Apply for Aid - Step 8 for first-year students
(step 6 for continuing students who are
borrowing loans for the first time)
"Apply for Aid" steps are detailed In a sequence of pages including this one.
To view the full sequence of steps, return to the Financial Aid Home Page and Select the link appropriate to you under the heading "Apply for Aid." The checklist you will see corresponds to this sequence of pages.
Go to www.studentaid.gov and select "Complete Entrance Counseling Session;" then complete the interactive entrance counseling session designed for graduate/professional students. This single session is applicable to both the Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students.
If you would prefer to complete entrance counseling one-on-one with the Director of Financial Aid you can schedule an appointment here or send an email to: fin-aid@law.edu.
In many ways this is one of the more important steps in the financial aid series of tasks. Your ability to manage debt rests squarely on these concepts:
- Know your rights and responsibilities with respect to loans
- Understand your repayment options
- Be informed about loan forgiveness programs such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Inquire about employer-based loan repayment assistance programs
- Understand your interest rate and when accrued interest is capitalized
- Exercise good money-management practices
- Take advantage of workshops, seminars, and information available on the internet to develop a good knowledge base about investing and preparing for retirement