- About
About USC Gould
USC Gould is a top-ranked law school with a 120-year history and reputation for academic excellence. We are located on the beautiful 228-acre USC University Park Campus, just south of downtown Los Angeles.
- Academics
Academics
Learn about our interdisciplinary curriculum, experiential learning opportunities and specialized areas.
Student Quick Links:
- Admissions
Admissions
USC Gould helps prepare you for a stellar legal career. You can pursue a JD degree, one of our numerous graduate and international offerings, or an online degree or certificate.
- Students
Students
Participate in an unparalleled learning experience with diversity of people and thought. Get involved in the law school community and participate in activities that enhance your studies.
Student Quick Links:
- Careers
Careers
We work closely with students, graduates and employers to support successful career goals and outcomes. Our overall placement rate is consistently strong, with 94 percent of our JD class employed within 10 months after graduation.
- Faculty
Faculty
Our faculty is distinguished for its scholarship, as well as for its commitment to teaching. Our 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio creates an intimate and collegial learning environment.
- Alumni and Giving
- Admissions

Public Service Loan Forgiveness limited waiver deadline is Oct. 31
USC Gould School of Law
- ABOUT USC GOULD
- A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
- + HISTORY OF USC GOULD
- LAW, RACE AND EQUITY
- + NEWS
- + EVENTS
- BOARD OF COUNCILORS
- CONSUMER INFORMATION (ABA REQUIRED DISCLOSURES)
- VISIT US
- SOCIAL MEDIA
- + CONTACT US
Monday, July 25, 2022
![]() |
The PSLF waiver has the potential to eliminate student debt for qualifying graduates, says Rachel Kronick Rothbart, director of career services in USC Gould's Career Service Office. |
Graduates pursuing public sector careers encouraged to look into qualifications
Attention USC Gould School of Law graduates: a temporary waiver for student loans in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, announced last year, is still available – but graduates who qualify need to act fast to meet the upcoming Oct. 31 deadline.
The PSLF forgives the remaining balance on federal Direct Loans after the loan holder has made 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. The temporary waiver is among recent improvements to the program serving graduates pursuing public sector careers including legal services, government, judicial clerkships and non-profits, says Rachel Kronick Rothbart, director of career services in USC Gould’s Career Services Office.
“The program’s expansion under the limited PSLF waiver will benefit many Gould graduates who might not have qualified otherwise, potentially wiping away all of their student debt, thus making a difference for our alumni that serve the community,” Rothbart said.
The waiver may apply to graduates holding older loans such as federal Perkins loans, Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) and other types of federal student loans that aren’t Direct Loans as long as they consolidate the loans into a Direct Loan program by Oct. 31, according to the Office of Federal Student Aid.
USC Gould’s Admissions and Financial Aid office has worked closely with graduates pursuing PSLF-qualifying employment through Gould’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP), created in 1986. Mary Bingham, director of financial aid for USC Gould, urges graduates to consider whether the PSLF waiver might apply to them.
“There may be graduates who changed to qualifying PSLF-qualifying employment later in their career, or who did not qualify for LRAP assistance, and therefore did not have that close contact with the Gould Financial Aid Office after graduation,” she said. “They may have thought they were doing all the right things to qualify for PSLF, only to discover later that they were in the wrong payment plan or had the wrong type of loan. These borrowers could greatly benefit from the limited PSLF waiver.”
For information on how to apply, who qualifies, an FAQ and more, go to https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/pslf-limited-waiver. For assistance with PSLF or loan repayment, contact USC Gould Admissions and Financial Aid at admissions@law.usc.edu or (213) 740-2523.
Read More
- Next Article: Panel on impacts of anti-Asian hate hosted by Gould Alumni Association
- Previous Article: The Power of Connection
RECENT NEWS

Dan Klerman awarded Fulbright Senior Scholar grant to conduct research in Israel
June 7, 2023
At Hebrew University in Jerusalem, USC Gould professor will compare immigration policies

Trailblazer Elyn Saks sees ‘gender-inspired mental health activism happening all the time now’
June 6, 2023
USC Gould professor is founder, faculty director of Saks Institute for Mental Health Law, Policy and Ethics

USC Gould Law Library showcases ‘rejuvenating power of music’
June 2, 2023
Performances feature LA Philharmonic concertmaster, saxophone quartet