MAPLA is happy to announce that the 2026 Conference “Gateway to New Frontiers in Pre-Law Advising” will be held September 17-19 in St. Louis, Mo at Saint Louis University School of Law (SLU). Lodging and Welcome Reception will be hosted at The Hotel Saint Louis.
Conference Registration
Below please find registration rates for the 2026 MAPLA Conference. Conference registration includes one year membership to MAPLA! Conference registration also includes Thursday evening Welcome Reception, breakfast (Fri/Sat), lunch (Fri/Sat), and evening community building event on Friday.
Pre-Law Advisors*
$275 early bird (until August 19)
$325 regular (August 20 – September 15)
$375 late (September 16 and after)
*Pre-Law Advisor Conference Scholarships are available. Additional details below, applications are due June 22, 2026.
Law School Representatives* and Non-Pre-Law Advisor Attendees
$325 early bird (until August 19)
$375 regular (August 20 – September 15)
$425 late (September 16 and after)
*Law School Representative registration includes registration for the Law School Fair at the conference.
Conference Registration will open in May 2026.
Conference Sponsors and Non-Profit Exhibitors: Sponsors and Exhibitors will receive complimentary registration code(s) to register for the 2026 MAPLA conference (quantities vary).
Exhibitor and Sponsorship information can be found here.
FAQs to assist with planning your travel and budget:
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- When to Arrive? The Conference will open on Thursday, September 17 with an early evening Welcome Reception and conference check-in at the Hotel Saint Louis. Conference programming will resume first thing on Friday (9/18) morning. We highly encourage arrival to St. Louis by Thursday (9/17) afternoon/early evening.
- Where to Stay? Hotel Saint Louis is the official hotel of the 2026 MAPLA Conference and is conveniently located adjacent to the University of Cincinnati campus. It is also the location of the conference Welcome Reception and Registration on Thursday (9/17). Be sure to follow the booking link for special conference rates (Hotel Saint Louis is part of the Marriott hotel group). We highly encourage staying in this hotel, additional details available on the Conference Hotel page.
- Please book early – hotel availability will be lower in downtown St. Louis during conference dates due to the St. Louis Cardinals home series against the Washington Nationals.
- When to Depart? There will be a full day of programming on Saturday (9/19), however, official conference programming will conclude no later than 3:30 pm on Saturday allowing for late afternoon/evening departures and flights. There will be no formal conference events on Saturday evening, although self-organized and informal networking opportunities are encouraged for those who may wish to stay through Sunday.
- I can only stay two nights, when should I stay? If you are limited to two conference nights, we highly recommend Thursday (9/17) and Friday (9/18) with departure on Saturday (9/19).
- How much does it cost to attend the conference? View our sample conference budgets for insights on conference expenses and budgeting. Conference scholarships are available for pre-law advisor attendees. Deadline to apply is June 22, 2025.
Conference Scholarships
Each year MAPLA aims to support pre-law advisors in professional development opportunities, including conference attendance. Pre-law Advisors are invited to apply for a 2026 Conference Scholarship to offset cost of attendance. Conference Scholarship requests are need-based and have a maximum limit of $1,200. Sample budgets may be found online.
Conference Scholarship applications are available online. Scholarship applications are due June 22, 2026.
Learn more on the Conference Scholarships Page.
Questions? Email conference@mapla.org