To know what percentage of law students get scholarships…read on this article..!
Obtaining legal education is a vital step towards securing a lucrative career path in law, however, it is financially impossible and overburdening to most middle-class communities. Scholarships and bursaries are the only solutions available to ease the financial burden most families find themselves under due to the high cost of law education nowadays.
However, law educational programs have recently become one of the most broadly facilitated programs financially. The number of law school students who are academic scholarships recipients has risen from under 50% to approximately 80% percentage. This includes both undergraduate and postgraduate law school students worldwide.
What Is a Scholarship?
A scholarship is a financial aid given to students who meet the requirements of certain selection criteria. Law schools also offer scholarships to students, this enables students to afford a law education. There are a variety of law scholarships including merit scholarships, scholarships based on legal career goals or community involvement, and need-based scholarships.
Law school is known as one of the most expensive schools in the United States. With its recent average cost of tuition and fees ranging between $46,161 to $40, 244 for both out-of-state students and full-time students, respectively. However, the average tuition fee may vary depending on its ranking and whether the law school is located in the public or private sector.
Henceforth, law scholarships are a great way for freshmen and graduate students to reduce the financial burden that comes with obtaining a law education. Additionally, some law scholarships offer post-graduate job guarantees and undergraduate mentorship.
How to Apply for Law Scholarships?
Prospective students must submit a filled scholarship application form along with their law school admissions application. However, internal scholarships offered by the school do not require the applicant to apply for financial assistance, since the scholarship would be offered as part of the admissions process. Prospective students would be judged based on their LSAT scores whilst currently enrolled law students would be judged based on their current academic performance.
What percentage of law students get scholarships?
Who is Eligible to Receive the Law Scholarship?
There are five common law scholarship requirements. These requirements include the following:
1. Academic Performance Requirement
Merit scholarships are the most common type of scholarship in law schools. This type of requirement may also be used for some of the need-based scholarships. Thus, having excellent academic results would be beneficial for the applicant. Henceforth, an applicant will be required to attach their merit academic transcript to be evaluated by the scholarship committee.
For the freshmen applicants, the LSAT score (ideal scores between 120-180) and undergraduate GPA will be accessed whilst for the second-and third-year law students, their first-year results as a law student will be accessed. Merit-based scholarships may also come from law firms, other educational institutions, and law organisations.
2. Award Requirement
The award requirement is the law scholarship which requires the applicants to write a personal essay stating why they are the most suitable candidate for this scholarship. Some applicants may also be encouraged to attach personal statements which inform the scholarship committee about any specific legal fields the applicant is interested in and letters of recommendation.
3. FAFSA/ Need-based requirement
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid application is required to be submitted by the need-based scholarship applicants in some law schools. This application is separate from any scholarship application. The FAFSA gives the applicants a better chance at considering the law scholarship and numerous other financial aid programs provided in the state.
4. Law Degree/ criteria-based Requirement
This type of law scholarship is known as restricted scholarship. This scholarship is for specific types of law students who may be starting a full-time law degree or are currently enrolled in a specific law program. If the student deregisters from the law program for some reason, the scholarship fund may be withdrawn and the student may be asked to refund the award depending on the reason why they left the program. Criteria-based law scholarships can also come from external sources, including law firms, law educational institutions, and law organisations.
5. Online Application Requirement
Private and public law school scholarship applicants are encouraged to electronically submit their scholarship applications. The online application form requires the applicant to fill out their contact information, work history, education history, and some information concerning their background. This application method may also require the applicant to attach their documents to verify the given information.
What a law school scholarship covers.
Different law scholarships are designed to solve different financial needs. Henceforth, scholarship rules and regulations may vary when it comes to recruiting their beneficiaries and their means of payment.
Some law scholarships are more focused on financially needy students and some are only for merit students. Some law scholarships may cover half to full tuition, more than full tuition, or only cover full tuition.
Numerous law schools including the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Ohio University School of Law offer full-ride scholarships to students who commit to working in the public sector. The full-ride scholarships are rare and it is very difficult to earn one. It is only offered to merit, prestigious, and athletics students.
Top 10 Law Schools That Offer Full-Ride Scholarships in America.
1. University of Chicago Law School
2. New York University Law School
3. University of Pennsylvania Law School
4. University of Virginia Law School
5. Duke Law School
6. The University of Texas Law School
7. Boston University Law School
8. Arizona State University Law School
9. Ohio Northern University
10. Texas Christian University
Conclusion
There is a wide variety of law scholarships available to law students, this includes law scholarships for high school learners and undergraduate and postgraduate students. However, academic excellence is encouraged for all prospective scholarship applicants.
Frequently Asked Questions:
• How to get a law school scholarship?
Have an excellent academic transcript and apply on time.
• How much does law tuition cost?
