LSAT Losing Ground To The GRE

Law Schools Aren’t The Only Ones Doling Out Scholarships

While most law schools offer need and merit-based scholarships, they often don’t provide enough support to make law school affordable.
Julie Ketover, a contributor at U.S. News & World Report, recently discussed some aid that’s available to law students outside of the scholarships provided by law schools.
Scholarships Provided by Private and Nonprofit Organizations
A number of private and nonprofit organizations offer general scholarships and grants.
For instance, according to the American Bar Association, there are resources for minority law students and those with special needs.
The Intellectual Property Law Sidney B. Williams Jr. Scholarship, sponsored by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the American Intellectual Property Law Education Foundation, awards $10,000 scholarships for minority scholars and arranges internships to assist under—represented minority law students studying intellectual property law.
According to US News, a number of law firms also provide scholarship money, usually on the basis that grant recipients will work for the firm during summers or on a part-time basis during the school year.
“Law firms, like other grantors, consider financial need when deciding upon recipients, but they tend to take academic credentials into consideration more than other organizations that provide grants to students,” Ketover writes. “In addition, many law firms’ scholarships are specifically designated for diverse students and those who have contributed to diversity and inclusion initiatives.”
Country or State-Specific Organizations
Applicants should also research scholarships and grants from their home country or state. Generally, these scholarships are only awarded to students who reside in the region, so the applicant pool may be smaller compared to other scholarship funds.
“For example, the Rhode Island Bar Foundation’s Thomas F. Black, Jr. Memorial Scholarship offers $20,000 to Rhode Island residents who will be entering their first year of full-time law school,” Ketover writes. “The Alabama Law Foundation offers the $5,000 Cabaniss Johnston Scholarship to second-year law students who are Alabama residents.”
Whether or not your school offers aid, it never hurts to research funding outside your school to help aid your tuition costs.
Sources: U.S. News, American Bar Association