Bonded By Books: How Two Seaver College Seniors Became Fast Friends and Earned Admittance to Top 10 Law Schools

There is no secret recipe for friendship.

The ingredients that unite people together have baffled sociologists, psychologists, and philosophers for all of time. Take Aristotle for example. The famed Greek polymath and thinker claimed in his Nicomachean Ethics that perfect (or virtuous) friends were “infrequent,” developing only when two people have endured a time of “eating salt together.”

Whatever it takes, Sophia Burger and Audrey Riesbeck—two Seaver College seniors—have found it. Fast friends since their first year on campus, the two soon-to-be graduates formed an indelible bond with one another throughout three years of Great Books classes at Pepperdine University. And in the process, they discovered a shared purpose . . . a prestigious one. 

This coming fall, both women will move on from Malibu and attend law school. Burger, who majored in English at Seaver College, will head to the Midwest and attend the University of Chicago Law School. Riesbeck, who studied political science, will make for Massachusetts and attend Harvard Law School. These two institutions are respectively ranked the number two and number six law programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report. 

What started as a chance dormitory encounter, blossomed into an edifying friendship—one that shaped the futures of two aspiring lawyers. Here’s how it happened:

Bonded by Books

Worlds collide in a first-year dorm suite.

Burger hailed from Northern California, Riesbeck from Ohio. Both came to Pepperdine as a result of the campus’ culture of community. Both were named Regents Scholars upon their acceptance to the institution. Neither one of them can tell you exactly how their friendship started.

Burger, Riesbeck and the books that bonded them

“We question a lot how we became friends,” said Riesbeck. “We’re not really sure how it happened, but Audrey just ended up on the beanbag my roommate and I kept. She was there 24/7,” added Burger.

While the origin of their bond is a mystery, how it was solidified is not—the Great Books.

As Regents Scholars, Burger and Riesbeck were automatically enrolled in Seaver College’s Great Books program, in which students read, analyze, and discuss classic written works from the world’s literary canon. From Homer to Dostoevsky, Socrates to Flannery O’Connor, this four-course sequence challenges students to digest and analyze the big ideas from Western philosophy, theology, history, politics, and fiction. 

Immersed in this new world of words, Burger and Riesbeck began gravitating toward one another.

“Great Books came easily to Sophie,” said Riesbeck. “It did not come so easily to me. I started to visit her class because I thought I might find some new insights that could help me on my exam.”

“It was just so fun,” explained Burger. “I remember sitting there my first year and realizing, this is exactly why I ended up at Pepperdine.”

Classroom conversations carried over to the dorm room. The Socratic method of learning went from intimidating to welcoming. Together, Burger and Riesbeck sharpened their critical-thinking skills and their ability to reach through a written text and rip out the heart of an argument. Stretch this collaborative process over three years—years in which the Regents Scholars became roommates in addition to classmates and study partners—and the two end up here, both holding 4.0 GPAs and usually anticipating class time discussion topics well in advance.

Despite their individual success, competition never threatened the duo. Burger and Riesbeck instead claim that their main goal was to live up to a shared standard of excellence, which became of note to their professors.

"Isocrates wrote that the Greek spirit of competition, agron, was about improving performance, not winning or losing," said Michael Gose, a professor of education at Seaver College, who taught Burger and Riesbeck in various Great Books classes. "I understand that more completely, knowing the two of them. I revel in their friendship, and in the fact that two such exceptional students can become such great friends."

But this strict standard of excellence did more than impress Pepperdine faculty members; it also earned the Seaver College students admittance to two of the nation’s most competitive law schools. 

Legal Logic

High grades, strong extracurriculars, and impressive LSAT scores are the three pillars students must uphold to be admitted into a top 10 law school. Both Regents Scholars sought to achieve these three objectives during their undergraduate years . . . but for different reasons.

Burger knew she wanted to be a lawyer when she was in middle school. Passionate about reading, writing, and helping others, she understood early on that practicing law would allow her to do all three. Now she aims at a judicial clerkship, being a litigation or appellate attorney, maybe even a judge one day.

Riesbeck, on the other hand, thought she might go into the arts at the outset of high school; but eventually an interest in politics, elections, and constitutional law all swayed her toward pursuing the legal practice. As a student at Harvard, she hopes to determine how exactly she’d like to apply her law degree.

Burger and Riesbeck during their DC internships

Recognizing their shared vocational interest, Burger and Riesbeck chased after their legal dreams together. Step one was completed, as their academic qualifications were in fine order. Next, they chose to fulfill step two by pursuing internships through Pepperdine’s Washington, DC, program. Both women earned seats in significant federal offices.

In DC Burger interned at the Department of Justice as part of the narcotics and dangerous drug section. She took in the full-length trial of a cartel leader, participated in moot court exercises, and conducted research for her supervisors. 

Across the street, Riesbeck worked for Mike Turner, a United States representative of Ohio’s 10th congressional district. Serving out of the congressperson’s office in Washington, Riesbeck was able to help an elected official from her hometown, while gaining the valuable experience of staffing a member of Capitol Hill. 

Extracurriculars: Check.

Step three: LSATS. The Seaver College students treated the standardized test like a job, studying five to six hours a day, every day, for months. They knew the standard needed for acceptance, and they did not stop until they were meeting that threshold on practice tests . . . and then the real thing.

Having successfully constructed law school’s three pivotal pillars in their resumes, Burger and Riesbeck began sending out applications to law schools ranked within the top 14. 

“I set ridiculous goals for myself, and then I scale back from there,” said Burger. “In understanding the requirements for law school, I was confident that I could put my best foot forward and be a competitive candidate.” 

The women were comfortable pursuing lofty educational opportunities as a result of their undergraduate training, specifically, their undergraduate training in the Great Books. 

“The Great Books program has been a huge help in this process, explained Riesbeck. “I wrote one of my personal essays on my experience in those classes. In interviews, when they asked, ‘Why do you feel prepared for law school?’ I said, ‘Because I’ve read all these great texts; I can do it quickly; and I can find the key points.’”

With the training to match their impressive qualifications, acceptance letters began to arrive. The plan worked. Now Burger is bound for the University of Chicago, the birthplace of the Great Books, while Riesbeck is headed for Harvard, the nation’s most renowned place of learning. Great accomplishments to be sure, but achievements that will force the two friends to pursue the next step apart.

Burger and Riesbeck on the verge of graduation

Perfect Friendship

There is no secret recipe for friendship.

Not yet at least. Life always seems to get in the way. As do time and distance and responsibility—three obstacles that Burger and Riesbeck will have to overcome while pursuing their respective law degrees. 

But, still, the future lawyers have high hopes to remain the best of friends.

“It’s scary, but I'm not worried about it,” said Riesbeck. "We text all the time. I'm sure we'll FaceTime a lot.”

“Honestly, I’m most nervous because we’ll be starting classes at different times,” added Burger. “Our process of doing school together and reading the same thing at the same time is gonna be all thrown off. But we're both going to fun cities, which gives us a good opportunity to travel and see something new . . . and I feel like we might end up in the same city again sometime.”

Maybe this optimism comes from their shared experiences at Pepperdine, the lasting memories they’ve formed. Or maybe it comes from their Great Books education. After all, Aristotle did say that, at its highest, most virtuous level, “Friendship is as might be expected permanent.”