriculum consisting of:
    • MAX Pre-Law by AccessLex^®
    • Tailored webinars and information sessions
• LSAT Prep
  • Direct Scholars who opt to retake the LSAT during the program cycle will:
    • Take a full-length Kaplan online LSAT course, beginning in July 2026 (no charge to Scholars)
    • Have the LSAT registration fee reimbursed by AccessLex, if the test is taken in September 2026

The LexPostBacc curriculum will require Direct Scholars to dedicate an estimated 15 hours of effort per week completing lessons, exercises, and assessments. (This estimate does not include LSAT preparation.) Scholars will also be required to attend mandatory virtual class sessions about once per month. The curriculum will be mostly formative in nature, with a goal of fostering deep learning and engagement through robust feedback and guidance. Read more about the LexPostBacc Direct Curricular Framework.

1. Program engagement – completion of all assignments and attendance at all mandatory synchronous sessions; and
2. Skills proficiency – attainment of required minimum scores on assignments. 
    

Direct Scholars will receive ongoing feedback on their performance and regular progress reports. Successful completion is required for a Direct Scholar to represent and communicate law school readiness by virtue of their LexPostBacc Direct participation.

Direct Scholars will receive progress reports documenting their LexPostBacc performance. Scholars will be able to share these reports with law schools.

Direct Scholars who successfully complete the LexPostBacc curriculum will be able to request that a letter documenting their favorable performance be added to their LSAC Credential Assembly Service file via its Letter of Recommendation service.

• Two (2) recommender assessments
  • Recommenders are asked to rate (on a 1-5 scale) the applicant on 10 characteristics and skills. For ratings of ‘5’ (most favorable), recommenders are required to provide a brief narrative example of the applicant demonstrating the characteristic or skill. No narrative is required for other ratings. Recommenders should be able to rate the applicant on at least five of the characteristics and skills.
  • The application will ask you to provide names and contact information for two to four recommenders. Upon submission of your application, your recommenders will be invited to complete and submit the assessment form via an online portal. You can view a PDF sample of the assessment form here. Please send the PDF to your recommenders so they can prepare their narrative examples prior to accessing the online portal.
• Personal statement
  • Please explain in no more than two single-spaced pages how your racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic identity has impacted your life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise, and how those experiences are tied to a quality of character or unique ability that you would bring to a law school learning environment.
  • The application will ask you to upload your statement. You should begin contemplating and drafting your statement as soon as possible, allowing for submission of your best work without unduly delaying your application.
• College transcripts
  • The application will ask you to upload copies of transcripts showing that you have received a bachelor’s degree or have completed at least 90 bachelor’s degree credit hours. In progress hours are counted towards this total.
• LSAT score report
  • The application will ask you to upload an LSAT score report showing a highest LSAT score not exceeding the 25th percentile among the national pool of test takers.

Applying to LexPostBacc Direct is a two-part process involving a Preliminary Application and a Final Application:

• On the Preliminary Application, you will provide:
  • Cumulative GPA (from the college/university that awarded or will award your bachelor’s degree)
  • Number of bachelor's degree credit hours earned or in progress
  • Highest LSAT score and percentile
  • The amount of latest Pell Grant award and the term in which it was received it (if claiming such eligibility)
  • An email address that you check regularly and can receive LexScholars information. School (.edu) addresses are discouraged.
• Applicants who appear to meet the eligibility criteria based on the Preliminary Application will be emailed a link to the Final Application to do the following:
  • Indicate whether you would like to receive a Kaplan LSAT course;
  • Upload personal statement, academic transcript, and LSAT score report; and
  • Provide names and contact information for two to four people who will submit Recommender Assessments. Upon application submission, each recommender will be emailed a link to the Recommender Assessment form. At least two assessments must be submitted for an applicant to be eligible for review. Recommenders can view a PDF sample of the assessment form here.
• Eligible applicants who submit all required materials by June 1, 2026 will be reviewed for LexPostBacc Direct selection (pending receipt of at least two Recommender Assessments by June 10, 2026).

Applicants will be selected based on the quality of their application materials. Participation offers will be sent to applicants between May 1 and June 19. Earlier applicants are more likely to be selected than later applicants.