What is the 3+3 Program?
Interested in attending the University of Oregon’s Law School? Consider participating in the Clark Honors College’s 3+3 Program! It allows highly talented and motivated honors college students to complete both a bachelor’s degree and a law degree at the University of Oregon in six years. With some beneficial double-dips between program requirements, this dual degree program shaves a full year from the typical seven-year path to a law degree.
3+3 Program Benefits
With the 3+3 Program, you get a law degree faster and begin your career earlier, you avoid the time pressure and expense of the application process, and you have more time to complete your Clark Honors College (CHC) Thesis!
As a 3+3 Program participant, you will…
- Complete both a Bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor at the University of Oregon in six years rather than the usual seven years
- Enjoy the flexibility of being able to opt in to or out of the program at any point during your first three years of undergraduate study
- Avoid the work and expense of applying to multiple law schools (UO Law School’s application fee is waived for 3+3 applicants)
- Enjoy guaranteed admission if you meet the criteria (qualifying minimum undergraduate GPA and LSAT/ACT/SAT score)
- Avoid the LSAT requirement (waived with qualifying ACT/SAT score of 85th percentile or higher)
How 3+3 Eliminates a Year of Undergraduate Study
3+3 is a dual degree program that eliminates a year of undergraduate study—while extending the thesis timeline!—through two double-dips between undergraduate and graduate programs:
- Shared elective credits between law school coursework and undergraduate degree
- CHC Thesis double-dips with the law school’s writing requirement
Three paths to 3+3
The 3+3 program includes two potential pathways for guaranteed admission, as well as a pathway that involves regular review:
Path 1:
Guaranteed Admission with ACT/SAT score and undergraduate GPA
Students with an overall ACT or SAT score in the 85th percentile or higher and a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA (currently 3.5 or higher) are eligible for guaranteed admission.
Path 2:
Guaranteed Admission with LSAT score and undergraduate GPA
Students with an LSAT score that is at least one point higher than the median LSAT score for the previous year’s incoming UO Law School class and a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA (currently 3.5 or higher) are eligible for guaranteed admission.
Path 3:
Regular Admission for students with ACT/SAT/LSAT scores and/or undergraduate GPAs below the thresholds listed above
CHC students who don’t meet the test score and/or GPA thresholds mentioned above are still eligible to apply to UO Law School via the 3+3 Program, although they won’t be eligible for guaranteed admission.
*All applicants must have completed a minimum of 136.5 undergraduate credits at the time of matriculation into Law School and have no criminal arrests or convictions that would make them otherwise ineligible for admission to the Bar. Law School applications must be completed by March 1 of the student’s third year of study in order to be eligible for guaranteed admission.
Prospective 3+3/CHC Students
Because of 3+3’s flexible program structure, you do not need to know if you would like to participate in this program before matriculating into the Clark Honors College. Prospective 3+3 Program participants do not need any special preparatory or transfer coursework (or any transfer coursework at all) for them to be eligible for the program. If you think that 3+3 is right for you, the first step will be for you to apply for admission to the CHC. You will receive in-depth advising on the 3+3 Program once you matriculate into the CHC.
Transfer Students: 3+3 is most suitable for lateral transfer students who have entered CHC no later than winter term of their second year. Please note that the 3+3 Program requires six years of study at the University of Oregon and thus cannot be completed on a shorter timeline. Transfer students with a year or more of coursework from other post-secondary institutions will not find the 3+3 Program beneficial from an accelerated degree perspective, although they are still eligible for 3+3 if they wish to complete three whole years of undergraduate study at UO/CHC before entering law school.
CHC's First 3+3 Graduate
Read about Nicole Meyer's experience in the program.
The 3+3 Program changed my life. Because of this program, I've been able to start my career in the legal field at 24 years old. Not only has this program allowed me to fast-track my career to give back to community faster than I could have expected, but this program has also taught me organization, strength, and discipline that I will carry with me throughout my life and career. I am so thankful for everything that the 3+3 Program has given me.
The 3+3 program provides students with the ability to get to what they want to do faster. There is also no added stress of having to take the LSAT or having to wait for an admission decision from the law school. Going to college and law school can be a daunting task, so the 3+3 program is worth doing to minimize stress where possible.
Participating in the 3+3 program was the best thing I have done for myself. On top of saving financially, I saved myself so much stress by not applying to other law schools. The opportunity to write and defend a thesis during this journey has also given me so much confidence in my abilities as a scholar. I hope the program can provide the same opportunities for you. Good luck!
Current 3+3/CHC Students
Please see the CHC’s Community Canvas site for detailed information and checklists for current CHC students.