Barrier Breakers® Scholars Program
Pro Bono Admissions Advising for LSAC Fee Waiver Students
Every student deserves an advisor to walk with them every single step of this process, no matter their background, their income, or their life circumstances.
As a non-profit organization, Barrier Breakers®, Inc., we work hard to make sure that we’re increasing access to first-generation and low-income law school applicants. That’s why we’re proud to offer our
Barrier Breakers® Scholars Program.
Every package includes 1:1 personalized advising, plus free mentorship and semester check-ins throughout your law school journey at no cost to students with an LSAC Fee Waiver. From your first draft to your final semester, we’re with you every step of the way.
In our community, you’ll never have to navigate the law school journey alone.
We believe in the transformative power of higher education and know that your legal education is just the beginning of your incredible journey. At Barrier Breakers®, we’re committed to helping you unlock your potential and achieve your dreams.
No more searching through Reddit to get answers.
No more wandering aimlessly without a plan or structure.
No more writing 20 drafts of your personal statement just to feel discouraged.
No more listening to that tiny voice in your head that says you can’t do this.
You’ve got this—and we’ve got you.
Program Dates and Design
This year's Barrier Breakers Scholars Program is made possible by a generous grant and a collaboration between AccessLex and St. Joseph's University. Therefore, the 2026-2027 Barrier Breakers Scholars Program will focus on current St. Joseph's University students and working adults over 30 who live and work in the Greater Philadelphia Area.
We understand that many deserving LSAC Fee Waiver applicants live outside the Greater Philadelphia Area, and we want to support those students at Barrier Breakers as we receive additional grants and sponsor funding.
In the meantime, if you do not meet the eligibility criteria below and you hold an LSAC Fee Waiver, we recommend enrolling in our Law School Personal & Optional Statement Boot Camps, which are specifically discounted to accommodate LSAC Fee Waiver students.
​​​Applications due: April 30, 2026. Program start date: June 1, 2026 ​​​​​​​
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Barrier Breakers Scholars Program, you must:
​​​
-
Possess a bachelor’s degree or will receive a bachelor’s degree by August 2027.
-
Plan to seek law school admission for the fall 2027 entering class.
-
Have at least one of the following:
-
Low LSAT score (under 150)
-
A valid Law School Admission Council (LSAC) Tier-1 or Tier-2 Fee Waiver;
-
Self-identify as a first-generation college or law school student
-
-
Have an existing LSAT score or plan to sit for an LSAT exam no later than November 2026.​
-
Be either a:
-
Current St. Joseph's University junior who plans to apply to law school in the fall to start law school in Fall 2027 or​
-
Working adult over the age of 30 who lives in the Greater Philadelphia area (including the following counties: Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery in PA; Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Mercer, and Salem in NJ; New Castle in DE; and Cecil in MD)
-
​
Program Components
As a grant-funded program, all participants must participate in all program components:
​​​
-
12-week LSAT Course with 2.5 hours of lessons and 1 hour of Study Sessions from 7Sage
-
June 2nd through August 20th
-
-
​1:1 individualized advising from a current or former dean or director of admissions
-
​Individual meetings with a Barrier Breakers Law School Consultant every other week from June through November (6 months), monthly touch points through May
-
-
Monthly group cohort meetings
-
An online platform and communication channels with the greater Barrier Breakers community
-
Ongoing check-ins and mentorship throughout law school
-
As a condition of participation in the Barrier Breakers Scholars Program, participants are required to submit monthly reports detailing their experiences during the law school admission process, as well as final acceptance and scholarship data by August 2027. An online reporting form will be emailed to participants each month, beginning in September 2026 and continuing through August of the following year. Participants will complete and submit reporting forms online.
-
The Barrier Breakers Scholar Agreement outlines the complete scope of ongoing obligations and responsibilities associated with the Barrier Breakers Scholars Program.
-
​
The Application Process
Step 1: Online Application
​
Barrier Breakers® is a community, and we are looking for students who are dedicated and serious about applying to law school and who also want to positively contribute to our community of prospective and current students looking to access higher education. We accept students of all backgrounds and academic abilities, whether you are a 2.0 or a 4.0 student or have a 140 or 180 LSAT score. While not required, we strongly suggest applicants submit the optional video interview portion of the application.
​
Step 2: Zoom Interview
​
Strong candidates will be invited to a 30-minute interview with a Barrier Breakers team member. The interview allows us to get to know you better and you to get to know us and our program better. Because we have limited spots, we want to ensure it's a good fit for both of us. No need to be nervous! We love meeting students and hearing about your goals and passions. Come just as you are. It's nothing fancy; there's no need to prep. Due to capacity, we may limit the number of interviews we conduct in any one month.
​
Step 3: Participant Agreement
​
If you are accepted into the program (and we hope you are!), we will send you a program agreement and registration form and match you to an advisor if you are still interested in working with us.
Applications for the 2026-2027 Barrier Breakers Scholars Program are now open. Applications will close on April 30, 2026. The program will begin on June 1, 2026.
​
Have questions? You can email us at hello@barrier-breakers.org!
​
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will I be working with in the Barrier Breakers Scholars Program?
All of our admissions advisors are current and former deans and directors of law school admission. This means, they all have experience reading and rendering decisions on hundreds of law school applications. Collectively, we have 90+ years of law school admissions experience.
Our admissions advisors also work closely with expert essay editors. In our 1:1 packages, all feedback from our essay editors are reviewed by our expert admissions advisors who know you and know the best way to make your essays capture who you are as an applicant.
How long is the application process?
The length of the application process depends on the number of applications we receive. We anticipate being able to let you know if you have been invited to an interview within 30-45. After the interview, you will hear the results of your application within 2-3 weeks. We will begin working with students in this program in June 2026. We cannot guarantee a certain timeline of when you will be able to get off the waitlist.
What is the application deadline?
The application deadline is April 30, 2026.
I need admissions advising as soon as possible, what should I do?
If you have an urgent need and cannot wait to be accepted into our Barrier Breakers Scholars Program, we recommend that you get started with our free Master Your Personal Statement & Optional Essays course and pair that with discounted fee waiver essay editing. If you are looking for more accountability, you can also check out our Personal Statement & Optional Essay Boot Camp. There is a fee for the boot camp, but payment plans are available. We also will not stop you from purchasing the mission rate (10% off) discount of any of our private 1:1 packages if you do not want to wait through the Barrier Breakers Scholars Program for a pro bono spot.
What happens if I am not admitted into your program?
If you are not accepted into our Barrier Breakers Scholars Program, we recommend that you get started with our free Master Your Personal Statement & Optional Essays course and pair that with discounted fee waiver essay editing.
What are the requirements for being in the program?
We are looking for students who want to join our Barrier Breakers® community and are interested in engaging with other law school applicants and current students. To that end, joining the Beyond Barriers Student and Alumni platform is mandatory. As our pro bono programs are often grant and donor-funded, we require pro bono students to let us know their acceptance and scholarship data for our impact reporting requirements. We may also request that sponsored students write a small thank you to their donor(s). Some grants also require us to report on our scholars' first-year law school grades. We expect our Barrier Breakers Scholars to participate meaningfully in their law school applications, maintain regular contact with their assigned advisor, and progress toward working on their essays outside the meeting time with advisors. Lastly, we want to ensure that students are making smart financial decisions and may request that you meet with a free financial counselor at AccessLex before starting law school to discuss the financial implications of your legal education.
Do you only work with students with certain GPA or LSAT scores?
No! We work with all students from all backgrounds. In your application, you can give context to your GPA/LSAT (if you have one) and your aspirations for your law school applications. It is important to us that students have balanced law school lists and think prudently about their future and investment in law school.
English is not my first language. Will this hurt me in the application process?
No! We work with all students from all backgrounds. In your application, please give context to your law school aspirations if you are an English Language Learner. The application is not a writing test, and we do not judge you based on the strength of your writing.
I was academically dismissed from law school, but I want to reapply. Am I eligible to work with you?
Yes! Please feel free to explain the circumstances regarding your past law school performance and your renewed dedication to your law school dreams and we will consider that as we are making our decisions.
All of our students also get access to our Beyond Barriers Student & Alumni Network!
