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I received this email from BC today...


"Dear Applicant:

We have been notified that your application for admission to Boston College Law School is now complete. If you plan to apply for financial aid, we recommend that you start the process as soon as possible. As financial aid is awarded to students in the order that their financial aid files are completed, do not wait until after you have been admitted. In order to be considered for all aid programs at BC Law, your processed applications must be received by March 15, 2010."

I know it says to apply before being admitted but do you think this might mean i have been accepted or do you think everyone got this? it seems crazy to to start the financial aid application process if you probably didn't even get into the school...

Most school tell applicants in general to apply for financial aid (FAFSA, I presume) as soon as possible after January 1, regardless of what schools you have heard back from. They are just reminding you that, while admissions decisions may or many not be made for several months, you should not wait that long before doing your FAFSA, because by then much of the aid will be gone. I don't think this has anything to do with your acceptance prospects.

ohh..thanks.

I thought what most people mean by financial aid for law school is government issued loans which i would venture to guess do not run out... what other type of aid is available and how difficult is it to qualify? if i have been independent from my parents for 3 years and have zero in the bank, does that qualify???

ixpresxi wrote:ohh..thanks.

I thought what most people mean by financial aid for law school is government issued loans which i would venture to guess do not run out... what other type of aid is available and how difficult is it to qualify? if i have been independent from my parents for 3 years and have zero in the bank, does that qualify???

BC is kind of a unique school in what they offer; last year they offered me a variety of aid including scholarship $$, subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans, and a "BC loan" which was a low-interest loan made by the school itself at a lower interest rate than any current federal loan program. I think I would've been fully covered by everything and not needed GradPLUS loans at all if I went there.

You definitely want to apply quickly. I think last cycle everyone got E-mails like that around this time, since now is when everyone should have their necessary tax forms to do this year's taxes and they can actually do them and then have actual income figures to report. It's a "we know you can do finaid now, so go do it" prod.

It doesn't mean you're in, but doing this early will benefit you if you do get in, since I don't think they'll consider you for any aid (scholarships or loans) until they have your full financial aid info, and some of that aid money is limited.