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Law Student Grants
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Article on Law Student Grants
No matter where you attend law school, there is no denying the fact that they are all expensive. The overall cost of the education usually goes into six figures. This is precisely why law student grants are so keenly pursued.
Grants by Law Schools
The first place to find out about law student grants is the law school itself in which a student is planning to study. Every law school has a financial aid department, which helps its students financially with grants and scholarships, and on contacting this department, a student can get all the necessary information regarding the school’s grant policy. The grants and scholarships offered by law schools are a combination of need and merit based financial aid. Usually, the schools are particularly interested in extending scholarships to students who have an excellent record at the undergraduate level.
A Bias towards Women and Minorities
American law schools are also showing great interest in encouraging women and minorities with financial aid. This is primarily because law in the U.S. was once dominated by Caucasian males, and the schools are now looking to diversify the field. So, if you are either a female or someone from a minority community, there is an excellent chance that you will be able to land a need-based grant if you have the educational background and a great performance record for support.
Funding the Grants
For law schools, their primary source of finance for grants is their alumni. People established in the legal profession earn a significant amount, and they are often more than willing to extend donations to their alma mater. However, different law schools have different levels of finance at their disposal and therefore, different grant and scholarship policies. So, if you are not getting the kind of financial support you are looking for in your chosen school, you might just need to opt for another law school.
Grants from Private Institutions
Private institutions like the American Bar Association offer law student grants as well. In an attempt to advance the legal profession, the ABA extends financial aid to law students. Although the aid given by the ABA is driven by a combination of merit and need based requirements, it too has a bias in favor of minorities and women.
Conditional Grants
Some establishments extend law student grants to those who commit to work professionally in certain branches of the subject. For instance, the Equal Justice Works program supports students who agree to practice in communities that are undeserved. There is also the Law Schools Admissions Council, which extends aid, if students agree to do certain kinds of legal research during their study.
Minority Grants
There are certain other avenues dedicated to minority groups as well. The Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund gives law student grants to deserving and needy Latin students. UNCF offers grants to other ethnic minorities.
Apart from these grant programs, the regular channels of federal and state government financial aid are also open to law students. Have a look at http://Grants.gov for some more information on what is available. Alternatively, request some more information at your school or college since they will be able to point you in the right direction.
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