Georgetown Law Academy (Hoya Summer)

Overview and Key Takeaways

From nationally recognized attorneys and prosecutors to politicians and judges, many of the nation’s lawmakers and legal experts received their education at Georgetown. The Law Academy follows in these footsteps through lectures, field trips, guest speakers, and discussions. (https://summer.georgetown.edu/programs/SHS16/law-academy/)

Washington DC Legal Immersion

  • Located blocks from the Supreme Court, Capitol Hill, and major federal agencies
  • Through lectures, guest speakers, and discussion sections, our program offers not only an introduction to jurisprudence but also a look at how laws are adjudicated and administered
  • Field trips to legal institutions and government buildings unique to DC location

Program Structure & Activities

  • Academic programming between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. during the weekdays including lectures, activities, and discussions
  • Topics covered include: Punishment for minors vs. adults, Victim rights vs. prisoner rights, constitutional law, and legal ethics
  • Mock trial simulations and legal writing exercises integrated throughout
  • Guest speakers from Georgetown Law faculty and DC legal community

Recognition & Positioning

  • Georgetown University: $3,895 according to comparison with other pre-law programs
  • Listed among top summer law programs by multiple educational organizations
  • Georgetown Law ranked #14 by U.S. News and World Report’s list of Best Law Schools
  • Benefits from Georgetown’s extensive alumni network in legal profession

Program Statistics (The Below May Change)

  • Available in 1-week, 2-week, and 3-week sessions throughout summer
  • Registration is conducted on a first-come, first-served basis after admission
  • No college credit offered (non-credit academy)
  • Certificate of completion provided

Administrative Details (The Below May Change)

  • Age: Students must be at least 15 years old by the date of check-in
  • Duration: 1-3 weeks (multiple sessions available)
  • Locations/Modality: On-campus at Georgetown University, Washington DC
  • Cost: Residential (includes housing and meals): $3,225; Commuter: $2,500
  • Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective (estimated 60-70%)

Refund Policy: Limited refunds; deposits non-refundable

Zenith Experience (Ratings)

Overall: 3.3/5 – DC location advantage but limited academic rigor

  • College Application Value: 2.5/5
    • Non-selective admission and no college credit limit differentiation value
  • Program Prestige & Recognition: 3.5/5
    • Georgetown brand strong but academy format less prestigious than credit programs
  • Faculty/Speaker Quality: 4/5
    • Access to Georgetown Law faculty and DC legal professionals
  • Accessibility: 3/5
    • High cost for short duration; DC location limits regional access
  • Administrative Experience: 3.5/5
    • Well-organized but impersonal; large cohorts with limited individual attention
  • Value for Investment: 3/5
    • $1,000+ per week with no credit; better value alternatives exist

Which Families Is This Program For?

This program serves families seeking the Georgetown brand and unique DC legal exposure without the commitment or rigor of longer academic programs. The rotating sessions throughout summer provide flexibility for students with other commitments, though the high cost-per-week ratio makes it less economical than semester-length alternatives.

The true value lies in Georgetown’s location—no other program can offer walking-distance access to the Supreme Court, Capitol Hill, and federal agencies. For students genuinely interested in government law, constitutional law, or federal practice, this geographical advantage provides unmatched networking and experiential opportunities.

However, families should understand this is essentially a glorified camp with legal themes rather than rigorous academic preparation. The 2.0 GPA minimum requirement and first-come registration model indicate this prioritizes revenue over selectivity. You’re paying for the Georgetown name and DC experience, not exclusive academic credentialing.

+ Recommended for: Students wanting to explore law without intensive commitment. Perfect for those who can leverage DC location for networking or have specific interest in government/federal law. Ideal for families who value brand prestige and can afford premium pricing for short experiences.

× Not recommended for: Students seeking competitive program credentials for elite college applications—this won’t differentiate you. Not suitable for those needing financial aid (limited availability) or seeking rigorous academic preparation. Also not ideal if similar experiences are available locally for less cost.

Pros & Cons

Alternatives to Consider

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Law & Justice

  • Advantages: Stanford prestige, more rigorous academics, Silicon Valley legal perspective, smaller cohorts
  • Limitations: West Coast only, similarly expensive, limited government law focus compared to DC location

Columbia Summer Pre-Law Intensive

  • Advantages: Ivy League credential, NYC legal market exposure, more selective admissions, academic rigor
  • Limitations: Even more expensive, shorter duration, less government/constitutional law focus

Summer Legal Institute (NYC)

  • Advantages: Completely free for eligible students, 5-week duration, multiple law school exposure, real mentorship
  • Limitations: Limited to NYC area students, primarily for rising 9th graders, less prestigious branding

NSLC Law & Advocacy (at Georgetown/Yale)

  • Advantages: More structured legal curriculum, visits multiple universities, includes leadership training, college credit available
  • Limitations: Third-party program (not directly Georgetown), similar cost structure, also not highly selective

Hear what other parents just like you think of us. Here are just a few of the thousands of parents we’ve worked with all across the United States and internationally!

Alex

Alex has been so happy with his relationship with Zenith that he’s looking forward to signing up his younger kids when they’re old enough.

Alex’s daughter was in the 7th grade when she began her college prep guidance with Zenith Prep Academy. Although Alex attended a Top 30 university in the US himself, he realized how challenging the admissions process had become, and was unsure of what classes, activities, and competitions would help his daughter best explore her passions and find her area of interest. He was looking for a highly customized strategy for his daughter to build the right extracurricular profile so she’d be able to stand out from the tens of thousands of other students with similar academics. Alex has been so happy with his relationship with Zenith that he’s looking forward to signing up his younger kids when they’re old enough.

Lana

Lana’s son joined our program in the 7th grade.

Lana had quickly realized her son’s school wasn’t challenging or engaging enough for him. He was a very bright, driven, and articulate student who had specific fields that he was interested in. He and Lana wanted to know how he could further his interests in these fields through more advanced classes and different competitions, projects, activities,
and more.

Robert

Robert’s son joined our program during his 10th grade.

Although Robert attended high school and college in the US, given that his son went to a hyper–competitive high school (ranked top 100 in the United States), he wanted a highly customized strategy and plan for their son to further his academic interests and build the right extracurricular profile to stand out from his peers in their high school and in the college applications.

Rajesh

Rajesh’s son joined our college consulting program in 8th grade.

Given that his son was doing well academically, Rajesh wanted guidance on resources, programs, and classes that could provide his son with exposure to different fields and majors – in turn helping him identify his interests and turn his passions into activities, helping him attract the attention of his choice universities.

Manisha

Manisha’s daughter gained acceptance into her dream university.

Manisha’s daughter was an 11th grader when they started working with our college counseling team. A first–generation parent, she turned to Zenith to guide her daughter toward how to best use the one year they had left before college applications, highlighting her daughter’s strengths and interests to ultimately help her shine on college applications. With Zenith’s help, Manisha’s daughter gained acceptance into her dream university.

Victoria

Victoria’s daughter joined our college counseling program in the 9th grade.

Victoria's daughter was a 9th grader who, apart from her involvement in sports, hadn't engaged in any academic or extracurricular activities. Although Victoria went to a top 15 university herself, she realized how much college admissions had changed over the years and turned to us for guidance and our expertise in helping her daughter discover her true passions, nurture her interests, and develop a competitive profile for the top universities she was looking to attend.