Thanks Cajun..It is still me. My computer went on the blink so I had to rejoin and adda 3 to my name lol..Yes it is very funny how it varies so much with every day use and legal use..I am a lesson away from taking my exam on Legal Term 1..I got delayed due to holidays and other stuff so think about me next week when I take the first test...I really appreciate all your advice..Thanks,,,,Angel

Good luck on your exam.  Let us know how things turn out.

Hi,
I am enrolled in the associate's degree for paralegal and I was wondering.....

do all the courses have matarial sent out? Like, my first course, Introduction To Paralegal Studies says it was shipped, so should I expect something for this course and all others? OR are some strictly online and in that case, will it say so?

Thanks!!

From what I understand, if you are on the payment plan you will receive the materials for one course at a time. 

Hello,

I am new to the forum and I am contemplating enrolling in Penn Fosters  A.S Paralegal Program. How are your classes and overall experiences going?

I am in the PF Associates degree paralegal program. I just finished my first semester, and am awaiting my final exam results. I have enjoyed my course so far but I have the same Q's everybody else has. Can you actually get a job with this degree? It was the cheapest option I could find, it is accredited by someone, and it says that it qualifies you to take the NALA exam. So my plan was to try to find a law office I could volunteer with, to get some hands on experience when I am in my last semester. I was also planning on buying the study guides and trying my hand at taking the NALA exam. Is there anybody out there who has taken these classes at PF and been successful in finding a job ????

I don't know if I've already mentioned it here or not, but the highest paid paralegal I've ever personally met had an associates degree in liberal arts or general studies or the like, not in paralegal studies.  So in answer to your question, I'm certain it's possible to work as a paralegal with this degree.  That being said the paralegal I just mentioned has earned a reputation for herself as being an expert in legal research and case prep... 

I wouldn't be quick to volunteer, actually.  I would expect to get paid for doing a valuable job I'd been trained to do.

-=Steve=-

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

Shame on you Steve, lawyers and paralegals alike, are supposed to dedicate some of their time to the less fortunate..... thats in one of the first lesson books. I would consider my payment to be the experience that I get. I think these days it is getting alot harder to find jobs when you are new to a field, people want education, then on top of that it seems like they also want 2 years experience. Where the heck am I supposed to get this experience, if nobody will give me a job, because I don't have any. I would also never just stay somewhere for years and never get paid. I've been looking for a few days and I still haven't found a PF paralegal grad that speaks of success after graduation, which makes me skeptical. Are ther actually any PF grads?? Maybe they don't have time to chat online because they're busy with their successful careers   :) But like you said if I make a rep. I'll have no problem at all.

Melissalips:

Shame on you Steve, lawyers and paralegals alike, are supposed to dedicate some of their time to the less fortunate..... thats in one of the first lesson books.

You referred to volunteering at a law office, and that's not dedicating time to the less fortunate, that's dedicating time to the partners who own the law office.  What I was saying is that you shouldn't have to do that.

And as for the less fortunate, while I suppose this is an unfashionable point of view these days, I don't see why anyone should feel obligated to volunteer to help others.  I think if people want to they should, and I hope that they do want to because it makes the world a nicer place, which is why I do that myself from time to time, but that's not the same as feeling like one has to do it.

-=Steve=-

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

Apparently my last post got removed because someone got offended. Let me say it a nicer way this time. How do you know that the law office I work for doesn't take on pro bono cases? how do you know that I won't be assigned that case? Don't people who need pro bono work, usually need it because they are less fortunate? What I'm saying is that I don't feel obligated....... Don't take it so seriously.

The reason I responded as I did is that many times people considering offering to work for free for an prospective employer for a while as a way to "prove themselves" so as to increase their chance of eventually getting paid.  I've worked in career services, and don't recommend this approach because it can backfire by sending the signal to employers that you are desperate, something that can hinder later salary negotiations.

If someone is excited about volunteering for a public interest law group that's specifically set up to help the less fortunate, and gaining experience is a nice side benefit, sure, that's great.  But you seemed to be talking about volunteering for a normal law firm.  Sure, you might be assigned to their pro bono cases, but even if so if they're a profit making firm I wouldn't sell yourself short.  That's all I meant!

-=Steve=-

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

  Thank you !