Last updated: July 19, 2017
Going to law school is expensive. In weighing whether or not to go, when to go, and where to go, think about some of these things.
- Fill out the FAFSA and other forms as required, when they become available and apply for every kind of financial aid appropriate.
- Consider how much you may already owe if you have been on financial aid as an undergraduate. Can you really afford law school next year? If you do go on to law school, make sure you ask, in writing, for deferrals for your undergraduate loan payments.
- Find out if a particular law school handles its own financial aid or if this is done through a main office at the University. You may be better off if the law school itself handles this.
- Think about a bank loan from your parents.
- Inquire about jobs on campus, perhaps as a Resident Advisor.
- Keep track of all of your financial aid forms as carefully as you keep track of your application forms.
- Remember since schools encourage you not to work for pay, or undertake only a minimum amount of such work during your first year of law school, you should have adequate funds available prior to entry into your first year.
- Finally, in choosing which law school to attend, ask if school X is really worth it. The amount of debt you incur may have a great deal to do with your job options once you are out of school. For example, if you are heavily in debt, you may not be able to take a social service or public defender's job. Is this important to you?
Gerald L. Wilson
Duke University
Suggested Websites for Prospective Law Students
The Basics
- http://www.aals.org/prospective-law-students
- http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education.html
- http://www.aals.org/prospective-law-students/law-jobs-information/
Financial Aid
- FAFSA
- Every school will require students complete the FAFSA for loan eligibility
- Some schools may require this form for consideration for institutional aid.
- https://www.accesslex.org/financial-aid-process
- great resource for both students and prelaw advisors
- Has sections on understanding your education costs; financing your education; deciding how much to borrow; deciding between multiple offers
Scholarships
- http://www.admissionsdean.com/paying_for_law_school/law-school-scholarship-finder
- http://www.luc.edu/law/admission/jdadmissions/financialaid/
Loans
- https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/federal-vs-private
- http://www.finaid.org/loans/loantradeoffs.phtml
- http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/545/what-are-main-differences-between-federal-student-loans-and-private-student-loans.html
- https://www.salliemae.com/plan-for-college/types-of-student-loans/federal-vs-private-loans/
Debt Management
- http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/student-debt
Repayment Options
- Federal Government
- http://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/understand/plans
- Access Group
- https://www.accessgroup.org