Law School after Graduation

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silver329

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My ALO told me that there are opportunities for those who are at the top of their class to go directly to law school after graduation. Does this mean that you would be able to choose which law school to obtain a degree from? Also, how does this work with the mandatory 5 years of service after graduation?
 
I want to stress this, because I see it at every admissions forum, etc for the academies...

Make sure serving is your ultimate goal. I see many candidates continually ask about medical school and law school, and while possible, you have to be committed. Please make sure for your own sake, your ultimate goal is to serve.

Also, here is a potentially helpful link:

www.usafa.edu

Education & Leave Programs

The Department of Law's Education and Leave programs for faculty and staff.
www.usafa.edu www.usafa.edu
 
Most Judge Advocates come from direct commission or ROTC educational delays. However, each service does have a type of Funded Legal Education Program whereby 1LTs can apply to go to law school on the government’s dime and then branch transfer to the JAG Corps. This is usually very competitive and this is how SA grads usually end up in their services’ JAG Corps. Recommend you research these types of opportunities if you truly want to go to a SA and then serve as a Judge Advicate.
 
From what I have heard/seen, law and medical school are both very competitive to get out of the Academy. A reasonable estimate is that you need to be at an absolute minimum in the top 100 of your class to even be considered (with those selected generally ranked much better). USAFA is great for people that want to become pilots, but not so great for those wanting to go to law or medical school. If law/medical is your top priority, it would be a good idea to explore other paths to those careers before locking in on USAFA.
 
Small_Goose said:
From what I have heard/seen, law and medical school are both very competitive to get out of the Academy. A reasonable estimate is that you need to be at an absolute minimum in the top 100 of your class to even be considered (with those selected generally ranked much better). USAFA is great for people that want to become pilots, but not so great for those wanting to go to law or medical school. If law/medical is your top priority, it would be a good idea to explore other paths to those careers before locking in on USAFA.
Click to expand...

My son is at USNA 2C. He is colorblind. He switched majors … much like he switched career thoughts throughout junior high and high school. His problem is he did extremely well in all his classes and thought about careers. (I always noticed a pattern of the salaries for each career tended to be on the high side.)

He was looking at law at USNA. Getting law is hard because there aren’t that many slots. That is the challenge and goal. Hard work gets that. Through research (including some info provided by a few of the great posters here) - law is still an option for a career after the military. 20 years at 42 years old, working hard at USNA and Navy/Marines leads to top law schools. Law remains a potential career after USNA.

He was a chemistry major. He was exploring medical. Competitive but achievable. Ultimately decided he wasn’t interested in medical. Switched majors after 4C to aeronautic engineer. Loves the major. Tremendous career options at 42 depending on career path in navy/marines.

His only regret now that he is at the academy - he would have loved to have been a pilot or unrestricted line officer.

But he will have a good career in the military.
 
"Through research (including some info provided by a few of the great posters here) - law is still an option for a career after the military. 20 years at 42 years old, working hard at USNA and Navy/Marines leads to top law schools. Law remains a potential career after USNA."

A good friend and classmate of mine from USAFA served 25 years and retired as an O-6. He then shocked all of us by announcing that he was now going to do something he'd wanted to do all along: he went to law school!! Three years later he was a 50 year old "rookie" attorney in a major midwest City.

He did that for 10 years and then took his second retirement. I think he just does 'country lawyer' things now.

It's VERY possible!
 
From the admissions website:

Can graduates enter law school?​

"Beginning in 2012, the Academy has the authority to select one U.S. Air Force Academy graduate a year to send to law school immediately following graduation in an excess leave status. Eligible candidates include legal studies majors or mock trial team members with competitive grade point averages. If selected, candidates must apply and be accepted into law school. While in law school, participants will be in an unpaid excess leave status and will not receive government funding for law school. Upon successful completion of law school and passage of a state bar, that U.S. Air Force Academy graduate will become a member of the USAF JAG Corps."

Personally, this doesn't seem like that great of a deal. Unpaid excess leave status and pay for law school yourself?? Only one slot per year?

An alternative path, and what seems to be a much better option, is the Funded Legal Education Program.

"Service members interested in joining the Air Force Staff Judge Advocate Corps (AFSJAC) may be eligible for the Air Force to cover the cost of law school using Funded Legal Education Program. Service members continue to serve on active duty and the Air Force covers the cost of tuition, fees, and a book allowance. This program is based on funding availability and limited to 25 officers per fiscal year."

You have to have served for at least 2 years for this program. Payback is 2 years of service for every 1 year spent in law school.
 
I was a legal studies major. Getting law school directly out of USAFA is difficult. Going later on during your active duty career is less difficult and pretty much works like regular graduate school:

1) Option 1 - take a break and pay on your own (or get a scholarship). Return to active duty and continue your service commitment.
2) Option 2 - Let the Air Force pay, you remain on payroll and being a student is your full-time job, return the favor with a 2-to-1 addition to your service commitment. You serve your service academy time commitment concurrently.
3) Option 3 - nights and weekend on your own time. No change in service commitment, no break in service.
 
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