Question for students who have received financial aid packages: how much was the parental contribution really taken into consideration? More specifically, do schools take into consideration if parents will *not* contribute to tuition, even if, on paper, they are financially capable of doing so?

I ask because the more research into potential schools I do the more I find that many schools require the reporting of parental income if you are under 29, with varying percentages depending on your age. Basically, I'm nervous that if I apply now, given that I am in the 25 and under category, my parents earnings will drastically skew my financial aid prospects. I will absolutely need a lot of financial aid to make law school possible, and if schools actually expect parents to contribute and base their calculations off that then I'm in trouble. I have a good relationship with my parents, so I cannot claim that I don't talk to them, and they did help with undergrad--they just won't help with graduate school. Period.

I'm planning on calling the schools I'm interested in to ask what their particular policies are, but I was wondering if any current or accepted students could give a bit of personal experience/advice too.

I guess it just seems odd to me that law schools would expect the parents of adults to pay for their (grown) children's graduate school. If they want to pay that is great, but if they cannot/won't? Why must it be mandatory?

EDIT: when I say parent's could contribute, it never would cover full, or even half, of tuition. But it would contribute more than I can reasonably afford. Especially since BOTH my family and I have crushing undergraduate debt to pay off.

(I know parental contribution questions have been asked before, however, I didn't see one that really answered this for me. If there is already a thread on this exact topic than pardon the re-post, just send me the link! )

Most people's parents don't. Schools don't care.

Also, most schools don't really give need based aid.

1. Yes it will be factored in for need-aid.

2. Lucky for you, almost no law schools outside of 3-4 give need aid.

3. Why? I'm sure there are decent reasons for it such as the fact that people whose parents make a lot have already enjoyed significant privileges stemming from it that others haven't... but the real answer is that's just how they do it and it doesn't matter why.

TITCR

*sigh* wonderful. I was afraid that would be the answer. Thanks for the responses everyone.

Fortunately schools will "award" you the ability to borrow 250K to attend.

If you aren't applying for a while gun hard for a great LSAT score.

I'm in the situation, and am choosing between NYU, Cornell, and Georgetown. At this point, I'm just going to consider it a sunk cost and hope to god I'll be able to make enough to pay the debt from loans off.

If your parents won't contribute you take some tanning pills, and apply for and win a full scholarship reserved for high-acheiving black students. You drive your jeep to Cambridge and enroll in Harvard Law, where you meet some exceptionally bright black chick who's also a Harvard Law student and a single mother, and who lives with her grandparents because her parents are dead.

You immediately begin trying to seduce the black chick ironically named "Sarah", all-the-while sleeping with some white chick whose infatuation with black men specifically, men of color generally, infuriates her rich white dad. You take a black Harvard Con Law prof who, to your surprise, treats you like dirt. While at school, you get arrested by racist cops who violate your civil rights. When you get out, your black prof tells you that, if you call him, he will bring you your books so you can study in jail.

Meanwhile, you discover that by impersonating a black guy, you have stolen the scholarship would have actually gone to Sarah had you not applied for it. Your parents visit you at your apartment and discover that you are "black". A white couple that knew you during undergrad is working to prove that you are actually white, but before they can bust you, you decide to out yourself before the Harvard Law peer review. Your roommate serves as your defense attorney.

After all of the hoopla, your black prof, who also serves as the dean in charge of C & F, allows you to stay, your father decides to loan you money for law school (at a high interest rate because your dad wants to give you the greatest gift of all: an appreciation for the hard-earned dollar), and Sarah admits that she is interested in you...even though her son George thinks you look funny white and, as you explain it, your best color is green.

oh they are too kind! Such wonderful packages! I can add that to my undergrad debt and have a merry time living on ramen and spaghetti-os for the next 25 years.



Working for June. Doing well so far in practice--keeping my fingers crossed.

I was figuring on applying to the typically suggested range of reach and solid-bet schools, hoping I'd get scholarship somewhere. I guess I was mostly giving into the vain hope that reality and experience would be wrong and I could trust for good financial aid from my Dream School (provided I get in, of course). I will still get some (when I say parent's could contribute, it never would have been covering full, or even half.... just a lot more than I can scrap together on >$20,000 a year), but it will be painful. Very, very painful. And probably not lead to great nutrition choices for the foreseeable future.

You should be happy. Later on in your life you will take pride in having bootstrapped something. Going from paid undergrad to paid grad school to cushy law school studying to cushy big law will leave you outwardly polished and inwardly hollow. You won't be able to rationalize away that you didn't earn adulthood the one time it was offered to you.

The only people who should get need-based aid are single parents, and those who have to contribute to the support of indigent family or community.

Define "indigent family"

Honestly, with guaranteed access to loans (unles you can't qualify) there's really no purpose for need-based aid anymore.

Tcr. If you need help training for the role, just copy Robert Downey Jr's lines in Tropic Thunder. When cold called make sure to yell, "everyone's gay once in a while." no matter the question, this is always the correct reply.

Having dependents back at home who rely in part upon your income to subsist. It happens more than you think.

You can get increased loans for that. Other students shouldn't have to subsidize your children .