Majoring in Paralegal Technology at Jones College
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In just four semesters of study, students can earn a degree in paralegal technology at Jones College. This public junior college offers an Associate of Science (AS) program that helps students seek entry-level positions in government agencies, law firms and other areas of the legal system. Students have the chance to take classes taught by licensed lawyers in Mississippi. They also receive a course outline that helps them stay on track as they enroll in classes each semester.
Smart Start Pathway is a class that all new students take during their first semester. It helps them start out at college on the right foot and provides them with tips that they can use when preparing for exams and quizzes. They will take other general education courses too, including electives in social sciences and humanities fields. Most of the courses that students take will prepare them for working as legal assistants and helping lawyers. They can look at areas of law in classes such as Real Property I and II, Wills and Estates, Civil Litigation I and Torts.
Some of the classes in this program include prerequisites that students need to take too. Unless they score at least a C in those classes, they cannot move through the program. Legal Writing is one of the required courses in the paralegal program. It goes over the ways in which paralegals take notes during meetings and how they create important legal reports and documents. Law Office Management is another required class that helps students understand the duties that paralegals handle and the skills they need. Jones College requires that students take either Computer Applications or Microcomputer Applications before taking that management class.
About Jones College
Jones College is a community college in Ellisville, Mississippi that offers programs designed for students living in the eight surrounding counties. Founded in 1911 as the Jones County Agricultural High School, it offered classes in farming and some sciences. When the state approved a petition that allowed agricultural high schools to provide students with access to college classes in 1922, it became the Jones County Agricultural High School and Community College. As more students enrolled in its college courses, the school separated into two branches.
The high school became a separate institution for teenagers, while the community college offered classes for high school graduates and adults. It would eventually become Jones County Junior College and then Jones College. Red West who gained fame as a member of Elvis Presley’s entourage and worked as a stunt man graduated from Jones College, as did several men who would later compete in the National Football League. The college now has a rural campus on more than 300 acres and offers programs in more than 20 subjects to thousands of new and returning students each year.
Jones College Accreditation Details
Paralegal technology majors will take some business courses at the college that have accreditation from the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Other Jones College programs that have accreditation include those in nursing, paramedic technology and pharmacy technology. The college also has the regional accreditation required of students who plan to use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). That accreditation comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). SACS accreditation also means that the credits students earn at Jones College will apply to other colleges if they want to transfer later.
Jones College Application Requirements
Beginning the paralegal technology program at Jones College requires just three steps:
- Apply
- Submit a transcript
- Provide an official standardized test score
Representatives from the college often attend the college and university fairs held on local high school campuses. This gives students the opportunity to meet with those reps and talk about the campus and the paralegal technology program. Students can get an application during one of those events or download a copy from the college’s website. They also have the option of applying over the internet via the online application. They need to provide a high school transcript or proof that they completed the equivalency exam and have a GED. Jones College also asks that students submit a score from the SAT or ACT.
Students who did not take one of the standardized tests can take a placement exam from the college instead. This will require that they make an appointment and take the exam in person. Jones College uses the test to make sure that the student is ready for college and to place him or her in certain subject areas. They can also provide college transcripts to get credit when they transfer to the college. A housing application and deposit are required of any student who wants to live in a residence hall too.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The paralegal technology program offered by Jones College is one of its technical programs, which all charge a tuition rate of $125 per semester hour for Mississippi residents. Nonresidents pay $205 per semester hour, but the university will never charge them more than $1,000 in a single semester, even if they take up to 19 semester hours of classes. Students also pay a $40 registration fee when they sign up for college classes. The college asks that students pay a $566 housing deposit when they pick up their keys and move into a residence hall. They will then make three payments of $500 to pay off the total due. There are several meal plans that students can choose from to get access to meals in the college’s cafeterias too.
Though students have many ways to pay for their housing and other costs, they should first look at some of the scholarships that the college offers. Scholarships are available for the four full semesters that it takes for students to earn their degrees and are renewable. Students can get awards that cover up to 21 semester hours of classes. Their scores on the ACT can help them win scholarships of up to $1,875, and those who score 29 or higher receive the same amount, stipends that cover half of their living expenses and up to $500 towards their textbooks. The paralegal technology program at Jones College also allows students to use their grants and the other financial aid that they get through the FAFSA.
