Discontinuing or Postponing Legal Studies

Withdrawals

Students considering withdrawal from the Law School should consult with the associate dean for academic affairs, the associate dean for finance and administration or the assistant dean for admissions. A student may withdraw from the Law School at any time prior to the commencement of the final examination period by giving written notice to the associate dean for academic affairs, the associate dean for finance and administration or the assistant dean for admissions. Such students receive neither credit for, nor are charged with, any failure in any courses taken in the semester from which they withdraw. If the withdrawal occurs in the second semester these same regulations shall apply to full-year courses, except when arrangements for partial credit are made.

Leaves of Absence

Upperclass students and second semester Day Division students who are in good academic standing may request a leave of absence for one semester or for one academic year. Such requests should be submitted in writing to the associate dean for finance and administration, the associate dean for academic affairs or the assistant dean for admissions and should set forth in detail the reasons for the requested leave and the anticipated date of reentry into the Law School. Students who discontinue their studies at the Law School without being granted a leave of absence should submit a written request for permission to register for a subsequent semester. Such request should set forth in detail the reasons for the hiatus in the student's enrollment.

If a student takes a leave of absence from School after completion of one semester of a course scheduled throughout the academic year, upon readmission he or she may be permitted, under certain circumstances, to complete such courses as if withdrawal had not occurred. In determining whether or not this privilege will be granted, the following factors will be considered:

• changes in the content of the course
• the time elapsed since the course was originally taken, but ordinarily the privilege will not be granted to a student whose absence from the Law School has exceeded one year;
• the instructor's evaluation of the student's performance when the first semester of the course was originally taken (if known).

A request for such privilege should be addressed to the Admission Committee (for first-year students) or to the associate dean for finance and administration (for upperclass students) by written petition at the time the student seeks readmission to the Law School.

Note: Credit is ordinarily not given for one semester of a full-year course. In a case deemed appropriate by the instructor, however, arrangements may be made for such partial credit. Grades may be entered separately for each semester or a single grade may be entered for the year, at the election of the instructor, for courses scheduled throughout the year.

Information Services will close a student's email account two (2) weeks after the effective date of a leave of absence. The student is responsible for saving or forwarding any materials he or she wishes to keep.

Commitments for Readmission

Prior to matriculation, a regularly admitted applicant (not one admitted from the waitlist) may withdraw from the first year class and apply to the Admissions Committee for a deferral of admission. Such petitions should set forth in detail the reasons which compel the petitioner to postpone his/her legal studies until the following fall. All decisions regarding deferred admission commitments are entirely at the discretion of the Admission Committee.

After matriculation, and at the beginning of the fall semester only, regularly admitted first-semester Day or Evening Division students who wish to both withdraw and petition to defer their admission must make a written request for readmission to the Admission Committee no later than September 15 of the first semester. Students who withdraw after that date will not be considered for deferred admission. All decisions regarding deferred admission commitments are entirely at the discretion of the Admission Committee. Students admitted from the waitlist may not petition for a deferral of admission.

A commitment for deferred admission is not granted for a place in a class entering more than one academic year after the time that the petitioner was originally scheduled to enter, or did enter, the Law School. Persons receiving a deferral commitment to enter or reenter the first year must inform the Admissions Office in writing of their intention to enroll, and pay a deposit of $500 by December 1 of the calendar year prior to entry or reentry. Deferred enrollment seats for the following year will not be held after that date.

Students who withdraw and do not obtain a commitment for readmission must apply for readmission in the same manner as other applicants for admission. In considering such applications from students who withdrew during the first year, substantial weight is accorded to the opinions of the student's former instructors and the reasons given for withdrawal.