OFFICE OF PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISING
“One of Furman’s top selling points is ‘the strength of its pre-professional curriculum.’ The university’s ‘pre-health and pre-law advisors are exceptional, and they greatly help students get into graduate programs, regardless of major.’”
-The Princeton Review (2025)
PRE-LAW ADVISING
Furman does not limit the number of times students may meet with an advisor each year. Furman’s Office of Pre-Professional Advising (OPPA) has an open door policy and students are able to meet with the pre-law advisor as frequently as they please. Recognizing the importance of career exploration and preparation, Furman is home to a full-time, dedicated pre-law advisor, which is unusual for a school of its size The pre-law advisor serves current students and alumni as they explore legal careers, prepare competitive applications for law school, and ultimately find the right fit law school.
A wealth of attorneys (community, alumni, and Parent Council) volunteer to mentor FU students
Supported by a team of advisors and Networking Director, Melanie Armstrong (‘94), students use Furman’s mentor database to connect with attorney mentors.
Pre-Law Advisor, Maya Russell, JD
A graduate of UNC Law, Russell’s decade of legal practice experience coupled with her decade successfully advising students preparing for law school make her one of the most experienced pre-law advisors in the profession She currently serves as Chair of the Pre-Law Advisors National Council
"As the longest continually-serving law school admissions officer in the State of Florida, I’ve met many Pre-Law Advisors over the years; however, Furman’s Pre-Law Advisor, Maya Russell, is a standout for both her students and to the profession Furman students are fortunate to have a nationally recognized leader and advocate for law school bound students to guide them through the law school admissions process and beyond She is the best!”
-Darren Kettles Director of Admissions, Stetson Law
Above: Former US Solicitor General N Francisco speaks at a CLP event
Below: PLS Treasurer Bryce Surratt attends career networking event
FURMAN’S PRE-LAW TRACK
20% of the FU Class of 2029 indicated a Pre-Law Interest
OPPA supports current students and alumni from every major.
CONNECT WITH OPPA SUPPORT WE PROVIDE
Furman’s robust liberal arts education provides the perfect foundation for students to develop key strengths in problem solving, critical thinking, research and writing, and communications. Strength in these skills helps Furman students thrive in law school and in their careers.
While law schools do not prioritize any majors or require any classes, law schools seek students whose records demonstrate academic excellence and rigor, strength in leadership, and professionalism and maturity.
Furman’s pre-law track is an investigative track that allows students to harness their passions and build an individualized path to law. Students are encouraged to participate in activities and leadership roles that help them build the necessary soft skills to thrive in law school and beyond.
1 on 1 Advising Meetings
Course Selection
Career Exploration
Law Internship Selection
Scholars Pipeline Connections
Network Building
Admissions Test Selection
Test Preparation Selection
Law School Exploration
Law School Application
Paying for Law School Resources
Merit Aid Reconsideration
Waitlist Navigation
Law School Transfer Applications
LAW SCHOOOL ACCEPTANCE SNAP SHOT
2025 Acceptance Rates to Law School
Some state law schools permit students to reclass to in-state tuition for 2L year!
LAW SCHOOL MATRICULATIONS
Harvard Law
Notre Dame Law
UGA Law
William & Mary Law
Iowa Law
Florida Law
Tennessee Law
South Carolina Law
Maryland Law
Houston Law
Kentucky Law
Tulane Law
Georgia State Law
Drexel Law
Regent Law
American Law
Michigan State Law
Howard Law
Baltimore Law
Roger Williams Law
In 2025, the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice
School of Law welcomed 10 Furman students to their 1L class!
Thereare197 ABAaccredited lawschools intheU.S.!
WHERE DO FURMAN STUDENTS ATTEND LAW SCHOOL?
In the last 5 years, Furman graduates have attended 57 different U S law schools, located in 28 states, and attended 4 law schools in the District of Columbia.
Madison Arora (‘20) is completing a JD/MD dual degree program at Baylor College of Medicine and University of Houston Law Center
Welcome home! In 2025, Gunner Hedden (‘19, Wake Law ‘22) joined Furman’s Office of General Counsel.
TOP 30 LAW SCHOOLS ATTENDED
In the last 5 years, FU students have attended
#1 Stanford
#1 Yale
#4 UVA
#6 Harvard
#6 Duke
#8 Michigan
#10 Northwestern
#14 Vanderbilt
#14 Texas
#18 UNC
#20 Notre Dame
#20 Minnesota
#22 Boston University
#22 UGA
#26 Wake Forest
POPULAR STATES FOR LAW SCHOOL
Georgia (home to 5 law schools)
North Carolina (home to 7 law schools)
South Carolina (home to 2 law schools)
In addition to serving as PLS President, Grace Guillaume (‘26) serves on the Riley Institute’s Advance team and as a Fellow for the Shucker Leadership Institute She spent Junior Spring studying abroad in Athens, Greece.
PLS invites law schools to campus and sponsors law school visits
In 2025, PLS hosted 20+ law schools and visited Duke Law, Georgia State Law, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law, and the University of South Carolina J F Rice Law
PRE-LAW SOCIETY
BUILD COMMUNITY + EXPLORE + NETWORK
Pre-Law Society (PLS) helps students build community by organizing social events, arranging networking events, hosting the Lunch with a Lawyer speaker series, and sponsoring CLP events to explore hot topics in law
In recent years, we have visited law schools including Wake, UNC, UGA, Emory, Charleston, Vanderbilt, GW, American, Georgetown, Scalia, and Howard.
PLS Vice President Kya Boseman (‘27) met area attorneys at PLS’s For the Love of Law Speed Networking event. These events help students grow their interview and networking skills.
Evie Crumrine (‘26) connects with Henry Parr (‘73, UVA Law ‘76), an attorney at Wyche Law, at an alumni mixer hosted by PLS
CAREER READY
Students utilize Furman’s Internship Database to locate semester or summer law internships
Students may apply for Summer Internship Fellowships to offset the cost of unpaid legal internships.
Popular Law Internships
Law Firms
Solicitor’s Office
U S Attorney’s Office
Upstate MLP
South Carolina Legal Services
Judicial Clerkships
Congressional Offices
Capitol Hill
Businesses
Non-Profit Organizations
Furman Institutes
Students received $45,000+ for law internships in Summer 2025!
Connect with Furman Internship Office
Mary Boucher (‘25) interned for the Grenville County Public Defender’s Office (13th Circuit) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, Greenville Branch. Her dedication in the classroom and preparation outside the classroom paid off when she was selected as a Carolina Law Research Fellow and full-ride scholarship recipient at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law.
Furman’s Upstate Medical Legal Partnership (MLP) provides perfect foundation for career in public interest law.
Former Furman MLP interns, now attorneys, Christy Litz (‘20, USC Law ’23), Mary Frances Dennis (’18, UGA Law ‘21), Katie Wooten (‘20, UGA Law ’24), Ellie Williams (’18, UGA Law ’23), and Bennett Stover (‘23, UGA Law ’27) returned to campus to celebrate Kirby Mitchell (’90, UGA Law ’96), South Carolina Legal Services Senior Attorney/Upstate MLP Director and OPPA’s 2025 Impact Award recipient, and to share their stories of how the MLP impacted their legal careers and current approaches to clients
Furman is home to the Institute for the Advancement of Community Health, the Riley Institute, the Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities, and the Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship! Students work with the institutes to explore their interests in health law, environmental law, business and entrepreneurship law, and more!
YOUNG ATTORNEY SPOTLIGHT
Rosemary Coskrey FU ‘20, Yale Law ‘25
Judicial Law Clerk Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Court
What is your favorite Furman Memory?
Where to begin! I have so many fond memories of Furman: walking along the lake, meeting with professors for office hours, meals with friends in the dining hall, and game nights in North Village By far the highlight of my time at Furman, though, was studying abroad in Edinburgh during spring of my junior year It was such a special experience to spend months exploring the beautiful city and working in the Scottish Parliament.
What drew you to the Economics Major?
I was drawn to Economics because I wanted empirical and theoretical tools to better understand the world around me. Economics offered a way to apply mathematical structures to broader social issues. And it helped that the Economics department was full of the most encouraging, caring professors!
Where did you work between Furman and Yale Law?
I worked as a Research Associate at the Federal Reserve for two years before law school, where I helped academic economists conduct their research My time there ultimately inspired me to shift from an economics PhD path to the law, because I wanted to impact meaningful change for individuals
Rosemary met her partner, Lucas Tappa (’20, Wake Law ‘24), at Furman.
Lucas is an associate attorney at Troutman Pepper in Washington, DC.
Moot Court simulates an appellate court focusing on writing legal briefs and oral arguments on established facts
Mock Trial simulates a trial court focusing on litigation skills such as direct and cross-examinations
Law Moot Court fun!
Did Furman prepare you for law school?
I have no doubt that Furman prepared me for law school My many math courses taught me how to grapple with complex and unfamiliar concepts My economics classes helped me to recognize and apply different theoretical frameworks And my broader liberal arts education - from philosophy classes to Modern South Asia to music - made me more comfortable shifting between disparate issues and topics
Where are you currently working?
I am currently clerking for Judge Cornelia Pillard on the United States Court of Appeals for the D C Circuit Next year, I’ll be clerking for Judge James Boasberg on the United States District Court of the District of Columbia
What advice do you have for students?
Take the classes that interest you and take advantage of all the opportunities Furman provides, even ones that are entirely non-adjacent to the law! You’ll have plenty of time to learn all the important legal principles and doctrines when you ’ re in law school, and having unique academic and life experiences will give you a valuable perspective when you get there There is no “right” way to get to law school!
Yale
