Every year over 50,000 undergraduates across the United States apply to law school.

These students have mulled over getting near-perfect GPAs and LSAT scores. However, one component that many pre-law students overlook is the opportunity to join Phi Alpha Delta, more commonly referred to as P.A.D.

P.A.D. is the largest co-ed professional law fraternity in the United States with over 300,000 members nationwide.

The SMU chapter of P.A.D was reinstated in 2010 with the hopes of bringing the student body a greater advantage in the law school admissions process.

P.A.D. is an incredible networking tool with one out of every six U.S. attorneys calling themselves members.

Numerous U.S. presidents and supreme court justices like Bill Clinton and Tom C. Clark, respectively, were undergraduate members. Since P.A.D is the only undergraduate law fraternity of its kind, it presents unique opportunities for students.

SMU doesn’t currently offer a pre-law major but P.A.D, which meets twice a month on Tuesday nights, still prepares students for the LSAT and law school.

The organization is a way for pre-law students to get free LSAT tips and meet admissions counselors from law schools such as NYU and Harvard.

P.A.D also partners with Janet Hopkins of the SMU Pre- Law Scholars program to guide students through the law school admissions process from start to finish.

“Everyone applying to law school has a great GPA,” P.A.D. President Trenton Owens said.

“We give you the ability to gain a leg up on the competition by connecting you with influential people in the legal community and by helping you fine tune your law school applications.”

Students of all majors can apply through the rolling application process that occurs during both the fall and spring semesters.

For more information contact Trenton Owens, P.A.D. President, [email protected].