She Strengthens

The Hidden Costs of Applying to Law School

As I embarked on the journey to pursue a law degree, I was warned about the hefty price tag attached to law school itself. However, what I didn’t anticipate was the significant expense involved in simply applying to law school. As a nonprofit employee living in Manhattan on a modest salary of $37,000 per year, I had to get creative to make the process as affordable as possible.

The LSAT: A Costly Hurdle

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a major obstacle in the law school application process. With a registration fee of $170 per attempt, I ended up shelling out $340 for two attempts. Additionally, the cost of study materials can be staggering, with some prep courses ranging from $1,200 to $1,500. To mitigate these expenses, I formed a study group with coworkers who were also applying to law school, sharing used materials and splitting the cost of new guides. I also discovered affordable study resources on Craigslist and at local colleges and public libraries.

Application Fees: A Necessary Evil

The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) charges a fee for each application submitted, which added up to $420 for me. While LSAC offers need-based fee waivers, I didn’t qualify for one. Instead, I reached out to the admissions offices of the schools I applied to, requesting fee waivers based on my GPA and LSAT score. I was fortunate to receive 10 waivers out of 14 applications, saving me hundreds of dollars.

Financial Aid: A Costly Process

To apply for need-based financial aid, I had to pay a $28 fee for the initial application, with an additional $15 charge for each subsequent year. While this expense may seem minor, it’s ironic that I had to pay to access financial aid.

Admit Weekends: A Worthwhile Investment

I chose to visit the schools I was accepted to, which involved airfare, food, and transportation costs. While expensive, this experience helped me make an informed decision about which school to attend. I was fortunate to have two schools reimburse me for part of my travel expenses.

The Total Cost

In total, I spent $2,088 on the law school application process. However, this figure doesn’t account for the indirect costs, such as lost income due to taking time off work, the need to purchase a new laptop, and the expenses associated with scholarship interviews.

The Bigger Picture

As I reflect on my experience, I realize that the cost of applying to law school is just one aspect of a larger issue. The high costs involved in the application process may contribute to the underrepresentation of minority students from low-income backgrounds in the legal profession. To increase diversity in the legal field, we need to rethink the cost of applying to law school and make it more accessible to individuals from all backgrounds.