"Fighter" might not be the first word that comes to mind when you think of the woman who played Aunt Becky on Full House.

But Lori Loughlin's family says that's exactly what she's always been -- and her tenacity has been on full display throughout the college admissions bribery scandal.

Unlike so many of the high-profile parents ensnared in the FBI's sting operation, Loughlin did not accept a plea deal and continues to insist on her innocence.

You might say she's not going down without a fight.

But by all accounts, the mother of two is also a realist.

Loughlin will almost certainly be sent to prison in 2020, and she's well aware that her refusal to accept a deal might result in a much longer sentence. 

Fellow actress Felicity Huffman was sentenced to a mere 14 days behind bars for her role in the scandal, but there are two major differences between her situation and Loughlin's:

Huffman's charges were far less serious, and she accepted a plea deal at the first opportunity.

A new report from Us Weekly confirms that Loughlin is hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

A source tells the tabloid that Lori has “hired a prison consultant on the advice of one of her lawyers,”

The insider adds that Loughlin's husband, Mossimo Giannulli, "wasn’t happy" with the move but Loughlin thought it was necessary for multiple reasons:

“Lori wants to be prepared for the worst outcome,” adds the insider.

“But she also wants to demonstrate that she’s taking this very, very seriously.”

In the past, Lori has been accused of failing to comprehend the gravity of her situation.

Perhaps feeling that the sight of Loughlin signing autographs and smiling for photos with fans could hurt her standing wih the sentencing judge, her lawyers may be of the opinion that preparing for prison will send a message to the judge that the accused is not taking this situation lightly.

On top of that, all this preparation might help to give Lori a slight advantage when she's inevitably sent up the river.

Insiders say Loughlin has even been taking martial arts classes so that she'll be better able to defend herself in the event of a violent confrontation.

Fortunately, it's unlikely that a situation will arise in which she'll need to put her new skills to use.

Loughlin is still very well-off, and just like the rest of the world, prison is much less stressful for the affluent.