Archived Questions - January

January 28, 2009

Q: I am a non-traditional applicant and have been out of school for a number of years. How will my application be evaluated?

A: At many law schools, including Lewis & Clark Law School, there is almost no such thing as a “non-traditional” applicant. Our applicants have very diverse backgrounds, experiences, and skills. Furthermore, the average age of our incoming students is 28, but we have many applicants who are in their 30’s, 40’s, and sometimes even 50’s or 60’s. We receive several applications from people applying years out of college who are often switching careers or may even be retired and are planning the next phase of their lives.

Our Admissions Committee reads every application file in its entirety, but not all factors are going to weigh the same for each applicant. For example, the GPA of someone who has been out of school for a long time will still be an element of importance in the application, but much less so than it would for a recent graduate whose academic performance is fresh and who has minimal work experience. Another example is that we will expect a recent college graduate to have letters of recommendation from professors, while someone who has been out of school for a few years would be more likely to have professional recommenders.

Please be assured that your work experience, age of undergraduate or graduate grades, and professional (rather than academic) recommendations will all be considered within the scope of your own background and experiences.

January 21, 2009

Q: I have questions about various federal loans (i.e. the criteria, their amounts, etc.). How can I get more information?

A: You can start with our website that describes the various student loans provided by the federal government. You can also find more information on the FAFSA website describing the Federal Student Aid Programs. Finally, you can contact Diana Meyer, Assistant Director of Student Financial Services, at meyer@lclark.edu or 503-768-7090, with any further questions you might have.

January 14, 2009

Q: What kind of scholarships does Lewis & Clark Law School offer to incoming students and how can I apply for them?

A: You will want to look into scholarship opportunities at each law school you apply to as the application process, amounts awarded, and qualifications are unique to each law school.

Applying for scholarships at Lewis & Clark is easy because essentially, your application to the law school is your scholarship application. On your law school application form, make sure to check the appropriate boxes indicating your interest in being considered for scholarships. Scholarships are awarded based on the merit that one brings to the school and the amounts vary. Merit can mean many things. In this case, most of the emphasis is placed on your previous academic performance and your LSAT score. Other factors that are considered include writing ability, work or activities, diversity, and other significant accomplishments.

Applicants also have the option of submitting a scholarship statement with their application. This statement is used to provide additional information that one wishes the admissions committee to especially consider when determining scholarship awards. Typically, the statement highlights one’s merit and perhaps describes financial need. While these awards are not need-based, financial hardship may be considered during review for scholarships as long as significant merit is also there. Your FAFSA will not be reviewed for scholarship consideration.

The other scholarship we have for incoming students is for Native American law school applicants provided by the confederated tribes of the Quinault Indian Allottees Assocation. All self-identified Native students will receive information about this scholarship in the mail. If you have been admitted and have not heard about this, but are interested, please contact us and we will send you an application.

January 7, 2009

Q: What applications or forms must be filled out for financial aid and/or scholarship consideration?

A: This is a question you will want to ask each law school you apply to as the answers may vary.

At Lewis & Clark Law School, the FAFSA is the only form that needs to be filled out for federal financial aid. Ideally, the FAFSA will be submitted before March 1, 2009 if applying for Fall 2009, though you can submit the FAFSA after this date if necessary.

As for scholarships at Lewis & Clark, your application to law school is what will determine your eligibility and competitiveness for them. There's a section on the law school application itself that asks you to indicate if you’re interested in being considered for a merit-based scholarship. Checking “yes” is all you need to do to be considered and the committee will determine your merit compared to the rest of the applicant pool. You can submit a separate statement if you wish highlighting your specific qualifications for scholarships, but note that this is optional and is most helpful if you're providing any additional or new info that is not already in your application.