Will the military pay for law school?? Forum

[jdland2010]

I was thinking about joining the military as a reserve officer and was wondering if they pay for your law school education at all? I know that the military helps pay for medical students educations, and I was thinking why not law students?

Let me know what information you have...Thanks.

[holydonkey]

Read this thread: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=111722

[jdland2010]

Thank you for the link, but I have looked it over and that really doesn't apply to me...I have zero interest in the National Guard--nor do I want to be in the military full-time. I'm 30 and can't afford to join the military full-time and then go to law school later (I'm getting older as I type this).

I was looking more toward the Coast Guard...because I will most likely be stationed here and not deployed to somewhere like Iraq or Afganistan. I understand that a lot of people are being deployed right now, but thats b/c they made the choice to join those other branches (that are likely to be deployed to these foreign countries).

I'm just looking for something part-time.

Read this thread: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=111722

[JMD.USMC]

So you don't want to do the military full time


you're not willing to move



and you don't want to deploy.





Why on earth should the military be willing to pay for your law school?

[jdland2010]

First of all, I want to be in the Coast Guard Reserves and the Reserves ONLY. Second, I NEVER said that I wasn't willing to move. Third, yes I don't want to get deployed and members of the Coast Guard typically don't. That's why I picked them.

Gee, I'm really sorry to bust your bubble and not want to be deployed. Some people don't want that...thats why there is other branches of the military to pick from.

P.S. Quit acting like I'm greedy...Medical Students do the same thing and get their schooling completely paid for.

So you don't want to do the military full time


you're not willing to move



and you don't want to deploy.





Why on earth should the military be willing to pay for your law school?

[Georgiana]

1) Coast guard hires for JAG after you've completed: http://www.uscg.mil/legal/recruit/DCL_Application.asp (Direct Commission Lawyer Program)

2) Army, Navy, Marine, Airforce seem to be willing to pay their ACTIVE DUTY officers to go to law school (FLEP program). You can't just sign up and say "p.s. pay for my law school now."

Sorry, unless you want to commit to the military, you'll have to pay your way like the rest of us (or get scholarships).

[sky7]

You can't just sign up and say "p.s. pay for my law school now."

Not entirely true. With FLEP, I know people who have started law school (part-time) and then applied to flep, and because they are already in LS it's helped them get into the program.

[Georgiana]

You can't just sign up and say "p.s. pay for my law school now."

Not entirely true. With FLEP, I know people who have started law school (part-time) and then applied to flep, and because they are already in LS it's helped them get into the program.

My point was that its not that easy to get them to pay for 3 years of education. You can't just go to the recruiter and say "I'd like to sign up for the military but only if you pay for my law school." You have to be currently in the military to apply, you don't apply to FLEP and then agree to join if you are accepted to the program. The programs where they pay your tuition are competitive and generally go to people who have a demonstrated commitment to the military. The one person I know here who is in the program was in ROTC all throughout school and was an active duty officer for several years before getting to go back to school.

--LinkRemoved--
http://usmilitary.about.com/library/mil ... school.htm

[jdland2010]

That really sucks. I know that they bend over backwards for Medical Students and pay all of their stuff (while they are in med school FT). It just goes to show you how much of the shaft law students get

1) Coast guard hires for JAG after you've completed: http://www.uscg.mil/legal/recruit/DCL_Application.asp (Direct Commission Lawyer Program)

2) Army, Navy, Marine, Airforce seem to be willing to pay their ACTIVE DUTY officers to go to law school (FLEP program). You can't just sign up and say "p.s. pay for my law school now."

Sorry, unless you want to commit to the military, you'll have to pay your way like the rest of us (or get scholarships).

[jdland2010]

Like I said before, I could walk in and say that if I was a medical student and they would pay for pretty much everything.

You can't just sign up and say "p.s. pay for my law school now."

Not entirely true. With FLEP, I know people who have started law school (part-time) and then applied to flep, and because they are already in LS it's helped them get into the program.

My point was that its not that easy to get them to pay for 3 years of education. You can't just go to the recruiter and say "I'd like to sign up for the military but only if you pay for my law school." You have to be currently in the military to apply, you don't apply to FLEP and then agree to join if you are accepted to the program. The programs where they pay your tuition are competitive and generally go to people who have a demonstrated commitment to the military. The one person I know here who is in the program was in ROTC all throughout school and was an active duty officer for several years before getting to go back to school.

--LinkRemoved--
http://usmilitary.about.com/library/mil ... school.htm

[Georgiana]

Like I said before, I could walk in and say that if I was a medical student and they would pay for pretty much everything.

You can't just sign up and say "p.s. pay for my law school now."

Not entirely true. With FLEP, I know people who have started law school (part-time) and then applied to flep, and because they are already in LS it's helped them get into the program.

My point was that its not that easy to get them to pay for 3 years of education. You can't just go to the recruiter and say "I'd like to sign up for the military but only if you pay for my law school." You have to be currently in the military to apply, you don't apply to FLEP and then agree to join if you are accepted to the program. The programs where they pay your tuition are competitive and generally go to people who have a demonstrated commitment to the military. The one person I know here who is in the program was in ROTC all throughout school and was an active duty officer for several years before getting to go back to school.

--LinkRemoved--
http://usmilitary.about.com/library/mil ... school.htm

Not if you're only doing reserves (look at the army page http://www.goarmy.com/amedd/medical/corps_benefits.jsp, they pay back up to $50k of your loans but you make less as an army doctor than a normal doctor). And thats army, not coast guard.

[jdland2010]

Georgiana,

Yeah, I know most of the medical students go full-time after they complete medical school.

And who really cares if you make $50K coming out...most residents (in the civilian world) only make like $40K after they finish medical school. The residencies are usually between 3-7 years (depending on the type of medicine you want to practice). So after you complete you residency, more than likely you will be done with your service requirement. Then you leave the military with zero loans and ready to make what all the real doctors (post-residency docs) make in the civilian world.

So really gain by being a military doctor.

[brownshoe]

That really sucks. I know that they bend over backwards for Medical Students and pay all of their stuff (while they are in med school FT). It just goes to show you how much of the shaft law students get

1) Coast guard hires for JAG after you've completed: http://www.uscg.mil/legal/recruit/DCL_Application.asp (Direct Commission Lawyer Program)

2) Army, Navy, Marine, Airforce seem to be willing to pay their ACTIVE DUTY officers to go to law school (FLEP program). You can't just sign up and say "p.s. pay for my law school now."

Sorry, unless you want to commit to the military, you'll have to pay your way like the rest of us (or get scholarships).

Um, it's not the shaft - it's supply and demand. If the Navy, my branch, has over 1000 applicants per board now to choose 10 people, why in the world would they pay for anyone's school?

[jdland2010]

After all the comments on here, JAG does not sound like a financially good idea after all. I mean, when you think about coming out of law school with over $100K in debt and you look at what they pay you as a JAG, it doesnt make any sense financially. Unless, you come from a wealthy family and come out with zero debt, it makes no sense. I couldnt live on what they pay an O-2 and pay my student loans and regular bills.

That really sucks. I know that they bend over backwards for Medical Students and pay all of their stuff (while they are in med school FT). It just goes to show you how much of the shaft law students get

1) Coast guard hires for JAG after you've completed: http://www.uscg.mil/legal/recruit/DCL_Application.asp (Direct Commission Lawyer Program)

2) Army, Navy, Marine, Airforce seem to be willing to pay their ACTIVE DUTY officers to go to law school (FLEP program). You can't just sign up and say "p.s. pay for my law school now."

Sorry, unless you want to commit to the military, you'll have to pay your way like the rest of us (or get scholarships).

Um, it's not the shaft - it's supply and demand. If the Navy, my branch, has over 1000 applicants per board now to choose 10 people, why in the world would they pay for anyone's school?

[anli]

To be honest, I find your tone quite offensive. Honorable men and women put their lives on the line every day, and they do so without your exaggerated sense of entitlement or complaint. If you want the benefits of being a doctor, go be a doctor. That is, if you have the grades in a premed curriculum, a high MCAT, and oh, are willing to trade a prestigious residency for a career in the service. (By the way, most doctors stay because you get a pension at 20 years, so it makes sense to do so.)

To answer your question: the only Reserve component that will pay for your law school is the Army. You would need to do ROTC and get a guaranteed reserve or national guard contract, and the service will pay for 2 years of tuition plus stipend. If you don't get one of the guaranteed reserve duty scholarships (which are quite competitive), you can compete for a regular scholarship (even more competitive) and hope you get assigned to reserve duty (likely). You would need to train as a Reservist during school and attend ROTC training during your summers (this could prove damaging to your 2L firm hopes). You would not be guaranteed a JAG slot, and yes, you would probably deploy at least once.

If you want more information, I suggest you talk to a more knowledgeable source, i.e. a recruiter. If you do end up serving, you really had better learn to chin up and take it, because deployments and risk is what you give in exchange for the respect and financial benefits we citizens give.

[jdland2010]

Thanks for the dumb comments...

Btw, my tone is not offensive--quite frankly your tone is you jerk. My father is a gradaute of the US Air Force Academy (and my grandfather is of the Naval Academy) by the way--so quit judging me you idiot. By the way, I could be a doctor if I had wanted to go in that direction--I'll bet you couldn't--you idiot. I graduated from an ivy-undergrad and I have a ivy-MBA...so yes I have a record of high academic achievement (since pre-K). As for a residency, I would do a military residency--you freaking jerk.

Your an idiot. Quit posting dumb crap on here. Next time you better think before you post some $hit like that on here and accuse me of not being patriotic. My father served in Vietnam and my grandfather in WW2. You are a piece of worthless crap.

To be honest, I find your tone quite offensive. Honorable men and women put their lives on the line every day, and they do so without your exaggerated sense of entitlement or complaint. If you want the benefits of being a doctor, go be a doctor. That is, if you have the grades in a premed curriculum, a high MCAT, and oh, are willing to trade a prestigious residency for a career in the service. (By the way, most doctors stay because you get a pension at 20 years, so it makes sense to do so.)

To answer your question: the only Reserve component that will pay for your law school is the Army. You would need to do ROTC and get a guaranteed reserve or national guard contract, and the service will pay for 2 years of tuition plus stipend. If you don't get one of the guaranteed reserve duty scholarships (which are quite competitive), you can compete for a regular scholarship (even more competitive) and hope you get assigned to reserve duty (likely). You would need to train as a Reservist during school and attend ROTC training during your summers (this could prove damaging to your 2L firm hopes). You would not be guaranteed a JAG slot, and yes, you would probably deploy at least once.

If you want more information, I suggest you talk to a more knowledgeable source, i.e. a recruiter. If you do end up serving, you really had better learn to chin up and take it, because deployments and risk is what you give in exchange for the respect and financial benefits we citizens give.

[MTal]

I know that the military helps pay for medical students educations, and I was thinking why not law students?

Because uhh...law students as opposed to med students are a dime a dozen?

[jayhawkai]

my friend in his navy residency right now, and it doesn't count towards his 4-year commitment, so he's going to be in navy for a total of about 7 years.

[Cole S. Law]

Thanks for the dumb comments...

Btw, my tone is not offensive--quite frankly your tone is you jerk. My father is a gradaute of the US Air Force Academy (and my grandfather is of the Naval Academy) by the way--so quit judging me you idiot. By the way, I could be a doctor if I had wanted to go in that direction--I'll bet you couldn't--you idiot. I graduated from an ivy-undergrad and I have a ivy-MBA...so yes I have a record of high academic achievement (since pre-K). As for a residency, I would do a military residency--you freaking jerk.

Grandfather Navy, Father Air Force, You Coast Guard. Each generation is getting a little softer. If you have a kid he'll have to joing the French Army to keep up the trend.

[JMD.USMC]

[strike]OP has got to be a troll[/strike]


Actually on second though, he might be completely serious.


Which is both infuriating and sad at the same time.

[Devil_Pup]

[strike]OP has got to be a troll[/strike]


Actually on second though, he might be completely serious.


Which is both infuriating and sad at the same time.

Noted. Just take comfort in being one of the Few JMD.

I always get a smile at how the Corps never fails to be excluded from people's consideration when they want to go to the military primarily so their law school debt will be covered.

[voyagerfan]

Doesn't the marine corps actually make their JAG officer be real officers?

[whuts4lunch]

so yes I have a record of high academic achievement (since pre-K)

Anyone who, without solicitation, brags about his pre-kindergarten "high academic achievement" is a huge douche bag. You suck.

[underdawg]

Thanks for the dumb comments...

Btw, my tone is not offensive--quite frankly your tone is you jerk. My father is a gradaute of the US Air Force Academy (and my grandfather is of the Naval Academy) by the way--so quit judging me you idiot. By the way, I could be a doctor if I had wanted to go in that direction--I'll bet you couldn't--you idiot. I graduated from an ivy-undergrad and I have a ivy-MBA...so yes I have a record of high academic achievement (since pre-K). As for a residency, I would do a military residency--you freaking jerk.

Your an idiot. Quit posting dumb crap on here. Next time you better think before you post some $hit like that on here and accuse me of not being patriotic. My father served in Vietnam and my grandfather in WW2. You are a piece of worthless crap.

but what does this have to do with YOUR patriotism?

anyway, anyone who loses it like this on an online forum should not be near guns EVER

[Cole S. Law]

Doesn't the marine corps actually make their JAG officer be real officers?

All military officers are real officers. The Marines make a big deal about making their JAGs go through all the same training as line officers, but they're not leading footpatrols in the combat zone. They do have to have the same basic training as everyone else.