<p>A simple question: What (tippy-top) law schools give significant need-based FA in grants? T14? Just HYS?</p>
<p>My parents are willing to support me financially, as much as possible, if I end up going law school. I'm currently attending Swarthmore on significant need-based FA (let's say EFC = 15k) and will graduate with zero debt. However, I don't have a particular passion for the law and the prospect of a huge debt load is extremely off-putting. If I do go to law school, I'd probably go into immigration or international law and would prefer a small-town living-wage type of career, not urban is a plus.</p>
<p>My state has NO law schools, so in-state tuition is not an option. It may open one just after I graduate, but since that school will not be accredited, I'm wary of it too.</p>
<p>Tag for curiousity. I’m pretty sure the answer is “none,” but will defer to those with more knowledge.</p>
<p>One thing to keep in mind is that several schools have loan repayment assistance programs. If you fall under certain income and wealth thresholds, the school will cover your loan payments. Ten years and you’ll be debt free.</p>
<p>That’s a viable option, but not a very good one. The major problem is that it really messes up your ability to save and to marry.</p>
<p>^^Yes, I’ve heard about the loan repayment programs at Yale and Harvard… possibly Stanford? But not much detail about them. And I’ve seen bits and pieces of info floating around about need-based aid, so figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.</p>
<p>I know that any schools with grant aid to give will require parental financial info. But since I qualify for need-based aid during UG, this doesn’t matter much to me IF there are actually schools with money to award.</p>
<p>The precise details aren’t that important at the moment. The bottom line is that if you’re working in a legal job in a non-profit and making under a certain threshold income-wise, the school will cover your loan repayments. It scales upwards as you make more money (e.g. it’s not an all-or-none proposition).</p>
<p>Some of the schools have less-restrictive policies. I believe in Harvard’s case, for example, the job doesn’t have to be legal – anything in academia or non-profit work will count so long as you’re under the income threshold.</p>
<p>The major drawbacks are the two I mentioned. The programs make grossly inadequate adjustments for marriage. If you marry a spouse making money, they’re going to have to repay your loans. Second, they don’t just cap your income, but also your assets. So if you make $50K (under their threshold) but live frugally and save, the plan is going to want some of your savings.</p>
<p>I suppose the third other major problem is that your interest begins accumulating at the time the interest is incurred – and the first few years of the program won’t make up for it for a while. So if you only do (say) five years of public interest work, then you might be hit with a gigantic bill at the end of it. Certainly more than half of what you actually took out.</p>
<p>Also check the websites of the law schools of interest. Several have extensive write ups on financial aid. </p>
<p>There are law schools below HYS that give scholarships to those who commit to go into public service. These scholarships are given in advance. If you accept one, then you MUST go into public service. If you don’t you have to repay the money. </p>
<p>It’s actually Yale, rather than Harvard, that doesn’t restrict your future career. However, Yale does take spousal income into account, as mike explained. </p>
<p>Some public interest jobs and some government agencies will pay down part of your principal for you to make up the effect Mike is talking about. Your monthly payment is NOT affected, but the principal is reduced.</p>