Eligible applicants must be 18+ years of age, and hold a minimum collegiate GPA of 3.3. Applicants must be sophomores, juniors, or seniors, and must be in the process of completing their first undergraduate degree.
USC Gould School of Law is the proud academic home of award-winning pipeline programs that over the years have helped expand access to legal education.
In partnership with the USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative and USC Upward Bound, the USC Gould School is excited to launch the ASCEND Pre-Law Summer Institute, an immersive residential law school experience. Open to rising college sophomores, juniors and seniors, the Pre-Law Summer Institute is a three-week program that launches in July 2025, with financial support to cover room and board expenses for all admitted participants.
USC Gould’s ASCEND Pre-Law Summer Institute is the only fully residential and fully funded pre-law program of its kind on the West Coast. Participating students will have access to personalized support and guidance during the summer institute, as well as throughout their law school application process.
Eligible applicants must be:
18 years and older; a rising sophomore, junior or senior in college;
and hold a minimum collegiate GPA of 3.3.
The application will open on February 1, 2025.
The deadline to apply is March 31, 2025.
The summer institute curriculum will focus on new themes each week, to foster a deeper understanding of the legal landscape and prepare students for future success.
Students in the ASCEND program will have the opportunity to meet leading attorneys and judges
Students will benefit firsthand from current law students and accomplished alumni
Students will learn the nuts and bolts of the application process from law school administrators
Have a question? See answers below to frequently asked questions about ASCEND Summer Institute at USC Gould School of Law.
Eligible applicants must be 18+ years of age, and hold a minimum collegiate GPA of 3.3. Applicants must be sophomores, juniors, or seniors, and must be in the process of completing their first undergraduate degree.
USC Gould School of Law will cover the cost of the summer institute program/instruction, lodging, and meals. In addition, the school will cover up to $450.00 (RT) airfare for those traveling out-of-state. For in-state students traveling within California, cost of airfare is included.
The deadline to apply is March 31, 2025. Undergraduate transcripts must be received by March 31, 2025. Admitted students to the summer institute will be notified sometime in May.
Only applications with all the required application components will be reviewed so please do not delay.
The three-week residential summer institute will be held from July 21, 2025 - August 9, 2025. Academic programming will take place Monday through Friday, approximately 8:00am – 5:00pm, including some evening events. There may also be some required programming on weekends, but we anticipate that you will have free time as well. The program is fully immersive, participants are expected to participate the duration of the program.
ASCEND is three-week program. Dates will be posted on this website soon.
If admitted to ASCEND, USC Gould will cover up to $450.00 round-trip airfare for those traveling out-of-state. For students traveling within California, cost of airfare will be covered. Please note: Travel arrangements will be managed by USC’s designated travel agency. We will not be issuing reimbursements if participants book flights outside of our designated travel agency. Detailed information will be provided to admitted students.
No. Transportation will be provided for summer institute-hosted programming and site visits.
Participants who do bring a vehicle are responsible for parking and any related costs.
For all additional questions, please reach out to the USC Gould Admissions Office at: [email protected].
David Kirschner
Associate Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Innovation
[email protected]
Brenda Cortez-Martin
Senior Associate Director of Admissions and Pipeline Initiatives
[email protected]
Attend one of our upcoming ASCEND information sessions to learn more about the program and meet our admissions team.
ASCEND Information Session for Educators and Pre-Law Advisors
Wednesday, Feb 12, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. (PT)
ASCEND Information Session for Prospective Applicants
Wednesday, Feb 12, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. (PT)
