Hi!

Heather, I just found your page through a friend’s Facebook link and would love to hear your opinion in my situation.

I have for a very long time been interested in International Law, thus after graduating from law school I decided to apply to an LLM program in the field and got accepted. However, been aware of the economic turmoil we are facing and the harsh reality of student loans repayment, I have began to question myself about whether it is worth it to incur more student loans to obtain an LLM degree from a prestigious university. I currently owe $66,000 in student loans combined from undergrad and law school in Stafford and Direct Loans. It will cost me another $66,000 (includes tuition and living expenses) to complete the LLM program. If I get a job while in school I could offset some of that $66,000 from my salary but because I do not have a job yet, I am not counting on that.

Feedback please!!! Thanks!

Ah, that’s a tricky one.  I think you are right to consider carefully whether or not to incur that cost.  An LLM would be awesome, and you may have a marvelous educational experience that may be “worth” the cost to you.  As far as whether it’s a good investment, I recommend you think about your intended career path, including availability of work and anticipated salary.  I’m not really sure if the extra credential opens a lot of doors or leads to increased salaries.  A good source of info for you is: http://www.pslawnet.org/internationalresources  Most foreign employment is unlikely to qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, but there may be some great federal jobs that would be right for you, those can pay pretty well over time.  Be realistic about the competition in your field.  I’m guessing you have strong foreign language skills?