Category: Editorial Board

by Anonymous on April 16, 2026

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Dear Editors of the Cowl,

A staggering 97 percent of aspiring law students say they are concerned about the cost of law school, according to a survey by Juris Education, a national law school admissions consulting firm. Further, nearly 43 percent expect to graduate with $100,000 or more in debt. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s proposed limits on graduate student loan borrowing have only intensified that anxiety—turning law school into a luxury good, and the consequences extend far beyond a college campus.

The question isn’t only whether students can afford law school. The deeper concern is whether crushing debt could drive talented graduates away from meaningful but lower-paying legal work, such as public interest law, legal aid, and advocacy. When the cost of education dictates career choices, the profession can lose the people it needs most.

Providence College’s Pre-Law Advising Program provides individual advising, career counseling, and guidance throughout the application process. The program organizes alumni panels where students and lawyers who graduated from PC offer insight into law school and legal practice, law school panels with admissions representatives, and personal statement workshops for juniors and seniors. Professor Paul Herron, who holds both a Juris Doctorate and a Doctorate of Philosophy, and brings experience from a federal judgeship, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, and a large Boston law firm, counsels students on whether and when to attend law school. That advising foundation is excellent. But preparing students for the application process is only half the job. PC must also prepare them for the financial consequences of the career path they’re choosing.

PC can start by building financial literacy into pre-law advising. If students are going to graduate with six-figure law school debt, they need to understand their financial priorities before entering the legal profession. Advising sessions should cover career growth patterns, earning projections by legal specialty, loan repayment timelines, and best-case and worst-case financial scenarios. 

PC’s founding mission, rooted in the Catholic and Dominican tradition, centers on expanding access to higher education. The Providence Opportunity Program’s signature scholarships, including the Cristo Rey, Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship, and Posse programs, provide full-tuition awards and financial aid to students who might not otherwise consider PC. That commitment to access should extend to how the college prepares students for what comes after graduation. Pre-law students who benefit from PC’s financial aid and scholarship culture deserve honest guidance about whether and how they can afford the next step.

Furthermore, law schools also need to rethink the length of their programs. According to the survey, 65 percent of prospective students said they would consider a two-year law program if given the choice. This can include accelerated Juris Doctorate programs and hybrid pathways. PC must educate students on the possibilities of such programs. 

The increasing cost of a law degree isn’t just about whether it’s worth it. It is a question of access, fairness, and who gets to shape the future of the legal profession. PC already invests in making undergraduate education accessible. Now it needs to extend that same effort to ensuring pre-law students enter the next phase of their education with complete transparency and an actionable plan.

Arush Chadna

Co-founder of Juris Education