College Preparation Program IN FOCUS Seminars (Session 1) - Legal Interpretation and Communication

The American legal system is premised on the idea that legal rules are subject to creation, change, and interpretation. In our common law system, government actors and private citizens alike take part in the process of defining the legal principles and understanding how those principles apply to resolve disputes and controversies. In this intensive seminar, you will learn the fundamentals of creative legal interpretation, the cornerstone of law school learning and the legal profession. This process of interpretation and re-interpretation of legal ideas (often called “thinking like a lawyer”) is what students learn through the Socratic dialogue in law school and must master to succeed on law school exams, and it serves as a the foundation for oral and written communication in all areas of legal practice. This seminar is appropriate for high school students who are interested in a career in the law or government and want to better their critical thinking and analytical skills. No previous knowledge or experience with legal studies is required. IN FOCUS Seminars are designed to expose students to top Northwestern faculty highlighting themes relevant today. They do not have the time commitment or cost of a college credit course. These two-week noncredit seminars are structured like a college seminar course. Faculty will lead the seminar through discussion, readings and study, enabling a rich learning experience. Only College Prep students are able to enroll in the seminars, which will appear on your official Northwestern University transcript upon successful completion. If you wish to request credit at your high school for a seminar, discuss this with your counselor ahead of time since the acceptance of credit depends on your school's policy. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and have completed their sophomore or junior year of high school by the commencement of the program. The application process includes an online application, personal statement, list of extracurricular activities, transcript, letter of recommendation, and $60 application fee. The application review period begins January 22, 2018. After this date, you can expect to receive an admissions decision by email approximately two weeks after your complete application is submitted online and all application materials are received in the College Prep Program office. Admissions is on a rolling basis. Once admitted students secure their space in the program by submitting their program deposit fee. Please note that admission to the program does not guarantee enrollment. Tuition for this program is $2,000. There is a $500 program fee and a $927 room and board fee.