#91434 - 08/26/10 12:14 PM
Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
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Ramy
Member
Registered: 09/10/09
Posts: 16
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Hi All,
I'm continuing the decision making process about whether or not to attend law school and as the schools I have in mind will be starting to accept applications in the coming weeks, I'm wondering what a lot of people have wondered at one point or another:
How am I going to pay for law school??
I'm leaning towards going part time so i don't incur a whole lot more student loan debt. I'm 29 now but will be 30 in January. I currently make just over $60k/year. I'm wondering if you guys can give me a general idea of what kind of financial aid package I can expect.
My plan right now is to apply (hopefully get accepted), go through all the financial aid hoops and determine just how much it's going to cost me to go to law school. but in the mean time, if I could get an idea of what you guys might think a person in my position might be eligible for, I can at least understand better if this is the best or worst decision of my life.
_Ramy
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#91435 - 08/26/10 12:50 PM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: Ramy]
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haus
Senior Member
Registered: 08/18/10
Posts: 26
Loc: Leesburg, VA
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In my reading and conversations with students this is a matter that can vary dramatically.
It seems that finical aid will be in two primary buckets. Need based and merit based. By having an income, I suspect that your need based aid will take a hit. As for merit based this will depend a lot on how much the school desires to have you in their class and how generous the given school is in general.
You might find this chart interesting....
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=71863&start=50
Specifically look for the post by snotrocket
Happy hunting,
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#91436 - 08/26/10 02:10 PM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: haus]
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Ramy
Member
Registered: 09/10/09
Posts: 16
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that's definitely a very interesting chart. Does this mean I should apply to some of the more generous institutions in order to leverage some better bargaining with schools I was initially planning on applying to?
My situation is effectively this, I'm applying to all schools in Boston, MA with a part time program as well as Northeastern University (no part time program but the curriculum itself is very attractive) as well as UNC-chapel hill (mostly because I lived in NC for eight years as a child and always wanted to be a tarheel).
Should I also apply to Western New England College (outside of Boston) and Wake Forest (not UNC) because they're so much more generous?
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#91437 - 08/26/10 02:37 PM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: Ramy]
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haus
Senior Member
Registered: 08/18/10
Posts: 26
Loc: Leesburg, VA
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That is a good question. I am not sure that it would automatically rise to the level of requiring an application. If an alternative school is being more generous and it otherwise fit into my needs I would likely take a very strong look at it as a possible candidate.
If after some research and sole searching I decide that the school could be a fit, I think that I would decide to apply.
I think that it is important to remember that the numbers are handy to have, but for any given application at any given school there is no guarantee of what the outcome will be (either with acceptance or aid), but you can develop a feel for likely outcomes.
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best...
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#91440 - 08/26/10 04:45 PM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: kittydoctor]
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Ramy
Member
Registered: 09/10/09
Posts: 16
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I should note that i'm currently still $40K in debt from my undergrad days. I fully intend to fill out my fafsa form, but I'm more curious about other avenues (grants, scholarships, etc.) at this point in the game.
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#91441 - 08/26/10 05:02 PM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: Ramy]
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haus
Senior Member
Registered: 08/18/10
Posts: 26
Loc: Leesburg, VA
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Ramy,
I understand your concerns. I still have a few payments left on my UG loans, plus I have racked up ~20K in loans for my Master (in progress). As I look at the possibility for law school I am concerned about what level of debt that I may be exposed to.
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#91442 - 08/26/10 08:21 PM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: haus]
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AnnaD
NTL Addict
Registered: 02/19/08
Posts: 565
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FWIW, I didn't have the slightest bit of luck using $$$ from other law schools to leverage any kind of funding out of the school I'm currently attending (I know other people have done this successfully, but it didn't work for me). I would apply to more generous schools if you think you'll get money from them and if you think the money would make it worth attending, but I wouldn't apply to them just for the purpose of getting money to negotiate better offers from other schools. I have no objection to it or anything, I just wouldn't bother myself.
(I have a theory that the $$$ has to be from a school that the target schools consider competition for it to sway them at all, so for instance, I don't know if many schools in Boston would be influenced by $$ from Western New England College, but it's only a theory - can't prove it at all.)
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#91446 - 08/27/10 11:13 AM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: AnnaD]
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Ramy
Member
Registered: 09/10/09
Posts: 16
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That's a good point you make, Anna.
To be honest, I wasn't considering WNEC because I thought it was much further west of boston. But since i could get there via public transportation, it's worth at LEAST applying.
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#91447 - 08/27/10 01:07 PM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: Ramy]
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Dutch
Senior Contributor
Registered: 09/26/08
Posts: 201
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I should note that i'm currently still $40K in debt from my undergrad days. I fully intend to fill out my fafsa form, but I'm more curious about other avenues (grants, scholarships, etc.) at this point in the game.
Seems you're saying you're most interested in receiving merit money? As opposed to loans?
If that is the case, I've been told by more than one admissions advisor that the amount you can be considered for depends on your numbers. That is, if your GPA/LSAT numbers exceed the 75th percentile of the numbers at the schools you're interested in, then your chances of receiving merit money are much greater.
just my 2 cents.
Good luck!
Dutch
_________________________
People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people. from 'V for Vendetta.'
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#91448 - 08/27/10 01:22 PM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: Dutch]
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Ramy
Member
Registered: 09/10/09
Posts: 16
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well, sadly, a 161 on the LSAT and an overwhelmingly mediocre undergrad GPA probably aren't going to put me in the 75th percentile of any Law School.
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#91451 - 08/27/10 02:02 PM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: Dutch]
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Dutch
Senior Contributor
Registered: 09/26/08
Posts: 201
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Also Ramy, if you haven't done it already, check out:
http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com
I don't know about the accuracy of the reported numbers, but you might be able to get a general idea on if you'd qualify for $ at the school of your choice. You can look at schools, their applicants, numbers, and some even report if they received offers.
Edited by Dutch (08/27/10 02:03 PM)
_________________________
People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people. from 'V for Vendetta.'
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#91452 - 08/27/10 03:41 PM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: Dutch]
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Ramy
Member
Registered: 09/10/09
Posts: 16
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Thanks a lot, Dutch!
That site is very helpful!
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#91458 - 08/28/10 12:41 AM
Re: Financial Aid for Non tad'ers
[Re: Ramy]
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Dutch
Senior Contributor
Registered: 09/26/08
Posts: 201
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Glad to hear it, YW!
_________________________
People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people. from 'V for Vendetta.'
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You shouldn't assume you won't get help and won't know if you don't apply. Check out the ABA info on schools at LSAC. There's lots of good info there.
