National Jurist - October 2008 - (Page 25) Foland said. “If it were not for my scholarship I would still be working to save enough money to pay for it, and I would not be enrolling in law school until I was 32 or 33. So in addition to the $100,000, my scholarship saved me four or five years of work.” Ave Maria has made “a concerted effort” to help incoming students with generous scholarship awards since its first entering class in 2000, said Charles W. Roboski, an associate dean in the office of admissions and external affairs. “Through the generosity of supporters, including Ave Maria Foundation, we have been in the fortunate position of providing generous awards to between 50 and 65 percent of the typical entering class,” Roboski said. Both incoming and current students are eligible for scholarships, which range from $10,000 to full tuition, Roboski said. Most full-tuition scholarships go to new students who show academic potential, and a few are awarded to students who performed extremely well in their first year at Ave Maria. How they do it Surveys show the average debt of the graduating Class of 2006 from the Top 14 law schools is just under $100,000. Debt among students in schools ranked in the top four tiers as determined by U.S. News & World Report comes in around $75,000 across the board. Wake Forest University School of Law provides grants and scholarships anywhere from $5,000 to full tuition to about 40 percent of its entering class, said Melanie Nutt, director of admissions and financial aid. She said much of the funding for Wake Forest’s financial aid comes from alumni and through the law school’s budget. Nutt said there is good reason why some students receive scholarships and others do not. Today’s law schools are slaves to magazines like U.S. News. So if they want to boost their ranking, they need to find the best students they possibly can. That often means giving full rides to those with high GPAs or LSAT scores, Nutt said. Larger, more prestigious law schools may not need to offer as much money to students. “Scholarships are very much like athletic grants or major league signing bonuses,” Nutt said. “You might get a signing bonus with the Winston Salem Warthogs, but you’re not going to with the Chicago White Sox.” Gonzaga University School of Law funds its scholarships through private donations, alumni support and monies from its 501©3 foundation, said Dean Earl Martin. Gonzaga also has additional dollars for students in their second and third years of law school, including those that serve as law-review editors. Third-year law student Monica Julian said she is forever indebted to Wake Forest for its full-tuition scholarship and the incentive it gives her to work even harder. “I knew I couldn’t afford [law school] and could not handle incurring that much debt,” Julian said. “When I found out about the scholarship, I was ecstatic. I left my full-time job, sold almost everything I owned and moved across the country to start my dream career.” ■ Karen Dybis is a freelance writer based in Detroit, Mich. IN DECIDING WHICH LAW SCHOOL TO ATTEND, CONSIDERTHIS: Quinnipiac University School of Law ranks among the top 100 law schools in such categories as full-time student LSAT scores (median – 158); admission acceptance rates; student/faculty ratio (11:1); and employment rates after graduation. Not to mention, we offer merit scholarships ranging from $3,000 to full tuition. Before you decide which school to attend, make sure you review the facts. To learn more, visit law.quinnipiac.edu, email ladm@quinnipiac.edu or call 1-800-462-1944. LAW.QUINNIPIAC.EDU HAMDEN, CONNECTICUT October 2008 THE NATIONAL JURIST 25 http://www.law.gonzaga.edu http://law.quinnipiac.edu http://law.quinnipiac.edu http://law.quinnipiac.edu
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