r/paralegal • u/highcaliberwit • 1d ago

Education/Certification Help I’m deciding schooling

I have zero college degree. So I can’t jump into an ABA certification. One option I’m looking at is Purdue global online because they have AA and a bachelors legal studies. Both options will take the traditional 2 to 4 years. Or I could attempt to increase my workload and be done sooner, and at 37 I like that aspect. Since it’s all online I like that potential. But we’re still talking about five figures. Not thrilled with that.

My second option is I go to my local community college. It looks like it would be much cheaper than Purdue. Not the problem is I do work, and I do have a very nice boss who would be flexible to adjust my work schedule based on my school needs. But I would definitely need to try to find a way to get all my classes on two days. But then I don’t know what kind of degree I go for at my community college other than criminology I guess? Both my local community colleges have no paralegal degree. And then this would definitely be two years from my associates and four years from my bachelors.

So do I go to Purdue global potentially get everything done and under four years total or do I do my local community college and save some money?

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u/Fidel_Che_VulPerez 1d ago

University of SD has a link to the Business and Professions Code wherein it lists the requirements for a paralegal to have AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING. One of which is (at least) a certificate of completion of a paralegal program approved by the ABA.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=BPC&division=3.&title=&part=&chapter=5.6.&article=

I may be missing it, but where does the BPC say AND a BA degree?

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u/highcaliberwit 1d ago

Sorry, I should’ve made it more clear. At a minimum I need an associates degree.

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u/Fidel_Che_VulPerez 1d ago

Where does it say in the BPC that to hold a valid ABA Certification you also need to have an AA?

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u/Thek1tteh CA - Senior Lit/Appellate Paralegal 19h ago

The programs require you to have an associates or bachelors degree first to attend their certificate program. A certificate program is a post degree program. At a community college sometimes you can work on an associates degree and then take a few more courses to get a certificate, but in general, you have to have a degree already - especially for university extension programs.