Thinking About Going Into Poverty For Americorp Forum

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[cinephile]

You're only young once, right? If this is a program that's suited to your interests (regardless of whether it's a good soft for law school) then you should go for it.

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[duckmoney]

It will give you a boost, but not as much as 3-4 points on your LSAT would.

If you want to do it for the experience, then do it, but don't do it just because you think it would help you get into law school.

[pattonthicke]

Also! Does anyone know:

1. Schools that offer Americorps fee waivers for admissions.
2. How much being on food stamps would assist with financial aid calculations.

Maybe some of these things would be hidden costs to factor in.

I did Americorps and yes you will be broke.

1. A lot of schools offer AmeriCoprs fee waivers but you have to apply individually for each one, so start early.

2. Being on food stamps does not assist with fin. aid calculations. Also, check to make sure you can get food stamps. The law was recently changed and you may not be elgible anymore.

3. It will have NO impact on your application whatsoever. It's not a soft factor, it's no factor. AmeriCoprs has the national reputation of taking anyone in their program and law schools know this. Given the state of the economy, they know you did this b/c you couldnt find a job.

[TIKITEMBO]

Given the state of the economy, they know you did this b/c you couldnt find a job.

This made my laugh. I seem to have too much experience, too little experience, or not enough connections for everything I've tried so far. This Americorps position does sound like something I would LOVE to be in, but I get too that some programs will accept you much easier than say the Peace Corps. I would hope admins would mostly see it as a quality service experience.

Really, food stamps don't help you? I know for undergrads they are an automatic pell grant if your parents have them. And assuming that you're not using parental income, as I would not be, for law school I would think it would help. I know it doesn't give you an automatic pell grant as that is only for bachelor's degrees, but I would have to think it would count for need based calculations.

[bk1]

Do AmeriCorps because you would enjoy doing it, not because it would or would not help you gain admission to law school.

[TIKITEMBO]

Plus, making less than $12,000 a year for one person not needing parent income info would probably put you in a pretty need based bracket right?

[TIKITEMBO]

Do AmeriCorps because you would enjoy doing it, not because it would or would not help you gain admission to law school.

Of course, I WANT to do it, it's just that I unfortunately do have to weight the costs and benefits as well.

[bk1]

Do AmeriCorps because you would enjoy doing it, not because it would or would not help you gain admission to law school.

Of course, I WANT to do it, it's just that I unfortunately do have to weight the costs and benefits as well.

Whether it helps for law school really isn't a benefit worth considering because even if it does exist it is not large enough to be a factor.

[kublaikahn]

You better go seek the counsel of others who have done the program. I know a number of people who did AmeriCorps and said it sucked. I suppose it depends on the program.

[cinephile]

Plus, making less than $12,000 a year for one person not needing parent income info would probably put you in a pretty need based bracket right?

It really depends what schools you're looking at. Some are very generous with need based aid. Others just give you more loans. I made less than $12k last year from my TA gig and don't think it really made a difference in the aid I received. But you make do, and living on a low income for a year isn't that bad.