Law school financial aid

[Anonymous]

My college freshman DD says she wants to go to law school - she actually is not interested in being an attorney but loves school and Learning and is a good at being a student. Right now, she is very interested in government, court proceedings, and laws. I am convinced that after 4 years of undergrad she may or may not be interested in further schooling. She’s leaning toward declaring a Economics/politics major. Her school sends a lot of Econ grads into consulting/finance. Also a quite a few go to law school. (This paragraph was mainly to help not derail the thread from my question below. )


So here’s the question: We are full pay with undergrad. We had about 1 years covered by her 529 and we are lucky enough to be able to afford the rest with DHs salary. If DD graduates in 3 years and spends 2-3 years working for @$75k a year, what would be her financial state for financial aid for law school? We are trying to set expectations on whether a 24yo would likely not qualify because her parents have means. How is “need” determined? We haven’t discussed, but my thought is we could pay half and she could take out loans for the rest..That is if we even get to that point.

[Anonymous]

Speaking gently, those are not good reasons to go to law school.

[Anonymous]

Not so gently, it is really stupid to go to law school if you don't want to be an attorney, unless you are independently wealthy.

[Anonymous]

There’s not really financial aid for law school. It’s nearly all merit grants, which is why so many law students graduate with 300k+ debt

[Anonymous]

Law schools are going to be able to tell that she’s not that into it. Great schools will weed out an app like that and they certainly won’t give merit aid. It’s hard enough for any 24 year old to prove to law schools they can hack it, even with obvious recs, internships, and ECs to prove it. Law schools prefer older students.

I recommend she either wait until she’s sure it’s what she wants or can go into debt for the hobby of learning (if she can afford an expensive hobby.) I get it. I love learning too and I fully support intellectual curiosity but law school is no joke and you have to be committed. It also feels wrong to give merit aid to someone who is basically auditing classes instead of someone who will put their degree to work. I’d suggest she wait until she’s about 28 or 30 to decide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Speaking gently, those are not good reasons to go to law school.

Most law grads don't, or can't, find jobs in their field. In CA, many attorneys work as paralegals bc there are so many of them and not enough jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not so gently, it is really stupid to go to law school if you don't want to be an attorney, unless you are independently wealthy.

Just love to learn can mean clue what want to do in life. You should mandate she works after law school (which your post sounds like you plan to do) and tell her she is on her own- can’t go until can pay it off herself- this changes a lot of minds on going for the love of learning. You can go live to learn something else somewhere cheaper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not so gently, it is really stupid to go to law school if you don't want to be an attorney, unless you are independently wealthy.

Just love to learn can mean clue what want to do in life. You should mandate she works after law school (which your post sounds like you plan to do) and tell her she is on her own- can’t go until can pay it off herself- this changes a lot of minds on going for the love of learning. You can go live to learn something else somewhere cheaper.

** should say “no clue what she wants to do”

[Anonymous]

There’s no financial aid for law school, if you mean grants or other free money. There are loans, and anyone qualifies for the loans, as far as I know. I don’t think they consider your parents’ income or wealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s no financial aid for law school, if you mean grants or other free money. There are loans, and anyone qualifies for the loans, as far as I know. I don’t think they consider your parents’ income or wealth.

+1

And they charge an arm and a leg for programs like this and MBAs with the assumption you will get a high paying job afterward and will be wealthy enough to afford it.

[Anonymous]

She would take out loans just like most everyone else in law school. Your high income will not be an impediment to her ability to secure them.

[Anonymous]

If she actually loves to learn, there are plenty of jobs where learning is a huge part of what you do. And you can get paid to do it!

[Anonymous]

A law degree is a good credential to have. She can work in government if she wants.

[Anonymous]

Curious…how does one become a law professor…is there such a thing as a law PhD? Almost sounds like the route for DD.

Just wondering if that route is fully covered. As an example, you of course have to pay yourself for an MBA, but a finance PhD is 100% free and actually you can earn decent money getting research sponsored.

Wondering if law is at all the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Speaking gently, those are not good reasons to go to law school.

Absolutely and completely disagree. Lawyers do a lot of different things you have no idea are possible when you’re an undergrad

- a lawyer who went to law school for those very reasons and very happy 20+ years later.