Admission

LEAP

Earn a B.A. and a Law Degree in Six Years
Now you can earn a law degree in one year less than usual

LEAP FAQ

Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Hofstra Law School offer an accelerated six-year B.A./J.D. program – one that few other universities in the New York City area offer.

Hofstra's 3+3 program allows students to complete requirements for both the bachelor of arts and the juris doctor in just six years. LEAP students can choose from more than 40 liberal arts majors from among the majors available at the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. 

View a full listing of LEAP majors.

Hofstra's Legal Education Accelerated Program (LEAP) is looking for candidates of very high academic caliber, generally from among students who have combined SAT scores of 1290 or better on the evidence-based reading and writing + math (or an ACT score of 27) is expected and an overall GPA of 3.5 (or be in the top 15 percent of their high school graduating class.)

To maintain eligibility for law school matriculation at the end of the junior year, students admitted to LEAP must:

  • Complete a minimum of 95 semester hours in the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (HCLAS) (at least 94 of them in liberal arts courses).
  • Fulfill all University requirements, and all requirements for the BA, including WSC 001 and WSC 002; all HCLAS distribution course requirements and language requirements; and all requirements for the specific academic major chosen by the student.
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.4 in course work toward the BA.
  •  Achieve an LSAT score in junior year that is no lower than the median LSAT score for the prior year’s full-time entering class at Hofstra Law School. Hofstra Law School will consider waiving the LSAT requirements for any LEAP student who presents the law school with a minimum SAT or ACT score in the 85th percentile and who has achieved a minimum undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5. Only students who have taken either the SAT or the ACT will be eligible for a waiver of the LSAT exam.
  •  Apply to and be accepted by the Hofstra Law School. Application entails LEAP students submitting the LSAT score when required, the Hofstra JD application including the personal statement, and undergraduate transcripts and letters of recommendation. All applicants must comply with all the deadlines and requirements as stated on the Hofstra Law School Admissions website.

When hiring, the best law firms look for candidates with a strong liberal arts background. That’s because a liberal arts education emphasizes critical thinking and reading skills, as well as strong writing ability.

LEAP is administered by the Department of Political Science. For more information, please contact Francesca Olivo, Associate Dean of Admission, at leap@hofstra.edu or 516-463-6700 or Dr. Rosanna Perotti, professor of Political Science, at 516-463-5619 or rosanna.perotti@hofstra.edu.

FAQ

What is LEAP?
The Legal Education Accelerated Program (LEAP) is Hofstra University's 3+3 program that allows students to complete requirements for both the Bachelor of Arts and the juris doctor in just six years. After completing the third year of college (in Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), LEAP students who meet the admission requirements for the law school will enroll in The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University. The first year of law school will therefore also count as the fourth year of college.
What are the advantages of participating in LEAP?
Completing both college and law school in just six years will prove a challenging intellectual experience. Students particularly eager to begin their professional careers will be able to do so one year earlier. In addition, because LEAP students will complete both college and law school in just six years, they will save one year’s college tuition costs.
How do students apply to LEAP?
Students who are interested in participating in LEAP must complete the LEAP Supplemental Application. Students must declare an interest in LEAP on their Hofstra University Application in order to receive this additional application.
What are the requirements for admission to LEAP?
Normally, students admitted to LEAP have combined SAT scores of 1290 or better on the evidence-based reading and writing + math (or an ACT score of 27) and an overall GPA of 3.5 (or be in the top 15 percent of their high school graduating class.) However, there is some flexibility with regard to these criteria.
Can transfer students apply to LEAP?
No, only incoming first-year students can participate in LEAP.
When is the deadline to apply for LEAP?
The application process for LEAP is rolling and therefore does not have a deadline. However, it is recommended that students submit the LEAP Supplemental Application by April 1.
When will students know whether they have been accepted to LEAP?
A committee made up of representatives from the Office of Undergraduate Admission, Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Hofstra University School of Law meets on an ongoing basis to review the records of LEAP applicants. Those accepted to the program will receive letters of acceptance later that month.
Which majors are available for students in LEAP?

LEAP students can select a BA track within the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

Are there additional scholarships available for students who participate in LEAP?
While there are no additional scholarships for students in LEAP, these students are eligible for the traditional merit based scholarships which are offered at the time of admission to the University. All merit based awards are four year scholarships and as such the undergraduate scholarship will be applied toward the first year of law school tuition (the fourth year enrolled at Hofstra University). Students may also be eligible for need-based scholarships upon submission of the FAFSA form.
Do LEAP students take courses different from those taken by other students in Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences?
There are no special courses required of students within the LEAP program, and students are free to select any of the majors available in the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, so long as they lead to the Bachelor of Arts degree. However, students in LEAP are encouraged to participate in a law-oriented First-Year Seminar which is offered in the fall of the first year.
What courses must LEAP students take during their three years in Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences?
LEAP students must complete all requirements for the B.A. degree in Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This includes the College’s requirements in English composition and foreign language, and distribution courses in the College’s three divisions. In addition, every student must complete a Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences major. Careful planning in conjunction with an academic advisor is needed from the outset of students’ careers to assure that they will be able to complete all of these requirements within the allotted three year period.
When do LEAP students receive their BA degree?
LEAP students receive their BA degree upon successful completion of the first year of The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University (29 semester hours). Together with the 95 semester hours previously completed (94 of them in liberal arts) at Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, these 29 semester hours will add up to the 124 semester hours required for the BA degree. Upon successful completion of the first year of law school, LEAP students will be invited to participate in the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences commencement exercises and to receive their college diplomas.
What are the requirements for admission to The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University after three years in LEAP?
LEAP students will normally be permitted to enroll in The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University after completing their junior year, if they have earned a total of 95 semester hours (94 of them in liberal arts), meeting all requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree, achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.4 in course work toward the BA, and achieving an LSAT score in their junior year that is no lower than the median LSAT score for the prior year's full-time entering class at The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University. Matriculation at The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University takes place at the end of junior year; the BA is then granted after satisfactory completion of the first 29 semester hours of law school course work.
Can LEAP students be admitted to The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University in fewer than three years if they have entered Hofstra University as first-year students with college and/or AP credits received while enrolled in high school?
No. It is our expectation that students will complete three years of undergraduate work at Hofstra University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences prior to enrolling in The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University. Students may use college and/or AP credits to lighten their workload in any given semester, but students will not be admitted to the law school without having completed three years of undergraduate work at Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This is to assure that students entering The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University possess the requisite intellectual and emotional maturity deemed necessary for success in the study of the law.
What is the admission process for LEAP students making the transition from Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University?
In order to make the transition from Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, LEAP students must: For more information, please contact Francesca Olivo, Associate Dean of Admission, at leap@hofstra.edu or 516-463-6700 or Dr. Rosanna Perotti, professor of Political Science, at 516-463-5619 or rosanna.perotti@hofstra.edu.