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Advice on Law School Admissions Offers, LSATs on Applications

By U.S. News & World Report

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

If you have a question about law school, please email me for a chance to be featured next month.

Dear Shawn:

I have just received my final admissions results and am having difficulty choosing between two schools. The schools I am considering are New York University and University of California–Los Angeles. Although I know that NYU is a higher-ranked school, there are several considerations that push me in the direction of attending UCLA. First, UCLA offered me a significant scholarship that would pay for about a third of my law school tuition. Second, they have a very strong entertainment law program, and that is an area of law I am interested in. Finally, I am from Los Angeles, my parents live there and I am planning on settling there once I finish law school. What is your advice on which school I should attend? -Two Great Options

Dear Two Great Options: Congratulations on such fantastic admissions results. Having a choice between two excellent schools is a great place to be.

[Get seven tips for surviving the first week of law school.]

It is difficult for me to answer this question definitively because there are so many personal and intangible factors involved in the decision. Instead of trying to decide for you, I’ll give you some information that will hopefully help guide your decision.

With respect to your professional development, attending NYU is clearly the better choice. The reputation of the law school you attend is extremely important in terms of finding your first job after law school, and your alma mater’s reputation will stay with you for your entire career.

I often describe the choice to attend law or business school as tying yourself to a certain brand, which will stick with you for the rest of your career. Although UCLA and NYU are both clearly excellent schools, NYU’s reputation is stronger.

You mentioned entertainment law and settling in Los Angeles. You are in a good position at both schools. Although UCLA has a very strong network in Los Angeles and in the entertainment industry, a degree from NYU will make you a competitive applicant nationwide and in any industry.

[Consider how a law school’s location can affect your job prospects.]

As for the scholarship money, I would consider two factors. First, think about how you would otherwise finance law school. Second, consider what type of work do you plan on doing immediately after law school.

If you are able to finance law school without going into debt, then professional development advantages should probably outweigh any scholarship. If you are planning on taking on student loan debt to finance your education, however, you should more strongly consider strong scholarship offers.

Having less debt coming out of law school enables you to more easily take jobs that are not as lucrative. But if you are planning on entering a high-income area of law such as corporate law, then incurring more debt will be less of a factor.

Dear Shawn:

I am writing to ask you about retaking the LSAT. I have taken the LSAT twice, both times scoring in the low 150s, and am beginning to prepare to take the October test. I did very little preparation the first two times I took the test, so I am confident that I can get a significantly higher score by putting in the work over the next few months. How will schools take my three scores into account when evaluating my application? -Lucky No. 3

Dear Lucky No. 3: Most schools will now consider the highest of multiple LSAT scores in most cases, and schools are more apt to take the highest of multiple scores when the highest score is more than five points higher than the other scores.

When reporting two scores, schools tend to be a bit less likely to average scores, but with three scores, as will be the case with you, they are more likely to take the average of three scores.

[Understand how law schools evaluate LSAT scores.]

In your case, whether or not the schools average your scores will depend on how far away your October exam score is from your other scores. If you are able to score at least eight points higher, most schools will almost certainly view that score as the most accurate indication of your ability on the test. The closer the October score is to your other scores, however, the more likely they are to average the three scores.

In order to increase the chances that schools don’t average your three scores, I encourage you to write a brief addendum explaining why they should only consider this October score. You should explain to them that you were inadequately prepared for the previous tests, and that your October score reflects your ability after thorough preparation for the test.

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Advice on Law School Admissions Offers, LSATs on Applications 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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