Does anyone have specific tips or tricks (other than having a high GPA and high LSAT score) for getting merit-based financial aid from law schools? i.e, does visiting the schools, including something particular in your personal statement, getting an alum to write my letter of rec, etc… particularly help in that regard? The reason I ask, is because at the top law schools, almost every person accepted has very high scores, so there must be something else done to differentiate yourself from everyone else. Thanks!
LSAT/GPA , none of the rest of it matters
In my kid’s case, I think she got a merit scholarship because, in addition to a very high LSAT score, she went to the same school for undergrad. To be honest, we have no idea why she was offered the scholarship. I agree with @sybbie719 that LSAT and GPA are key.
What type of law school? Some of the law schools in the top tier (top-14) offer a little merit, like a handful of big scholarships that are very competitive. However, they may offer some small FA grants to those students who are independent (older) at the time of application.
Law students from top tier schools who later go to work in BigLaw are often able to pay off big loans. There is risk, however, in whether the students - even ones from top schools - want and/or can get that type of employment. Students from law schools outside the top tier face a much bigger challenge in getting that type of employment such that it’s not advisable to borrow the entire cost of attendance for lower-ranked schools.
Only HYS, and that is bcos they are need-only. All others offer merit money, and a bunch of it. For example, look up a law school’s ABA 509 report to see how many half-tuitions that they award. Or, conversely, how few are actually full-pay.
Scholarships are offered to students with above median stats or have special interests (public service) school is looking for. D2 was offered very good merit aid from some top 14 schools a year ago. This year (2nd time around) she will be applying for some specific scholarships.
If you get some money from a school, you can always use it to bargain for more money from another (peer)school.
Stanford has a new merit scholarship to cover 100% of cost. It is new this year.
That’s true, but it is a University-wide award, not law school specific. The Knight-Hennessey full ride is for any graduate-level study at Stanford, including PhD, JD, MD, MBA, MA, etc. The KH award is designed to complete with Oxford’s Rhodes scholarships, so you can only imagine how competitive they will be.
Otherwise, the LS is still need-only.