UC Law Students Face Fee Hikes and Loan Debt
Dean Rex Perschbacher and several law students were quoted in an article in the Sacramento Bee about the rising cost of schooling for those earning a professional school degree. The March 13, 2007, article points out that professional school student fees are set to jump 7 percent to 10 percent in the UC system.
"They looked and said, 'Oh, doctors do fine, business people do fine, and lawyers do fine,' " Perschbacher said in the article. "I think their mind-set was, 'They can bear a lot more of the costs of their education.' "
Perschbacher expressed concern that his students, facing six-figure debt, already are abandoning lower-paying legal jobs in the public sector and nonprofit fields. Others won't bother going to law school at all, he said.
Chris Urone, 25, a first-year UC Davis law student from Sacramento, says he'll graduate owing about $130,000. He'd like to go for a lower-paying job in a field he's passionate about, such as advocating for animal rights or disabled people. But with so much debt, he doesn't want to "live like a student" for the rest of his life and will compete for a corporate job.
Several other UC Davis law students interviewed for the article said they don't have much choice about a career. It's a big firm or bust.
Courtney Vasquez, 22, a first-year law student from Thousand Oaks, estimates she'll finish with $75,000 in loans.
"It does kind of freak me out," she said. "I'm probably going to take the highest-paying job I can find."
Michele Zugnoni, 28, of Dublin, a second-year student, was facing $90,000 in loans before winning a full scholarship. She wants to work in domestic violence and says she's one of the few who can afford to do so. "Unfortunately, this is the way it is," she said.
The Law School is working to increase scholarships and its loan forgiveness program over the next few years. Still, the dean fears a few more scholarships won't go far enough to counter the daunting prospect of loans.
"There was a virtue in having a low-cost educational opportunity in law that can't be replaced even if you have wonderful scholarship aid for some students," Perschbacher said in the article, "because some people won't come, won't be able to take those risks, and are going to lose out."
Sacramento Bee/March 12, 2007
UC Davis News & Information
"They looked and said, 'Oh, doctors do fine, business people do fine, and lawyers do fine,' " Perschbacher said in the article. "I think their mind-set was, 'They can bear a lot more of the costs of their education.' "
Perschbacher expressed concern that his students, facing six-figure debt, already are abandoning lower-paying legal jobs in the public sector and nonprofit fields. Others won't bother going to law school at all, he said.
Chris Urone, 25, a first-year UC Davis law student from Sacramento, says he'll graduate owing about $130,000. He'd like to go for a lower-paying job in a field he's passionate about, such as advocating for animal rights or disabled people. But with so much debt, he doesn't want to "live like a student" for the rest of his life and will compete for a corporate job.
Several other UC Davis law students interviewed for the article said they don't have much choice about a career. It's a big firm or bust.
Courtney Vasquez, 22, a first-year law student from Thousand Oaks, estimates she'll finish with $75,000 in loans.
"It does kind of freak me out," she said. "I'm probably going to take the highest-paying job I can find."
Michele Zugnoni, 28, of Dublin, a second-year student, was facing $90,000 in loans before winning a full scholarship. She wants to work in domestic violence and says she's one of the few who can afford to do so. "Unfortunately, this is the way it is," she said.
The Law School is working to increase scholarships and its loan forgiveness program over the next few years. Still, the dean fears a few more scholarships won't go far enough to counter the daunting prospect of loans.
"There was a virtue in having a low-cost educational opportunity in law that can't be replaced even if you have wonderful scholarship aid for some students," Perschbacher said in the article, "because some people won't come, won't be able to take those risks, and are going to lose out."
Sacramento Bee/March 12, 2007
UC Davis News & Information