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Negotiate Law School Scholarships After Seat Deposits

By U.S. News & World Report

Welcome to the latest installment of Law Admissions Q&A, a monthly feature that provides law school admissions advice to readers who send in questions and admissions profiles.

If you have a question, email us for a chance to be featured next month.

This week, I will discuss how to negotiate for scholarship funds after seat deposit deadlines as well as address degree requirements for applying to law school.

I was hoping to ask your opinion on how to proceed with accepting a spot while putting myself in the best position to get scholarship funding. I am thrilled to have acceptances at a few other programs and am still waiting for a decision from a T-14 school, but they seem to be taking their time in issuing a decision. My issue is this: The school where I want to enroll said that they are unable to offer me scholarship funds at this time, but they issue them on a rolling basis and I am still up for scholarship consideration. The response deadline is May 1. If I put down a seat deposit, would I still be in a position to negotiate for scholarships, or should I just trust that they will reallocate funds in my direction? –Show Me the Money

Dear Show Me the Money: With seat deposits looming and scholarship decisions far from finalized, I understand your predicament. When a school makes scholarship decisions on rolling basis, typically that means the admissions committee will reallocate funding awards as applicants decline enrollment offers.

While accepting your offer does limit your negotiating leverage, you can still take proactive steps to try to secure funding.

[Learn how to negotiate merit-based law school financial aid.]

First, contact the admissions committee and politely request an extension — including noting a specific time frame, such as two weeks — before you make your seat deposit. Explain that you are still awaiting decisions from other schools and haven’t yet received a decision from this school’s financial aid office.

Be sure to emphasize that you appreciate the acceptance and the school’s ongoing evaluation of your potential scholarship award. Note that programs may not be willing to grant extensions, particularly this late into the spring.

If you opt to place a seat deposit, you can still send a l etter of continued interest to reiterate your excitement to attend and the contributions you plan to make to school community. Present yourself as a valuable asset worthy of a scholarship investment.

[Understand the anatomy of a law school letter of continued interest.]

Admissions committees know seat deposit don’t guarantee enrollment, and they don’t want to lose strong applicants to other programs with later acceptances.

After establishing your value, explain that financing your education is important to your ability to enroll and articulate the amount of funding you hope to receive.

For example, if you will be financing your education without parental support, highlight your need for supplemental funding to minimize student loans. If you intend to pursue a career in public interest, make a case for why a scholarship will position you to achieve your career goals.

Finally, discuss your situation and enthusiasm for the school either in-person or over the phone with the financial aid office. This can help distinguish you from other candidates.

This will also allow you to explore funding options beyond merit-based scholarships. Many law schools offer loan forgiveness and repayment programs in lieu of or in addition to scholarship awards.

You can also ask whether you qualify for need-based aid and discuss steps for consideration, such as submitting financial records and a statement of need.

Just because you are ready to put down a seat deposit, don’t leave the negotiation table. Stay engaged and committed to finding ways to finance your legal education.

I am a recent graduate of a school of pharmacy, which offers an accelerated program. This program allows students to graduate directly with their doctor of pharmacy in six years. I graduated from this program in five years, received my degree in May 2016 with a GPA of 3.2, and I do not hold an undergraduate degree. I currently work in the pharmaceutical industry, and I am licensed as a pharmacist. I was wondering how my GPA will be viewed by law admissions staff. Is there is any advantage to achieving a doctorate degree at a young age? –Bachelorless

Dear Bachelorless:

The American Bar Association Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools Standard 502 sets the educational requirements for admission to a J.D. program and a bachelor’s degree or international educational equivalent is required. Students currently working toward their undergraduate degrees may also apply, as long as they earn the degree before enrolling.

Subsection 502(c) allows for extraordinary applicants who have not attended a bachelor’s program to enroll in a J.D. program “if the applicant’s experience, ability, and other qualifications clearly demonstrate an aptitude for the study of law.”

[Discover ways a low GPA might not derail a law school application.]

However, most law schools will require you to submit undergraduate transcripts, because they don’t like the uncertainty of determining whether an applicant meets the exception to the ABA rule.

Formulate a list of your top-choice schools and contact a few to see whether you can apply with your pharmacy degree. If these programs require undergraduate transcripts, then your doctorate degree may not be advantageous from a law school admissions standpoint unless you can also earn a bachelor’s degree.

More from U.S. News

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Understand How to Defer Law School Admission

Negotiate Law School Scholarships After Seat Deposits originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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