So some school don't offer full rides? Most don't cover housing?

Overcomer

So by looking at the ABA disclosures I realized that a lot of law schools don't offer full tuition scholarships no matter what. And even fewer schools offer money to pay for housing. So is having my housing covered just out of the picture? Also, should I be prepared to not receive a full scholarship. Is this normal in most cases? Do most have to take out loans to finance law school and cover housing?

LSAT_Wrecker

This question is highly specific to your own data points (LSAT / GPA) and the particular schools you are applying to / interested in. If scholarships and stipends are heavily weighted in your analysis, then seek out schools known to give large scholarships to applicants similar to you in your LSAT / GPA metrics.

Good luck.

Overcomer

@LSAT_Wrecker my numbers are 161/3.2 and urm. How do I find out which schools are known to give large scholarships. I want to stay in the tri-state area. Any advice?

LSAT_Wrecker

http://abarequireddisclosures.org/Disclosure509.aspx

Overcomer

@LSAT_Wrecker thank you

Cant Get Right

Here’s a great compilation of all this data into easy formatting:

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/finaid-private-rankings

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/finaid-public-rankings

BinghamtonDave

@"Cant Get Right" I'm looking into these numbers closer than I have before, is "median grant amount full time" on the aid rankings per year or for all three years? Thank you!

Cant Get Right

@BinghamtonDave said:
@"Cant Get Right" I'm looking into these numbers closer than I have before, is "median grant amount full time" on the aid rankings per year or for all three years? Thank you!

I believe that is per year, but I’m not 100% on that.

LSAT_Wrecker

@"Cant Get Right" Thanks, this is useful. I really wish they would have the ability to view "$ offered as a % of tuition" column. I think that might be an even more useful data point, due to the variance of actual tuition costs.

Cant Get Right

@LSAT_Wrecker said:
@"Cant Get Right" Thanks, this is useful. I really wish they would have the ability to view "$ offered as a % of tuition" column. I think that might be an even more useful data point, due to the variance of actual tuition costs.

Yeah, I’ve worked my schools of interest onto a spreadsheet to compare more clearly. It’s a good exercise, and I definitely found some gems that way.

Lucas Carter

@"Cant Get Right" said:
Here’s a great compilation of all this data into easy formatting:

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/finaid-private-rankings

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/finaid-public-rankings

Is a "Grant" in this context synonymous with a scholarship or are these 2 different things?

notsplitts

I should also add that some of the numbers on the 509 might not be fully reflective of what a school can offer. Three of the local schools I applied to this cycle appear to not offer any full ride scholarships, yet they all offered me full ride scholarships.

Maybe it has to do with the way they classify scholarships on the 509?

Maybe it also has to do with it being last years 509 I looked at?

In any case, I received full ride offers from three schools that appear to not offer full ride scholarships, based on last years 509s.

Leah M B

@"Lucas Carter" said:

@"Cant Get Right" said:
Here’s a great compilation of all this data into easy formatting:

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/finaid-private-rankings

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/finaid-public-rankings

Is a "Grant" in this context synonymous with a scholarship or are these 2 different things?

Yep. That's how they are using grant here. Although I would assume that it also includes any need-based aid that is not a loan. So, if you are awarded both merit and need-based awards, those are likely factored together as grant money in this context.

Leah M B

To OP: unfortunately, a lot of schools don't cover all of tuition and a lot of them do not offer any stipends above the tuition amount. Most people do take out loans to cover living expenses unless you have independent funding (savings, money from parents, etc).

There are sometimes other ways to pay for things as well. The ABA recently lifted their ban on 1Ls working during the school year. So, you could potentially have a part time job. Summer employment also has some potential to cover school year needs, particularly your 2L summer. Some people are able to find law clerk or research assistant positions during the school year to supplement things.

But generally yes, if you don't have an independent way to fund your living expenses, you'll most likely need to take out loans to cover it.