Requirements for Admission to the Juris Doctor (J.D.) Program:

2L-4L Transfer Applicants

Prospective 2L-4L transfer students should review the requirements for admission to practice law in California as set forth in CA BPC § 6060.

Open Admissions Policy

We have an open admissions policy, meaning that any applicant who satisfies the pre-legal education requirements, appears to have a good moral character and has a passion to study the law can be admitted to the J.D. program. Admission is granted to all qualified persons regardless of age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability status or national origin. 

We believe in providing access to affordable legal education to ALL.

Transfer Requirements

- A transfer applicant must have passed the First-Year Law Students' Examination (aka the Baby Bar) OR be exempt by having successfully completed his or her first year at an accredited law school and been advanced to the second year by the same law school. 

- A transfer applicant who has been previously academically disqualified may be granted admission if the applicant can affirmatively show that they possess the requisite ability for the study of law. This may be shown if the applicant presents credible evidence that the prior disqualification was not caused by the student's lack of capacity for the study of law, but resulted from a traumatic event or serious hardship that prohibited the student from performing at his or her normal level. If the academic disqualification occurred two or more years ago, the applicant may demonstrate that work, study, or other experience during the interim has resulted in a  stronger potential for law study than the applicant exhibited at the time he or she was previously academically disqualified. These factors can be elaborated upon in an applicant's personal statement.

-An applicant that would like to start their law studies over with a clean slate as a 1L student can file a Starting First-Year Law Studies Over Certification with the State Bar of California and apply to WSLS as a new 1L applicant. 

Transfer Credit Awarded

Generally, transfer credit may be granted for whole courses completed within 27 months of the date the admitted transfer student begins their law study at WSLS. This time limitation does not apply to students who have passed the First-Year Law Students' Examinations (aka the Baby Bar).

WSLS reserves the right to refuse transfer credit if grades are unsatisfactory or courses have been taken too long ago. WSLS has not entered into a transfer or articulation agreement with any other college or university.

LSAT Not Required

The LSAT is not a requirement of admission, although it is recommended for all applicants and especially for those who have less than two years of college work and students who have previously been academically disqualified from another school.  

Pre-Legal Education

In order to be admitted to our J.D. program, you must meet the pre-legal education requirements of the State Bar of California by having

·      1) earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree at a regionally accredited or approved school recognized by the Committee of Bar Examiners, OR

·      2) earned an Associate of Arts (AA) degree or Associate of Science (AS) degree at a regionally accredited or approved school recognized by the Committee of Bar Examiners, OR

·      3) completed 60 semester (90 quarter units) of college work applicable to a Bachelor degree at a regionally accredited or approved school recognized by the Committee of Bar Examiners, with an average grade at least equal to that required for graduation*, OR

*If you do not have a Bachelor or Associate degree, you will need to file an Application for Evaluation of Pre-Legal Education with the State Bar of California. Please note that evaluations generally take 3-4 weeks to complete so you will want to request this as soon as possible. 

·      4) achieved passing scores on certain CLEP examinations (if less than 2 years of college) 

Please see the State Bar of California’s requirements for College Equivalency Education.

Foreign Undergraduate Work

If you have completed your undergraduate work in a foreign country, you must first have an educational evaluation of all foreign courses completed in your post-secondary education. This must be done by a credential evaluation agency approved by the Committee of Bar Examiners. You must request an official copy of the evaluation to be sent directly to us, by email to registrar@wslawschool.com (preferred) or mail to P.O. Box 748, Bonsall, CA 92003. 

WSLS does not participate in programs administered by the Department of Homeland Security for the enrollment of foreign students. 

Good Moral Character

A positive moral character determination is one of several requirements for admission to the practice of law in California. Although the State Bar of California is the final authority to determine whether you have a good moral character to practice law in California, we admit those who appear to have a good moral character based on your letters of recommendation and disclosure of any criminal history on your application. 

Passion to Study the Law 

We admit those who have a true passion to study the law. Your personal statement should be 2-5 pages indicating why you are interested in becoming an attorney. 

Application Process & Deadlines

Ready to apply? Here are the next steps:

STEP 1: Submit an Application for Evaluation of Law Study Completed and Contemplated with the State Bar of California 

Please note that evaluations generally take 3-4 weeks to complete so you will want to request this as soon as possible. 

STEP 2: Gather All Required Documents

1.     Unofficial transcripts from all undergraduate colleges/universities attended and all previous law schools attended

2.     2 Letters of Recommendation

3.     Personal Statement – 2-5 pages indicating why you are interested in becoming an attorney

4.       State Bar Completed Evaluation

STEP 3: Submit your Application for Admission by the following deadlines:

·      Fall 2023 Quarter: August 11, 2023

2L-4L transfer applicants may begin in any quarter (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). 

STEP 4: Request Official Transcripts - emailed to registrar@wslawschool.com (preferred) or mailed to P.O. Box 748, Bonsall, CA 92003

STEP 5: Pay Application Fee – Once your application file is complete including all required documents and official transcripts, you will receive an invoice via email for the $50 application fee. 

STEP 6: Application Review & Decision – Once your application fee is paid, we will review your application in its entirety and issue you an application decision within 1-2 weeks. You will be contacted by email with any questions, requests for additional information if needed, and your application decision. 

State Bar of California Admission Requirements

Practicing lawyers in California must be licensed by the State Bar. Legal education is one of the State Bar of California's Admission Requirements. Admitted students who successfully complete Western Sierra Law School's Juris Doctor (J.D.) Program will satisfy this legal education requirement. 

First-Year Law Students' Examination (Baby Bar)

Students who are enrolled in Western Sierra Law School's J.D. Program must pass the First-Year Law Students' Examination (FYLSE) aka the Baby Bar as part of the State Bar of California's requirements to qualify to take the California Bar Exam, unless exempt as a transfer student from an accredited law school. Students qualify to take the FYLSE after successfully completing their 1L year consisting of Contracts, Torts, Criminal Law.

The FYLSE is a one-day exam offered twice per year on the fourth Tuesday in June and October. The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions and 4 essay questions covering the 3 subjects students study exclusively their first year, Contracts, Torts and Criminal Law. A student who passes the FYLSE within 3 administrations after first becoming eligible to take it will receive credit for all law study completed to date. A student who does not pass the FYLSE within 3 administrations must unfortunately be disqualified from the J.D. Program, but may return and re-enroll after subsequently passing the exam, but will only receive credit for 1 year of law school.  

Below are examples of Baby Bar prep resources that students can use throughout their first year to help them prepare to pass the FYLSE the first time! We recommend that students independently research the effectiveness and success rates of all Baby Bar prep resources before enrolling and know what learning environment/review structure works best for them. We do not endorse or recommend any particular Baby Bar review provider. 

AdaptiBar's Baby Bar Online MBE Simulator & Prep

Fleming's Fundamentals of Law

Studicata

CA State Bar Past Exams

Tuition & Fees

Students must complete 120 units over 4 years to earn their Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. To satisfy both the State Bar of California's minimum 27 unit/year (270 hours/year) requirement and the J.D. Program's 120 unit requirement, students are advised to take on average 30 units/year. Tuition is paid on a quarter by quarter basis and must be paid in full for the upcoming quarter by the last day of the class registration period, otherwise a late registration fee will be added. A student with an outstanding tuition balance will not be permitted to register for next quarter's classes which may affect California Bar Exam eligibility. 

Total tuition and fees for a student attending in-person, paying via ACH by the registration deadline every quarter are:

1L (assumes 33 units): $12,350

2L (assumes 30 units): $11,300

3L (assumes 27 units): $10,250

4L (assumes 30 units): $11,300

Total for J.D. Program: $45,200

• Tuition: $350/unit
• Registration fee: $200/quarter
• Late Registration fee: $350
• Technology fee for Remote Attendance (applies only to courses with a Physical attendance option): $125/unit
• Petition fee for delayed registration as a remote student: $500
• RFID Access card: Deposit: $50, Lost/Replacement card fee: $50
• Application fee: $50 
• Official transcript fee: $10/transcript (U.S.), $25/transcript (Canada or Mexico), $45/transcript (International)
• Diploma fee: $60/diploma
• Graduation ceremony fee: $400
• Credit card transaction fee: 3%

All fees are non-refundable except for tuition. Tuition and fees are subject to change. 

Financial Aid

Western Sierra Law School does not currently offer scholarships or federal financial aid options and is not affiliated with any third-party lender. Students are encouraged to check with their local bank or credit union to inquire about personal loan options if needed.

Required Disclosures per the Guidelines for Unaccredited

Law School Rules Division 2.3 (D)

The method of instruction at this law school for the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree program is principally in physical classroom facilities.

Students enrolled in the J.D. degree program at this law school who successfully complete the first year of law study must pass the First-Year Law Students’ Examination required by Business and Professions Code § 6060(h) and Title 4, Division 1, Chapter 1 Rule 4.3(I) of the of the Rules of the State Bar of California as part of the requirements to qualify to take the California Bar Examination. A student who passes the First-Year Law Students’ Examination within three (3) administrations of the examination after first becoming eligible to take it will receive credit for all legal studies completed to the time the examination is passed. A student who does not pass the examination within three (3) administrations of the examination after first becoming eligible to take it must be promptly disqualified from the law school’s J.D. degree program. If the dismissed student subsequently passes the examination, the student is eligible for reenrollment in this law school’s J.D. degree program, but will receive credit for only one year of legal study.

Study at, or graduation from, this law school may not qualify a student to take the bar examination or to satisfy the requirements for admission to practice in jurisdictions other than California. A student intending to seek admission to practice law in a jurisdiction other than California should contact the admitting authority in that jurisdiction for information regarding the legal education requirements in that jurisdiction for admission to the practice of law.

View 2023 Annual Disclosure