Each year, small groups of no more than six entering students are matched with a mentor from the School of Law faculty or staff. Mentors help first year law students understand the process and demands of law school, make informed academic choices, and work through professional questions. Mentors can also be valuable resources for first year students regarding the career opportunities that a legal education can provide. The tutorial program is staffed by upper class students, chosen and supervised by a faculty member.
Tutors meet at least weekly with students who choose to participate.
Participants review material covered in first year classes using a problem-based method. In addition, participants discuss approaches to studying and exam-taking. The Southern Illinois University School of Law is committed to seeing that admitted students are provided with the skills necessary to succeed in law school. For this reason, the law school has instituted a special, small enrollment course, taught in the spring semester of the first year for those students who have experienced difficulty in the first semester.