Does the Army Pay for Law School?

[Visual Dictionary]

You know, as it pays for college?

[CandyMonster]

You really need to be a bit more specific (i.e. which education benefit are you referring to; which branch, National Guard or regular; and active duty or reserve), but I'll give it a shot anyway.

If you are referring to the GI Bill, you can claim benefits while you are in law school or any other accredited degree program so the technical answer is yes. But the GI Bill only gives you a set monthly stipend which you use to pay your education costs. Unfortunately it's not really enough to cover everything.

Now there is another benefit where the military actually pays for your education directly but there are several different programs. I know that for one active duty program there is a limit that cannot be exceeded per fiscal year. While I'm not sure exactly what that limit is, I can say with absolute certainty that law school exceeds it. So you will have to come out of pocket for some of it.

The military also has programs where they send you to law school and pay for everything in addition to giving you a monthly stipend. In return, you agree to pay them back by serving a set number of years on active duty.

Finally I know that the National Guard Reserve has a program where, as long as you are under contract (drilling one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer) they will pay for your tuition up to a certain amount. Though I don't know how that works w/ grad school.

Honestly though, your best bet is to talk to a recruiter. If you are sure that this is a route you really want to take, I'd advise you to talk to recruiters from each branch of service to make sure that you are getting the best deal. And of course, get everything in writing.

[jarhead]

You really need to be a bit more specific (i.e. which education benefit are you referring to; which branch, National Guard or regular; and active duty or reserve), but I'll give it a shot anyway.

If you are referring to the GI Bill, you can claim benefits while you are in law school or any other accredited degree program so the technical answer is yes. But the GI Bill only gives you a set monthly stipend which you use to pay your education costs. Unfortunately it's not really enough to cover everything.

Now there is another benefit where the military actually pays for your education directly but there are several different programs. I know that for one active duty program there is a limit that cannot be exceeded per fiscal year. While I'm not sure exactly what that limit is, I can say with absolute certainty that law school exceeds it. So you will have to come out of pocket for some of it.

The military also has programs where they send you to law school and pay for everything in addition to giving you a monthly stipend. In return, you agree to pay them back by serving a set number of years on active duty.

Finally I know that the National Guard Reserve has a program where, as long as you are under contract (drilling one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer) they will pay for your tuition up to a certain amount. Though I don't know how that works w/ grad school.

Honestly though, your best bet is to talk to a recruiter. If you are sure that this is a route you really want to take, I'd advise you to talk to recruiters from each branch of service to make sure that you are getting the best deal. And of course, get everything in writing.

actually your advice is probably better than the recruiters, they often lie or just don't know so they make things up especially now with the war on. pretty much everything you've said is accurate. For the GI Bill you have to opt for it when you sign-up otherwise it's unavailable. The most popular law school program is where you join, they pay for you to go to law school and in return you serve i think 5 years and you're out. It may be 7 years I'm not sure. It's good in that you get a JD without the debt but they sell it as if you will come out of the Army and be able to walk into any law firm and write you own ticket, not true. You will be practicing military law which has no application in the civilian world. It's still a decent deal in that you can go to what ever school you can get into and get paid according to your rating the entire time your in school.

[Eveman in Ingmarland]

From a strict economic perspective, joining to the military just to pay for school doesn't make sense. Unless you're going to be enrolling at a weak law school, where your career options will be limited and a large debt load unmanageable, you'd be better off taking out loans and working at a large firm for a few years to pay them off. It's just faster that way.

[SWATJester]

From a strict economic perspective, joining to the military just to pay for school doesn't make sense. Unless you're going to be enrolling at a weak law school, where your career options will be limited and a large debt load unmanageable, you'd be better off taking out loans and working at a large firm for a few years to pay them off. It's just faster that way.

Assuming they can get into a big law firm. $60,000 of GI Bill money, plus base pay or drill pay and benefits helps a lot towards knocking out some of that principal on the loan.

[jarhead]

even so he's got a point. if you want to be in the military as a lawyer JAG is a fine program. if you're just looking to be a lawyer don't bother with the military. it's not worth it you have to give them 5-7 years and you don't come out any better for it because you won't have been practicing civilian law. the MD program is much more beneficial because they pay for medical school and pay you a salary. your internship and residency will all be done in the military so that when you get out you're making doctor money with 0 debt. the law program doesn't work the same way basically the military will be getting the benefit or your legal education you will be getting very little in return. you won't be more marketable to a law firm then someone coming straight out of law school. of course the one advantage is that you won't have the debt so you won't need to work in big law if thats not your preference.

[CandyMonster]

From a strict economic perspective, joining to the military just to pay for school doesn't make sense. Unless you're going to be enrolling at a weak law school, where your career options will be limited and a large debt load unmanageable, you'd be better off taking out loans and working at a large firm for a few years to pay them off. It's just faster that way.

Assuming they can get into a big law firm. $60,000 of GI Bill money, plus base pay or drill pay and benefits helps a lot towards knocking out some of that principal on the loan.

60K? What GI Bill are you talking about? The only one I know of pays $1075 a month for 36 months for a grand total of $38,700. Even with the buy-up you only get another $5400. And that's for active duty. Reservists get a lot less. Also, if you are on active duty you do not receive the full monthly amount of the GI Bill. Besides, you have to serve 2 years on active duty before you are even eligible to touch the GI Bill.

I agree w/ jarhead. Unless you want to be a military lawyer, it's really not that good of an idea.

[Matthew]

The military also has programs where they send you to law school and pay for everything in addition to giving you a monthly stipend. In return, you agree to pay them back by serving a set number of years on active duty.

I'm reasonably certain those prgrams stopped quite a while ago, especially considering the fact that the military is trying to seperate lawyers because they're flooded with them.

If you have some kind of source saying this still goes on, I'd be interested to see it.

[jarhead]

The military also has programs where they send you to law school and pay for everything in addition to giving you a monthly stipend. In return, you agree to pay them back by serving a set number of years on active duty.

I'm reasonably certain those prgrams stopped quite a while ago, especially considering the fact that the military is trying to seperate lawyers because they're flooded with them.

If you have some kind of source saying this still goes on, I'd be interested to see it.

uh you can go on any military site and look its common term is graduate ROTC

[Matthew]

The military also has programs where they send you to law school and pay for everything in addition to giving you a monthly stipend. In return, you agree to pay them back by serving a set number of years on active duty.

I'm reasonably certain those prgrams stopped quite a while ago, especially considering the fact that the military is trying to seperate lawyers because they're flooded with them.

If you have some kind of source saying this still goes on, I'd be interested to see it.

uh you can go on any military site and look its common term is graduate ROTC

http://www.jagusaf.hq.af.mil/FAQs/doespay.htm

"Does the Air Force pay for law school?

Yes, but only for active duty officers. The Air Force selects a small group of active duty officers who have at least 2 years of service to attend law school paid for by the Air Force. The Air Force does not fund law school for undergraduates or those already in law school. However, if you are selected to participate in the Graduate Law Program (GLP) and you attend a minority institution you may be eligible for the Air Force ROTC HBCU or HSI Type Two scholarship which will pay up to $15,000 of your law school annual tuition."

That's not ROTC.  The Air Force, at least, doesn't pay for law school, unless you're already in service.

Again, if someone has some kind of source saying otherwise, I'd be interested to see it.  But please actually check your source before citing it.