<p>What is the process for applying for financial aid in law school? I get the feeling that it works differently from the college process.
For someone rushing now to get applications in, do I understand that you can apply now but request financial aid much later in the process?
When I hear that someone is offered admission at school X AND $40,000, does that mean that he/she applied for aid and that is how much they got? Or are the law schools, on their own, offering aid along with admission to candidates they particulalry want?
On the aid application, does the student show just his/her financial situation? Or are the parents' finances required to be show also?
Feel free to answer these questions, give any other tips or relevant information, or point me to another cite or string of messages. This is all new to me, and I would be grateful for any advice.</p>
<p>financial aid for law school works differently from undergrad in sense that :</p>
<ol>
<li>you will not necessarily be cnsidered an independent student. Many law schools will still look at the income and the assets of your parents and spouse (if you have one) when calculating FA.</li>
</ol>
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When I hear that someone is offered admission at school X AND $40,000, does that mean that he/she applied for aid and that is how much they got?
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<p>It depends it could be the amount per year but it is very likely the amount over the course of 3 years.</p>
<p>Just like undergrad if you need aid, you must apply for it and you must apply before by the deadline. Loans will be a major part of your FA unless you get something like the Hamiliton scholarship which is offered by Columbia (and very few of those go out).</p>
<p>There is a lot of variation. Here's a brief overview. </p>
<p>First, you still need to fill out a FAFSA. This part is based on your income, not that of your parents, and will determine how much you can borrow under federal programs. You can borrow more money than undergrads can, but not nearly enough to cover the cost. If you do not get enough aid or merit money, you have to borrow the rest from commercial banks. Some law schools have "preferred lenders," but sometimes you can do better on your own. </p>
<p>Second, SOME law schools give need based aid. These tend to be among the most selective law schools. If you are less than 27 or 28, depending on the school, your parents' income will be counted. Many, though not all, of the law schools that give need based aid use <a href="http://www.needaccess.org%5B/url%5D">www.needaccess.org</a>. You may want to take a look at that website. (Do this even if you aren't interested in the participating schools because the links to loan information can help you understand the federal loan process.) At some of the more selective law schools, you do not fill out anything until after you are admitted, but before the deadline for you to accept and pay the deposit. </p>
<p>Third, as far as I know, all law schools accept YHS give merit money. This usually goes to a small number of students per class. Some law schools give just a few and they are essentially "free rides." Think the Hamilton at Columbia or the Levy at Penn. Others give multiple merit scholarships, but in smaller amounts. Others give merit money to students interested in particular fields, e.g., the Furman at NYU for those interested in teaching law. These merit awards usually come with some strings attached. </p>
<p>Finally, some law schools don't give you any breaks up front, but have loan repayment programs which pay the bill if you take a low paying job after you finish law school. The rules vary enormously from school to school. Some require you to go into public interest law; others, do not. If you are interested in working in a public interest field, it may be better to borrow more money you will never have to pay than to accept merit money and have to pay back more. </p>
<p>The bottom line: it pays to check the websites of the individual law schools of interest to you. Even law schools that claim to give need-based aid can judge circumstances very differently.</p>