Planning for Graduation

Planning for Graduation

As you prepare for graduation and the exciting legal opportunities that await, you may be curious about how you will manage your student loans during repayment. We have provided information and resources below that may help assist you with this process and your next steps. Please don’t hesitate to contact the Office of Financial Aid with any questions or for additional information.

Special Note: The Cost of Attendance for 3L's & 4L’s now includes a Professional License Fee, for certain costs associated with obtaining a J.D. Degree. Please visit our COA webpage (direct link provided) to view Chicago-Kent College’s COA budget components. 

Graduating Students

While all graduating Chicago-Kent federal student loan recipients are required to complete Exit Counseling online with the Department of Education (read below), the Financial Aid Office STRONGLY encourages students to attend an in-person Loan Repayment Workshop or schedule an in-person one-on-one personal finance meeting. Individual Chicago-Kent Loan History's will be provided to students at the workshop. You must contact the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@kentlaw.iit.edu to inform us which workshop you wish to attend.

**Please Note: Graduating students will receive an email once you have applied for graduation, with dates , times and the location of in-person workshops. That information will also be updated on this webpage mid-semester.

One-on-One Financial Coaching Appointments 

Our AccessLex Regional Director and Accredited Financial Counselor® is available for 30-minute one-on-one personal meetings with students  if you would like to discuss your student loans/repayment strategy or any other personal finance topic. For instructions on scheduling your appointment here please click on the following link:

One-On-One Coaching

** Please note that attending a workshop, webinar or one-one-one coaching meeting does not take the place of the required online Exit Counseling session with Federal Student Aid.

Federal Exit Counseling ~ Required

Graduating 3L & 4L students who borrowed a federal student loan while at Chicago-Kent College will receive an email from the Office of Financial Aid during their final term with more information about federally-required loan exit counseling, which may be completed online at studentaid.gov. This exit counseling will review the terms and conditions of your loans as well as the most current repayment options available. This counseling will also assist you with developing a strategy to repay your loans based on your future goals and individual circumstances. 

MAX by AccessLex ~ Strongly Encouraged

MAX is a personal finance program designed exclusively for law students. Having a MAX financial education account is beneficial because:

• You will be able to register for live, national Webinars on topics such as Loan Repayment, Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and Bar Success by visiting the following link:  ACCESSLEX INSTITUTE - WEBINARS
• You will also have opportunities to enter scholarship drawings by completing 15-minute video tutorials that will help you gain knowledge, build strategies, and meet your financial goals. 
• You will have the ability to schedule one-on-one 30-minute counseling appointment with an Accredited Financial Counselor®.

For instructions on registering for a MAX account, please click on the following PDF:

Federal Student Loan Repayment

The Office of Financial Aid will hold in-person Exit Counseling Workshops for December and May graduates, where an expert will present information on the various student loan repayment options. In addition to in-person workshops, information on registering for the national webinar: The Road to Zero: A Strategic Approach to Student Loan Repayment will be sent by our office to all grads. This webinar is available by logging in to your MAX Account (see instructions above) and will over common repayment strategies for different legal careers and essential details regarding repayment plan options, consolidation, and loan forgiveness programs.

Please view the short video below on the newest Income-Driven Repayment Plan called SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education). You may also find details regarding loan repayment plans by visiting the following website: Federal Student Aid

Private Student Loan Repayment

Repayment on private student loans is fully overseen by the lender through whom you borrowed the loan, or the servicer assigned to your loan by your lender. Contact that lender for more information on the terms and conditions of repayment, as well as to confirm when your first payment is due.

Assistance Beyond Graduation

Bar Study Private Loans

Students who are about to graduate or who have recently graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law – Conviser Law Center may apply for a Bar Study Private Loan to help cover post law school expenses such as the costs of bar preparatory classes and living expenses while preparing to take the Bar Exam. Please visit our Private Financial Aid webpage (direct link provided) for more information on Bar Loans.