USA – Want to Be a Lawyer? You May Have to Take on More Than $150,000 in Debt

Working as a lawyer can be a rewarding — though stressful — career. Getting there is pretty tough, too. Law school is so rigorous that until 2014, the American Bar Association restricted the number of hours students were allowed to work while in school.

Law school is also expensive. Data published by the National Center for Education Statistics showed that in 2016, seven out of 10 law students had to take on loans to pay for their schooling. The average student loan balance for graduates then was $145,500 — a number that has continued to grow, according to more recent surveys.

If you’re going to take on so much debt, you want to be confident you’ll be able to get a job using your new law degree. Law School Transparency (LST), a non-profit that educates consumers about the legal profession, reports that over 60% of law students get a job offer before they even graduate.

Still, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that job competition will be fierce over the next decade since there are more students graduating than jobs available in the field. That’s why borrowing thousands of dollars worth of student loans isn’t a decision you should make lightly.

Here’s what you should know about law school and student debt.

How Much Law School Costs

The cost of law school has been exceeding inflation for three decades straight, according to Law School Transparency’s latest data.

Law school is expensive for the same reason a lot of college programs are: it requires a lot of highly educated (and expensive) people to deliver its courses.

Ashley Norwood-Struppa, northeast regional manager at the AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability, says that law schools also invest a lot of money on resources to help students with career placement. That includes intensive practice clinics and networking events for exposure.

It’s expensive to provide those experiences for students, and that’s one of the reasons why law schools have such high tuition rates, says Jeff Thomas, executive director of legal programs at Kaplan, a company that offers test preparation services for college students.

Law schools also compete for prestige by trying to lure the best students to increase their median Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores. That, in turn, allows them to boost their reputation and position themselves at a higher rank. To do this, they offer lofty scholarships to those with the highest GPAs and LSAT scores, which also comes at a cost.

“If you’re throwing a ton of scholarship awards at your very top students, you’ve got to be charging a lot to your other students to be able to cover the cost of those,” Thomas says.

So, how much does it cost to attend law school? Here’s the average cost of tuition and fees by type of institution and residency status, as reported by Law School Transparency:

  • Resident students at public schools: $28,186
  • Nonresident students at public schools: $41,628
  • Resident and nonresident students at private schools: $49,312

How Much You’ll Need to Borrow for Law School

In a recent survey by ABA’s Young Lawyers Division, more than 95% of respondents said they took out loans to pay for their degree. The average loan balance of a law school graduate is almost $165,000, and only a small fraction of that debt is from undergraduate education.

Norwood-Struppa, from AccessLex Institute, says that one of the reasons law students borrow more than those pursuing other graduate degrees is that there aren’t as many scholarships available as there are for other programs. In fact, the number of law schools offering merit-based scholarships has decreased by over 30% over the last decade, according to data from Law School Transparency.

Still, how much you’ll need to borrow will depend on a few factors, including the type of institution you attend, and how prestigious it is.

Law students who attend a public school in-state borrow significantly less than those attending private institutions. The average balance of a public school graduate is $93,436 vs $133,384 for private schools.

In terms of prestige, you’ll typically pay more if you attend a top tier school. The most competitive and well-known law schools will cost roughly $65,000 a year in tuition alone. A tier three school, on the other hand, can cost about $48,000.

Types of Loans You Can Get in Law School

As a law student, you’ll be able to apply for three types of loans: federal loans, institutional loans, and private loans.

Federal student loans should be the first option you explore since they offer lower fixed rates than private loans and flexible repayment options.

Law students are eligible for two types of federal loans: Direct Unsubsidized loans and Grad PLUS loans. To apply for any of these, first, you’ll need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Direct Unsubsidized loans have an annual borrowing limit of $20,500 for law students. They currently have a fixed interest rate of 4.30% and you don’t need to pass a credit check to be approved for the loan.

Grad PLUS loans can be taken out for the full cost of attendance but do require you to pass a simple credit check for approval. Grad PLUS loans currently have a fixed interest rate of 5.30%.

Institutional loans are issued by the schools. These are typically available to students once they’ve exhausted all other sources of financial aid, including federal loans. Requirements, borrowing limits, and conditions are set by each school, but interest rates tend to be lower than those of private loans, and repayment is more flexible.

Finally, there’s private loans. In most cases, these can be taken out for the full cost of attendance. They can have fixed or variable interest rates, ranging from 1.25% to over 15%. However, to qualify and secure the lowest rates, you must have a stable source of income and excellent credit or have a co-signer that meets these criteria.

Tips to Minimize Debt in Law School

Finishing law school without any debt may be hard to achieve, but there are some things you can do to reduce the amount you borrow.

Norwood-Struppa, from AccessLex Institute, says that when comparing schools, it’s more important to look at the resources and discounts available than the full sticker price. Law School Transparency reported that for the 2018-19 academic year, only 25% of law students paid full price for tuition and fees.

As previously mentioned, law schools tend to offer merit-based aid for students with high GPAs and LSAT scores. That’s why Christopher Brown, chair of the ABA’s Young Lawyers Division, recommends doing everything possible to get the highest score you can, even if that means taking the exam multiple times. “A higher LSAT score means a lot more scholarship opportunities,” he says.

But not all aid is based on your academic performance. To find other scholarships or fellowships you may be eligible for, contact your school’s financial aid office or check out associations, like the Law School Admission Council.

Thomas, from Kaplan, also recommends taking into account the industry you want to work for and its potential return of investment. A lot of students want to practice law in the town or city they grew up on, Thomas says. If that’s you, Thomas says you might be better off attending a law school that’s in that same area since you’ll be exposed to courthouses and firms in that area, which can increase your chances of getting the job you’re looking for once you graduate.

There’s also a huge wage gap between lawyers working in the corporate or private sector vs those working in the public sector. So, if you’re interested in working in the public sector, Thomas says it may be more beneficial (and more cost-effective down the line) to choose a more affordable lower-tier school that caters to the market you want to serve rather than trying to get into a more expensive top school.

Managing Debt After Graduation

Most full-time law students aren’t able to work while in school, which makes it difficult to make payments on their loans while they’re enrolled. This means that interest for both federal and private loans will continue to accrue and become part of the principal balance once you graduate.

If you have federal loans, you’re not required to start making any payments until six months after you graduate. With private loans, this grace period will depend on your lender, so it’s important to ask for this information beforehand to make sure you’re prepared.

Although some lawyers earn six-figure salaries, the average entry-level attorney makes a little over $62,000 a year, according to PayScale.

Assuming that you’d need to borrow $120,000 in federal loans to go to school, Law School Transparency calculates that your total balance would grow to $136,000 after graduation. This means that you’d have to pay $1,540 a month under the standard, 10-year repayment plan. But that’s unaffordable for everyone except those earning the industry’s highest salaries, so many graduates enroll in an income-driven repayment plan, which sets your payments based on how much you earn.

If you were earning $60,500 and owed $136,000, your monthly payments would drop to $352 a month in the Revised Pay As You Earn plan, according to Law School Transparency.

If you choose to work for a government agency, non-profit institution, or another qualifying employer, you’ll also be eligible to apply for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. This means that you only have to pay your federal loans for ten years, and the remaining balance is forgiven.

In addition to the federal PSLF program, some schools offer loan repayment assistance programs for graduates who are working in the public sector, government, or other lower-paying legal fields, under which you could also get part of your debt forgiven. SOURCE – https://money.com/average-student-loan-debt-law-school/?xid=sendgrid&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=subject&utm_campaign=daily_money

Free Webinar: Preserving Permanent Residence and Reentry to the U.S.

The COVID-19 pandemic upended travel and immigration in ways no one could have anticipated. As the pandemic approaches the one-year mark, many green card holders find themselves unexpectedly outside the U.S. or needing to travel internationally, with more questions than answers about how to juggle travel and safety guidance without jeopardizing their residence and future chances for citizenship. Free webinar this Friday, addressing what green card holders outside the U.S. need to do to preserve their legal permanent residence and future citizenship options. Preserving Permanent Residence and Reentry to the U.S.Friday, December 18, 202012:00pm ET – 1:00pm ET
Register Here

USA – Echidna Global Scholars Program Job Posting

The Center for Universal Education at The Brookings Institution is seeking a leader for The Echidna Global Scholars Program. The Echidna Global Scholars Program aims to build the research, analytical, and leadership skills of girls’ education champions — decision makers, NGO leaders, and academics — who have substantial experience and ties to low and middle income countries. The program consists of a residency component as well as pre- and post-residency activities. A key component of the program is to nurture and strengthen a growing network of new Echidna Scholars and Echidna Alumni, who are girls’ education leaders around the world.

This is a really amazing opportunity to build a pipeline of girls’ education leaders around the globe, and engage with a network of passionate leaders. Help us identify the right person to shepherd this work! 

Please see the job posting for a Fellow or Senior Fellow here,

Black LinkedIn Is Thriving. Does LinkedIn Have a Problem With That?

One day in September, Elizabeth Leiba opened the LinkedIn app and saw a post by Aaisha Joseph, a diversity consultant with nearly 16,000 followers on the platform.

“Ima need #companies to stop sending their dedicated House Negros to ‘deal with the Blacks’ they deem out of control,” read the item. “It’s really not a good look — it’s actually a very #whitesupremacist and #racist one.”

MORE

This is what a scientist looks like

The idea is simple: Students who see themselves in science are more likely to imagine themselves working in the field.

To that end, a project called “I Am A Scientist” is giving middle and high school students the opportunity to interact with modern-day researchers — breaking down barriers like race, gender, and personal interests. It provides teachers with toolkits containing stories, posters, and career resources showcasing 22 scientists’ range of personalities, backgrounds, pathways, and passions. Many of those portrayed have Harvard connections. MORE

USA – Updates for International Students

A flurry of confusing pandemic-related changes to immigration policy have international students struggling to understand how their visas and, ultimately, academic careers may be impacted by these troubling directives. This alert clarifies the most current policies impacting international students and which visa categories may be affected. As always, GYH attorneys are available for consultations to answer any questions you have about your immigration process.

Good News: Online-only Course Loads Allowed for International Students
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on July 6th issued a directive that would have required international students to have at least some in-person classes in order to stay in the country. Last week, a swift lawsuit by Harvard and MIT, which argued the directive forced schools to choose between sacrificing international students and risking public health and safety, forced DHS to rescind the order.
The rescission of the directive restores the March 13 guidance permitting current students on F-1 visas to remain in the U.S. while taking online-only only course loads.
Unfortunately, newly enrolling international students are still not allowed to take online-only course loads but the case remains open and it is expected that the Trump Administration will also be asked to defend the restrictions facing newly-enrolled international students.

National Interest Exceptions to Schengen Travel Ban
The Department of State (DOS) announced that some students in the Schengen area, UK, and Ireland may qualify for a National Interest Exception (NIE). Students with valid F-1 or M-1 visas traveling from the Schengen Area, the UK and Ireland have been granted a blanket exception and do not have to take any special action to travel. Students travelling from these areas on J-1 visas should contact the nearest embassy or consulate to request a NIE.
Note that consular closures, which have been in place for months, largely remain in effect. Some posts are reportedly opening but, for the most part, we have seen little movement from these posts and few visas are being issued at this point.

SOURCE: https://www.grossmanyoung.com/

Les cartes vertes et de nombreux visas de travail pour les Etats-Unis gelés jusqu’en 2021

Donald Trump vient de prendre une énième décision au nom de la lutte contre le chômage. En campagne pour sa réélection le 3 novembre, le président américain a décidé, lundi 22 juin, de donner un nouveau tour de vis migratoire avec le gel des cartes vertes et de certains visas de travail jusqu’en 2021.

Confronté à la destruction brutale de millions d’emplois en raison des mesures de confinement, le président républicain avait décidé il y a deux mois de suspendre pour soixante jours la délivrance des Green Cards, qui offrent un statut de résident permanent aux Etats-Unis, sans toucher aux visas de travail temporaires. SUITE

Et aussi – Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak

USA – Information About the Presidential Proclamation Suspending Entry of Certain Immigrants

Yesterday evening the President issued a proclamation suspending the entry of immigrants for a period of 60 days.  The measure was first announced in a tweet sent out by the President on Monday night. Because we know that many of you are concerned as to whether and how this may affect you, we want to provide the following summary of the proclamation.

WHO:
The proclamation suspends entry of those seeking immigrant visas from outside of the United States.  It DOES NOT affect individuals that are in the United States and applying for adjustment of status.  It also does not apply to those seeking entry as non-immigrants, such as visitors (B-1/B-2), employees of intergovernmental organizations (G-4), students (F-1/J-1) and temporary workers (H-1B).  There are several EXCEPTIONS to the proclamation for:

  • Lawful permanent residents 
  • Physicians, nurses, or other healthcare professionals coming to perform medical research or other research intended to combat the spread of COVID-19; or to perform work essential to combating, recovering from, or otherwise alleviating the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak and their any spouses and unmarried children under 21 years old
  • EB-5 Immigrant Investors 
  • Spouses of a United States citizen
  • Children under 21 years old of a United States citizen
  • Members of law enforcement
  • Members of the United States Armed Forces and any spouse and children of a member of the United States Armed Forces
  • Special Immigrant Visa holders in the SI or SQ classification,and their spouse and children 
  • Anyone whose entry would be in the national interest
  • Individuals who have already been issued an immigrant visa

WHAT:
The proclamation is a temporary suspension on entry.  It is anticipated that application and processing steps that occur prior to the issuance of such immigrants will continue.  Once the proclamation is lifted or expired, those individuals will be allowed to enter the United States.
It should be noted that most US Consulates have already been closed and unable to conduct interviews due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHERE:
As noted above, this affects only those who are outside of the United States.

WHEN:
The proclamation went into effect at 11:59 PM April 23rd and is set to expire in 60 days.  It may be continued if deemed necessary.

  • SOURCE – https://bromberglaw.com/

Living dangerously – Bethesda native and award-winning journalist Christina Goldbaum found her calling covering conflict in Africa

Early one morning in April 2015, Christina Goldbaum was pounding on locked metal doors at the mostly closed Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. She was trying to find an airline with a flight that would take her to the Kenyan city of Garissa, where terrorists had killed more than 145 people and wounded dozens more at a local university.

After hearing sketchy news reports of the attack, she had driven three hours to the airport from the small town where she had been working on a documentary for a nongovernmental organization. As she drove, she frantically emailed an editor she knew at Agence France-Presse (AFP) and learned that the international news agency did not have another freelancer available to cover the mass shooting.

With the few flights to Garissa already full, Goldbaum was able to snag a spot on a four-seat charter flight booked by a South African news crew. When she arrived in Garissa, she got to work, shooting video while under curfews and dealing with regular power outages and unreliable internet access.

“It was so important that journalists be there on the ground to show that those killed were so much more than statistics,” says Goldbaum, now a reporter for The New York Times. “People hear about terrorist attacks and they don’t connect” to the victims.

While it’s common for American journalists to start their careers by covering local news, Goldbaum, now 27, found her journalistic footing overseas. The Bethesda native, who graduated in 2010 from St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, got her first reporting job at the Cape Times in Cape Town, South Africa, at the age of 22 after graduating from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. She then spent four years in Africa as a freelance foreign correspondent and field producer for outlets including AFP, The Atlantic and Foreign Policy, shooting her own photos and video as she covered stories ranging from political upheaval in Burundi to a massive truck bombing in the Somali capital of Mogadishu in October 2017 that killed more than 550 people and injured more than 300. MORE