Attending part-time law school in pursuit of a J.D. degree has many advantages. It allows students to complete the program while still working or maintaining a family, without needing to give up all other responsibilities. It can also help to spread the cost of the program over a longer period of time, which can make it easier to pay for. In addition, part-time law school allows students who may be having trouble, to better absorb the material, and spend more time focused on fewer classes at once and therefore better absorb difficult information.
The number one advantage of part-time law school is the ability to keep working and earning money while earning the degree. This is especially important for people who have children or families who need support; in addition, single parents may find that attending part-time law school allows them to earn their degree while still having time to care for a child. Some schools now offer the option to pursue a law degree entirely online, which may be done on a part-time or full-time basis. This allows even more freedom, since it will not be necessary to live wherever the university is located and attend classes in residence.
Another benefit to part-time law school is the ability to extend making payments on the program. Though loans are available, many people prefer to pay out of pocket, but a full course load for each semester may be too expensive. A part-time course schedule will feature fewer credits, and allows students to pay for the program more easily without going into as much debt for the education. Even though it takes longer to get the degree, some people find that it is worth it in order to graduate without a great deal of debt that must immediately be repaid.
In addition, part-time law school allows students to focus more intently on fewer classes at a time, rather than spreading the student's attention over many different classes. For students who may be having trouble with the material, or even just those who want to study certain subjects with a greater degree of depth, this can be very beneficial. This is especially true if the coursework is being completed in addition to a full-time job, for example. Choosing to attend part-time law school is a big decision, but there are many advantages for choosing this educational path that could be beneficial in the end.