First year students will meet several times in a small group led by an upper-class mentor. Discussion and activities will focus on professionalism skills that faculty and legal employers have found critical to law school and career success. These meetings will be from 12:45-1:30 p.m. in January and February.
Do not purchase textbooks prior to receiving your section assignment. Section assignment affects textbook purchases.
You can find your books by looking up your courses on the Ichabod Shop (Washburn University bookstore) website.
The Washburn Student Bar Association (WSBA) facilitates a book exchange through Facebook (see WSBA Member Book Exchange). Many second year law students have books that are being re-used again this year and are willing to sell them at a reasonable price, often lower than the WU bookstore, Amazon, or other sources.
All the details you need to prepare for your first week as a Washburn Law student.
Congratulations! If you have not already, you will be receiving your admissions packet in the mail soon! To secure your spot in the entering class, make sure to pay your seat deposit by the due date(s) listed in your official admissions letter. As well, you are required to submit a final, official copy of your undergraduate transcript. This transcript must show proof of graduation with a Bachelor's degree.
We also encourage you to attend an Admitted Student event - our Fall Open House (if you are starting law school in the spring) or our Admitted Student Day and/or our Admitted Student BBQ (if you are starting law school in the fall).
No need to worry about registering for your first semester classes - Washburn Law will take care of it for you! After we have officially enrolled you in your classes
You will also be notified around that time of your "section" - a smaller group of students with whom you will be taking your first year courses.
Required readings and assignments can be found on the first week page.
As well, you may find it helpful to keep your brain active by reading books on how to prepare for law school, following the news, and checking off any pleasure reading you may have been putting off! We don't officially recommend any resources, as no specific resources have been found to better prepare you for law school than others.
We also recommend having fun, relaxing, and developing healthy habits (working out or engaging in physical activity, eating right, getting plenty of sleep, and working on ways to combat stress).
The fall 2024 first-week program begins Thursday, August 15 with classes starting August 22.
The spring 2025 first-week program begins Tuesday, January 14 with classes starting January 21.
After you are admitted to Washburn Law, you should submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and select Washburn as a school who should receive a copy of your FAFSA report.
If your credentials qualify you for a merit-based scholarship, you will be notified of that in your official admissions packet. Paying your seat deposit will secure your scholarship. If you were not selected for a merit-based scholarship or would like to increase the amount of the scholarship you were awarded, you can retake the LSAT on a future test date (before officially starting at Washburn Law) and submit your new score to Washburn Law for scholarship consideration.
Starting in late March, financial aid packages will be sent to students. This package will include any federal loans you've been offered, along with information on the scholarship you received (if you were selected for one). You will be asked to accept your financial aid package online. If you are admitted after late March, you should receive your financial aid package a few weeks after you are admitted and Washburn Law receives a copy of your FAFSA.
Contact the Washburn University Office of Financial Aid with questions and see our scholarship page for more information.
For students receiving financial aid refund, funds will be directly deposited August 9.
Each professor sets their own policy on whether or not to allow laptops in class. All professors allow you to take your final exams on a laptop. Once you arrive, you will receive more information on how to download the exam software you'll need for finals (if you choose to use a laptop).
After you were admitted, you should have received an email with instructions on setting up your myWashburn account. If you did not receive that email, please contact the Admissions Office at 785.670.1185.
Topeka has a wealth of housing options available, including apartments, houses for rent, and houses for purchase. Washburn Law maintains a list of apartment reviews submitted by current students. See our housing and dining page for more information.
Washburn Law does not recommend or endorse any particular apartment complex, real estate agent, or management company.
Your admission application requires you to provide information relating to character and fitness. If you have not fully disclosed conduct that should have been reported, you should amend your application as soon as possible by submitting an email to the Assistant Dean of Admissions explaining the conduct and the reason for your failure to initially disclose it.
If conduct covered by the admission application character and fitness questions occurs after you have submitted your application but before you begin law school, you should amend your application by submitting an email to the Assistant Dean of Admissions explaining the conduct and when it occurred.
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.