Student Spotlight: FPU Senior Chosen for TRIALS Pre-Law Program
Dec 12, 2018
Tyler Price ’19 knew from a young age that he wanted to make a difference in the world. He saw leaders on television and read about advocates for social justice; “When I look at people like Barack Obama, and others who have influenced the country, I want to be surrounded by people like that who will change history.”
“I feel like law school is the best path for me to reach those goals,” says Price. This motivated him to apply for the renowned TRIALS program, a partnership between the Advantage Testing program, Harvard University and New York University. TRIALS is a five-week preparatory course for students of modest means who wish to apply to national top 10 law schools.
Price applied to the program while he recovered from a baseball injury that kept him off the field in the spring of 2018. The application was very similar to applying to law school itself. Price is the only student from Franklin Pierce University to apply so far and be accepted into the program.
“Franklin Pierce should be very proud of Tyler Price. I certainly am,” says Dr. Donna Decker, Professor of English. “I first met Tyler when he was in my Law and Literature course a couple of years ago. He is a stellar student. When he was accepted, I was beyond thrilled. He is exactly the right fit for this prestigious program. I have always believed in Tyler Price. He is the real deal.”
In the summer of 2018, Price traveled to Manhattan to attend the program at NYU. “I am one step closer to my dream of law school,” he said. The program prepares students with LSAT prep, networking opportunities, and access to faculty members from a variety of prestigious law programs.
Price described his experience as “intense, rewarding and unforgettable.” During the five-week program, Price attended classes from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., and afterwards went to tutoring sessions for an additional 4-6 hours a week of personalized LSAT preparation.
Price learned about the study of law, got a preview of the demands of law school and developed his interest in constitutional law.
The other participants at TRIALS were driven, articulate and accomplished undergraduate students whose passions and experiences focused on social justice. Price was both intimidated and inspired by students who knew their own voices and were confident in what they believed.
Price advises anyone who may be thinking about law school in the future to apply for the program. He said, “It isn’t all about your GPA, but more about your individual story and what you bring to the table.
“To me, the best part of Pierce is the close relationships you build with faculty. Faculty members get to know you outside of the classroom and learn about your career goals and aspirations. When I was selected for TRIALS, a lot of the campus community members congratulated me and some of them I didn’t even know!” says Price.
On his return to Franklin Pierce in the fall, Price found his confidence in his own voice and what he believes. Price made an impression on administrators of the program as well since he was one of only two participants invited back to be peer tutors for next summer’s gathering at Harvard University.
