New students at Appalachian School of Law get the benefit of an expansive orientation experience two weeks before the official start of the semester. In addition to allowing students to get to know the campus, the orientation program prepares students for the intensive study, demanding assignments, and professional writing required at law school. Learn more about the different programs addressed in our law school orientation below.

BARBRI

Embracing the maxim that we should “begin with the end in mind,” the bar exam challenge is addressed on day one with each incoming student. Our partnership with BARBRI – the national leader in bar exam preparation – and a demanding program of legal education prepares each student with highly effective analytical, practical, and individually designed skills. This ensures that every graduate is in the best position to pass the bar exam.

“The Appalachian School of Law is a recognized leader in increasing access to justice for underserved communities. BARBRI is honored to partner with ASL’s faculty to provide proven, data-driven support to every ASL student from the first day of law school through the last day of their bar exam.” – Mike Sims, President and Chief Growth Officer of BARBRI Global. 

The ASL-BARBRI plan involves all three years of a student’s law school experience and continues several months after graduation:

  • The first year includes a detailed series of learning assessments to set a baseline for progress and to identify any areas needing improvement. This is done to gauge the learning needs of incoming students individually and collectively as a new ASL class. 
  • In the second year, the plan examines various proficiencies (knowledge retention and application, reading comprehension, and analytical skills) in substantive legal subjects and pinpoints issues requiring individualized focused attention.
  • The plan’s third year and post-graduate phase involve a regimen of practice tests on subjects likely to be on the bar exam in the specific jurisdiction in which the student wants to practice law. Similar to the day-one assessments, the post-graduate program uses similar testing and re-testing practices, delivering substantive lectures in addition to testing strategies. This final component of the BARBRI service is a 10-week program leading up to the bar examination. 

ASL reduces the inevitable stress of taking the BAR through extensive preparation. In our experience, this correlates to better performance throughout the demanding two days of testing.

For additional information and details about the plan, please contact Professor Hurley at 276-244-1223 or at jwhurley@asl.edu.

Ambassadors

ASL Ambassadors are a select group of students who collaborate closely with the Admissions Office to facilitate various recruitment activities throughout the year. 

During individual campus visits, Ambassadors serve as hosts, guiding students to classes, providing tours of the law school, and answering questions about life in Grundy. Ambassadors play an indispensable role during Orientation, a two-week kickoff to life as a law student. They offer valuable insights and advice to admitted students, and are always available to answer any questions via email, helping to create a supportive community.

The ASL Ambassadors Program is one of the many personalized touches that show guests the heart of our community. We highly recommend that you visit our campus or take advantage of our virtual visit options to engage with us. Our Ambassadors are enthusiastic to meet you and show you why ASL is such a unique and exceptional place.

If you have any questions about becoming an Ambassador or would like to connect with an Ambassador, please contact Dean of Students, David Western at dwestern@asl.edu.