What to Consider Before You Attend Law School

If you've decided to attend law school, congratulations! The law has long been a prestigious career path, rich in opportunity. But before you plunge into law school with both feet, there are some important factors to consider. Putting in some extra consideration now will help you get the most out of your law school experience. 

Funding

The first question on most every incoming law student's mind is always "How am I going to pay for this?" Law school can be expensive, and if you plan to attend as a full-time student, you may not have the opportunity to earn income while you study. In those cases, you will probably need to take out a loan. Using a private lender will allow you to shop around rates and terms to get the best loan scenario possible. Of course, law school student loans will need to be paid off after graduation. But fortunately, law degrees are correlated with high salary potential, so you may be able to pay off your law school loans more quickly than is customary with undergrad loans.

Commit yourself to understanding the terms of your student loans before you sign for them. You should make sure to understand the interest rates, variability, grace period terms, and cosigner options. A solid understanding of these terms will decrease the shock when your first bill arrives after graduation. And be sure to remind yourself that you'll need to pay the money back. You can use the looming invoices as motivation to do well in school so you can find a high-paying job after you graduate. Practicing responsible thinking now will set you up nicely to be able to make healthy budgetary choices once the repayment period begins.

You'll also want to think about return on investment. While you should not pick your area of law specifically based on the salary you can expect to earn, in most circumstances it will be one of the factors to consider. Researching the salary trends of various law specializations can help you to determine the right law school for you. Law school student loans are very expensive and you need to feel confident in your ability to pay them back. Understanding projected earnings will help you to think objectively about how much debt you are willing to take on.

Geography

The city in which you study law can greatly influence the city in which you will eventually practice. Yes, the reputation of the specific institution is a significant factor, but the geographic location of the school is a close second. This is the area where you will be living while you start to build your network of legal professionals....

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