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At the age of 42 I took a giant leap of faith and applied to law school. I wanted to achieve my lifelong dream of being a lawyer. I knew I wanted to be a lawyer when I was 9 years old, when I was thrust into the legal system because I was kidnapped. After that experience, I knew that when I grew up, I wanted to be the voice for others who could not speak for themselves. I graduated from Law School on April 26th, 2014, and as excited and proud as I am, I am also haunted by the idea that I will not pass the bar exam - rendering the past three years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans - a total waste of time because I cannot afford the cost of a Bar preparation class. Studies show that people who do not take a preparation class have a lower pass rate. The cost of the Bar preparation class and fees is approximately $3,500. I took the July Bar in Arizona - but I did so without the benefit of a preparation class. I won't know how I did until October. In the meantime, I am preparing to retake the Bar in February, 2015For those who do not know anyone who has ever taken the bar exam, it is a two day test that one must pass in order to become a licensed attorney. The cost of my Bar preparation class is approximatly $2,650. The lectures are between 3 and 4 hours each, five to six days per week, and expected outside of class study time (taking practice questions/tests, outlining, memorizing) to be 8 to 10 hours per day. We are told to treat bar study as if it were our full time job. Many people do not work while studying for the Bar, but I do not have that option. Asking for help is not something I do proudly. It is not something I am used to. It takes humility and courage, but I am, quite literally, prepared to beg. I do not have family that can help me with these costs. I have tried everything I can get the funds. I applied for private loans (they offer these loans specifically for bar sitters, like me) and while I had a full time job at the time - and the ability to repay the loan - my student loans, house payment, bills, etc. have rendered me over-extended credit-wise. Unfortunately for me, I was terminated from my job after nine and a half years, further hindering my ability to take care of my family and pay my own way. I have now gained employment at substantially less per year than I was making. I went two months without income and so now, on top of everything else, I'm trying to catch up on bills and save for Bar prep.I have wanted to be a lawyer since I was very young so that I could help people who didn't have the voice to help themselves. I have put myself through undergrad and law school, all while working full time and raising a family. Law school took a huge toll on my marriage and my family and we survived it together. To get this close to my dream is so very special to me. I want to make my kids proud. I want to be proud of myself. Please help me in any way you can. I appreciate YOU more than you will ever know or realize. Thank YOU for taking the time to read my plea and sharing it with others if you see fit. Margie