By Jessica Melton
It’s time to dust off your essay writing skills because if one thing is true about college it’s that college is very expensive. Especially for people who are deciding to pursue a degree in law.
According to the latest poll from Unigo.com, the following statistics are true about who is trying to get their degree in the legal field. Doctorate degrees in legal professions and studies hold a 23% share of all degrees earned at this level. Recent NCES data shows a 50 /50 split in the number of men and women who attained law degrees. The numbers vary for various minority groups below.
- Black – 23%
- Hispanic – 33%
- Asian – 13%
- Pacific Islander – 24%
- American Indian – 36%
- Two or More Races – 26%
Unfortunately, since college is so expensive many people will need to apply for at least one scholarship while in school. But did you know that you do not have to be low-income to receive a scholarship? That is a common misconception. Anyone, regardless of income, can apply for a scholarship. That said, here are a few of the best legal scholarships to obtain to make your journey a bit easier to finish.
- Anhelo Dream Project Scholarship
- Legal Opportunity Scholarship
- Earl Warren Scholarship
- Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarship
- MALDEF Law School Scholarship
- Attorney Ken Nugent Legal Scholarship
- ABA Academic Merit Scholarship
- LimNexus Scholarship
- La Raza Foundation Scholarship
- Warner Norcross & Judd Law School and Paralegal Scholarship
- LPI Scholarship from Legal Professionals Inc.
Also, check with your own college about what they can offer. Most schools should have scholarships for legal students. They can range anywhere from $250 to $10,000 per scholarship. There is also a website called FAFSA which is a government-based website where you can securely input your financial information to receive government grants to help pay for college. These grants can vary in size and can sometimes be in the tens of thousands of dollars.
The best part about getting a scholarship or a government grant is that, unlike a loan, these are “gifts” and do not need to be repaid. The only difference between applying for a scholarship and for a grant is the procedure.
Typically for a scholarship, there needs to be an essay written about a particular topic. The only downside is that one essay does not fit all. Usually, the student will need to write a completely different essay for every scholarship he or she applies for. This can be daunting. However, the more essays and scholarships that the student applies for, the more chances they have in receiving them.
For a grant, the only procedure is to apply for FAFSA. The process can take a long time, but the payout could possibly be substantial. Remember, the student will have to do both of these procedures for each year of college that they attend in order to receive more money.
So go ahead and apply for as many scholarships as you can. You never know, you just may get some, if not most, of your tuition paid for!
*For more information on various scholarships, click here and here
For more information on FAFSA, click here
*This list is not exhaustive.
Categorized in: General
| << previous | next >> |