Online Law Course Lets Students Preview J.D.
Prospective law students can sample a 12-week first-year Criminal Law course before applying to Southwestern Law School.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Distance Learning
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Southwestern Law School opened applications for its new online 1L Trial Run Program, a non-credit, 12-week course that lets prospective students experience a first-year Criminal Law class before applying to the J.D. program. The inaugural cohort of 24 students begins in mid-January 2027.
Why it matters
Prospective law students often want to test whether legal education is worth the investment before committing. This program gives applicants a low-stakes preview of a first-year course, and it is offered at a point when many applicants are weighing the cost of a full J.D. program.
The 1L Trial Run Program is non-credit and is not eligible for federal financial aid, and it awards no J.D. credit. Completers earn the Applied Legal Reasoning: Criminal Law certificate and a digital badge, a fee waiver for the J.D. application, and a tuition credit equal to what they paid for the course if they enroll.
The players
Southwestern Law School
A private law school in Los Angeles offering a J.D. program and, through this initiative, an online preview course for prospective students.
The details
The course is taught primarily through asynchronous weekly modules, and participants complete graded assignments and a final examination. Students who finish the course earn a certificate and digital badge, and completers who enroll at Southwestern receive a tuition credit equal to the amount they paid for 1L Trial Run. Those who complete the course with distinction also receive accelerated review of their J.D. application and a three-unit summer tuition benefit.
Timeline
November 10, 2026: priority application deadline for the 1L Trial Run Program.
November 16, 2026, 4:30 p.m. Pacific: live information session hosted by Southwestern.
Mid-January 2027: the inaugural 24-student cohort begins.
Education Landscape
Law schools have expanded online and asynchronous formats over the past several years, and this program applies that delivery model before admission rather than after it. It sits within a broader enrollment cycle in which applicants increasingly seek low-cost ways to evaluate legal education before committing to a multi-year J.D. program.
If you are considering law school, this program offers an online first-year preview before you apply, with a November 10, 2026 priority deadline. Ask Southwestern's admissions office whether the fee waiver, tuition credit, and accelerated review apply to your situation.
The takeaway
The program gives prospective law students a way to sample a first-year course before committing to a J.D. program. Check the November 10, 2026 priority deadline and confirm with the admissions office which completion benefits apply to you.
What happens next
The priority application deadline is November 10, 2026, a live information session is held November 16, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. Pacific, and the inaugural cohort begins in mid-January 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on Distance Learning options for graduate and professional study.
More information
Review 1L Trial Run eligibility, tuition, and application details on Southwestern Law School's website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Elliotlakestandard.
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