USF campus signs unique deal with law school

SARASOTA — USF Sarasota-Manatee has a new program and partnership with Stetson University that offers qualified USFSM graduates direct entry into Stetson University College of Law.

The agreement is called a Direct Admission Program, according to a statement. Under the program, students will be assured entry into Stetson after meeting certain prerequisites. Students will also receive a scholarship throughout their studies at Stetson, the release adds. Stetson University College of Law is in Gulfport, Pinellas County.

“We are thrilled to partner with Stetson College of Law on this opportunity for our students,” USFSM interim regional chancellor Terry Osborn says in the statement. “Providing pathways for our students to attend law school locally provides expanded access to potentially high-paying and rewarding careers for students throughout our region.”

The agreement, approved late last year, applies to any academic major at USF Sarasota-Manatee. To be accepted into the program, undergraduate students must complete at least 90 semester hours of coursework with at least 30 semester hours completed at USFSM.

Applicants must also complete all requirements for a bachelor's degree and achieve a minimum 3.3 grade point average in courses at USFSM. They must also earn a score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) of no less than the 50th percentile of the most recent class to matriculate into the College of Law, according to the statement.

Applications will be accepted Oct. 1 through May 1 in the academic year before the student intends to enter Stetson.