$100,000 in Debt? Would I go to Law School Today?
Appalachian School of Law is one of the most affordable private law schools in the U.S. Based on the data I have, it is one of the most affordable private law schools east of the Mississippi River. Even so, our tuition this coming year is about $31,000 per year. Living expenses in excess of tuition -- of about $20,000 per year -- make law school a significant investment in a student's future. If a college graduate asked me whether to go to law school today, I'd say "yes." But, here's how to do it. Do not apply to a school that is likely to admit you to fill the bottom of the class. You will pay full tuition to claim that spot. Instead, apply to law schools that will happily admit you to fill the top ten percent of their classes -- they will be one or two tiers lower than your stretch school. Look at the LSAT quartiles for each school for a hint at how you fit in each school's entering class profile. Disclose the admission package offered by the be