Planning Time Line - Evening Student

Select Option: 3 Year | 3.5 Year | 4 or 5 Year

3 Year Accelerated Evening Program

Students pursuing this option could participate in the limited OCI program in the Spring semester that is available for first year students. Finishing in three years, however, would necessitate the student to take summer school while trying to work a full-time job.

Students pursuing this option could participate in the Fall OCI Program to try to secure a summer clerkship in the summer following the end of the second year.  Again, it is likely, however, that the student would have to attend summer school while trying to work a full-time job.

Though students have the option to complete the program in three years, it should be noted that this does impact the student’s summer employment as the student has to attend summer school. If the student leaves the St. Louis area, special permission is needed from the Dean of Students to attend a different law school’s summer school program. Students graduating in three years would take the Bar in July following their graduation in May.

3 1/2 Year Evening Program

Though students pursuing this option could participate in the limited OCI program in the spring semester that is available for first year students, it should be remembered that employers are typically looking for students who will graduate in the ensuing two years. In fact, we have had the situation arise where an offer for summer employment was rescinded after the employer realized that the student would have three summers of employment left rather than two summers.

This 3 1/2 year option is appealing, however, because it allows the student to have three summers to pursue legal employment and to obtain legal experience, rather than two that the student has who completes the program in three years.

Again, though students pursuing this option could participate in the Fall OCI Program (in the Fall of their second year) to try to secure a summer clerkship in the summer following the end of the second year, it should be noted that employers are typically looking for students who will graduate in the ensuing two years. However, if the student participates in Fall OCI, and is graduating in 3-1/2 years, they should explain that they will graduate only one semester behind, not a full year behind. Sometimes a better option may be for the student to participate in the limited OCI program in the spring semester (actually the evening student’s 4th semester not counting any summer school) that is available for first year students and then participate in the Fall OCI program their third year.

Students graduating in 3 1/2 years should participate in the Fall OCI program of their third year. They would then have just the summer following their third year to work just like the traditional second year student who started in the full-time program. The difference would be that the student graduating in 3 1/2 years would be able to start a full semester before the traditional full-time student’s path.

Students graduating in 3 and 1/2 years would take the Bar exam in February following their graduation in December/January (note: actual degree conferral is in January).

4 or 5 Year Traditional Evening Program

Students pursuing the traditional course of study for the evening program can, of course, participate in the limited OCI program in the spring semester that is available for first-year students. It should be remembered that employers are typically looking for students who will graduate in the ensuing two years. In fact, we have had the situation arise that an offer for summer employment was rescinded after the employer realized that the student would have three or four summers of employment left rather than two summers.

Students pursuing this option could participate in the Fall OCI Program to try to secure a summer clerkship in the summer following the end of the second year. Though, again, it should be noted that employers are typically looking for students who will graduate in the ensuing two years. A better option may be for the student to participate in the limited OCI program in the spring semester (actually the evening student’s 4th semester not counting any summer school) that is available for first-year students and then participate in Fall OCI of their third year.

Students pursuing the traditional evening program path and completing the program in 4 or 5 years typically participate in the Fall OCI Program of their third year (or fourth year if they did not take summer school or did not take 11 hours every semester following the completion of the first year core curriculum) to try to secure a summer clerkship in the summer following the end of their third year (or the end of their fourth year if they did not take summer school or did not take 11 hours every semester following the completion of the first year core curriculum)and will still have at least one semester to go following the summer.

With respect to summer employment and participating in OCI, see notes immediately above.

Depending on how many hours the student takes each semester following the completion of the core curriculum, the student following the traditional evening path can graduate in 4 1/2 or 5 years. The student will take either the February or July bar exam, depending on when they graduate.