WL at GW--question Forum

[DeeCee]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask a question about GW's WL, maybe someone might have an answer.

GW is one of my top choices for law school. However, they waitlisted me a little while ago this cycle. I sent in a LOCI to let them know I'd still like to be considered, if they start accepting people off of the WL. My dilemma is, is it worth waiting for them? I absolutely cannot justify paying sticker there. I have 20k grad school debt, so 60-70k a year for COL and tuition for three years would make my debt unimaginable.

Am I holding on to false hope? If I happened to get off the list, would they ever offer me a scholly? With my numbers, GW was a long shot, so I imagine not. Numbers in profile in an LSN link if anyone is wondering.

Thanks for any honest opinions.

[ran12]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask a question about GW's WL, maybe someone might have an answer.

GW is one of my top choices for law school. However, they waitlisted me a little while ago this cycle. I sent in a LOCI to let them know I'd still like to be considered, if they start accepting people off of the WL. My dilemma is, is it worth waiting for them? I absolutely cannot justify paying sticker there. I have 20k grad school debt, so 60-70k a year for COL and tuition for three years would make my debt unimaginable.

Am I holding on to false hope? If I happened to get off the list, would they ever offer me a scholly? With my numbers, GW was a long shot, so I imagine not. Numbers in profile in an LSN link if anyone is wondering.

Thanks for any honest opinions.

If you don't want to pay sticker for GW, there would be no point in staying on the waitlist. I don't see a scenario where you could get money if you got off the waitlist unless GW gives 2L and 3L in top 15% or something merit aid if they didn't initially get it. GW doesn't give money to a lot of people who get in. There are a lot of online calculator for figuring out how much you would end up having to pay if you take out loans and it's something like another 100k in interest.

[lawschoolnonsense]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask a question about GW's WL, maybe someone might have an answer.

GW is one of my top choices for law school. However, they waitlisted me a little while ago this cycle. I sent in a LOCI to let them know I'd still like to be considered, if they start accepting people off of the WL. My dilemma is, is it worth waiting for them? I absolutely cannot justify paying sticker there. I have 20k grad school debt, so 60-70k a year for COL and tuition for three years would make my debt unimaginable.

Am I holding on to false hope? If I happened to get off the list, would they ever offer me a scholly? With my numbers, GW was a long shot, so I imagine not. Numbers in profile in an LSN link if anyone is wondering.

Thanks for any honest opinions.

If you don't want to pay sticker for GW, there would be no point in staying on the waitlist. I don't see a scenario where you could get money if you got off the waitlist unless GW gives 2L and 3L in top 15% or something merit aid if they didn't initially get it. GW doesn't give money to a lot of people who get in. There are a lot of online calculator for figuring out how much you would end up having to pay if you take out loans and it's something like another 100k in interest.

^Correct. GW either gives you a boatload of money, or they give you absolutely nothing. It appears that they hand out some need based aid, but if you look at their website, you'll see that it's nothing incredibly substantial given COL in DC. I was accepted to GW right before Christmas, and they gave me no scholarship money. As such, I would think that people coming off of the waitlist don't have a shot at any scholarship money. Hope that helps.

[beachbum]

If GW is your top choice and you can't afford to pay sticker, your best bet is to retake the LSAT and try again next cycle. You seem to have everything going for you except the LSAT; if you can turn that weakness into a strength, you could be looking at $$$ from GW, or an acceptance from GULC/UVA.

[Encyclopedia Brown]

The posters above are right. I got in off the WL at GW last cycle, and while they gave me a generous chunk of need-based aid ($7k/yr), it's not substantial compared to the overall debt load here. Hope that helps, good luck!

[DeeCee]

Thank you for all of the thoughtful replies thus far. My plan was to go to school in DC, or perhaps the upper southeast (NC, VA) where I could hopefully get a job in DC later down the road. As such, my top choices were DC-area schools, UVa, and UNC. I got into Maryland, and I got into American and I would consider going there, if they offer me money. Everyone knows American is stingy though so I'm not exactly holding out for that, though they did encourage me to apply for their PIPS scholarship.

Anyway, my goal is to get into a T1 as cheap as possible. Although GW is really a top choice for me, I will take UNC in a heartbeat if accepted, as I am in-state and tuition is only 17k a year.

I was just hoping maybe someone would have this great story about how they got off the waitlist with a 100k scholly or something....I figured I was being way too optimistic, though.

[dddhhh]

I am not familiar with GW's WL but I would say it's not impossible to come off. But, I would be prepared to pay sticker. If it's your number one choice - the loans may be worth it. If you can imagine yourself wherever you get scholarships then go with that. Debt can be really scary, but don't let it outweigh your happiness - afterall you will be there for 3 years. Good luck!

[Grizz]

I am not familiar with GW's WL but I would say it's not impossible to come off. But, I would be prepared to pay sticker. If it's your number one choice - the loans may be worth it. If you can imagine yourself wherever you get scholarships then go with that. Debt can be really scary, but don't let it outweigh your happiness - afterall you will be there for 3 years. Good luck!

3 years of "good life."

25 years of debt peonage?

Good plan.

[DeeCee]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask a question about GW's WL, maybe someone might have an answer.

GW is one of my top choices for law school. However, they waitlisted me a little while ago this cycle. I sent in a LOCI to let them know I'd still like to be considered, if they start accepting people off of the WL. My dilemma is, is it worth waiting for them? I absolutely cannot justify paying sticker there. I have 20k grad school debt, so 60-70k a year for COL and tuition for three years would make my debt unimaginable.

Am I holding on to false hope? If I happened to get off the list, would they ever offer me a scholly? With my numbers, GW was a long shot, so I imagine not. Numbers in profile in an LSN link if anyone is wondering.

Thanks for any honest opinions.

If you don't want to pay sticker for GW, there would be no point in staying on the waitlist. I don't see a scenario where you could get money if you got off the waitlist unless GW gives 2L and 3L in top 15% or something merit aid if they didn't initially get it. GW doesn't give money to a lot of people who get in. There are a lot of online calculator for figuring out how much you would end up having to pay if you take out loans and it's something like another 100k in interest.

Thank you for the calculator idea. I did some soul-searching over winter break and calculated my finances. Needless to say, I've been sad ever since. I figured out if I went to UNC (which is a great school still), even with my debt I could take three full years of tuition and COL, and if I could get a job at 80k out of school, I could pay back my loans fine on the standard 10 year plan.

I put in my 20k + 35k/yr (17k plus COL in Chapel Hill)= $125,000 (can take 80k job to be OK on 10 year plan)
Then I put in my dream school (GW) 20k + 65k/yr (tuition plus conservative COL in DC) = $215,000. I could only take a big law job in order to pay back my loans. I really want to keep my options open and hopefully work in government or PI, so I know this would not work.

So this is where I'm at and why I'm asking the WL question.

[dddhhh]

I am not familiar with GW's WL but I would say it's not impossible to come off. But, I would be prepared to pay sticker. If it's your number one choice - the loans may be worth it. If you can imagine yourself wherever you get scholarships then go with that. Debt can be really scary, but don't let it outweigh your happiness - afterall you will be there for 3 years. Good luck!

3 years of "good life."

25 years of debt peonage?

Good plan.

Play nice. I didn't mean it like that. Law school is three really important years of your life. You don't want to look back and wonder "what if" or have regrets. Also, depending on what their other options are the debt might be worth it as far as job prospects go.

[SupraVln180]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask a question about GW's WL, maybe someone might have an answer.

GW is one of my top choices for law school. However, they waitlisted me a little while ago this cycle. I sent in a LOCI to let them know I'd still like to be considered, if they start accepting people off of the WL. My dilemma is, is it worth waiting for them? I absolutely cannot justify paying sticker there. I have 20k grad school debt, so 60-70k a year for COL and tuition for three years would make my debt unimaginable.

Am I holding on to false hope? If I happened to get off the list, would they ever offer me a scholly? With my numbers, GW was a long shot, so I imagine not. Numbers in profile in an LSN link if anyone is wondering.

Thanks for any honest opinions.

DC, you have a shot to come off the waitlist, they might need a reverse splitter late in the cycle, however, you would definitely have to pay sticker, no doubt about it. If you do IP Law at GW however, paying sticker at GW might not be a horrible idea, especially if you live outside DC and take the metro to class. (I know people will have bullshit to say about this comment but given the fact that you are hispanic, you won't have as hard of a time finding a job at the median as these white people will)

[DeeCee]

I am not familiar with GW's WL but I would say it's not impossible to come off. But, I would be prepared to pay sticker. If it's your number one choice - the loans may be worth it. If you can imagine yourself wherever you get scholarships then go with that. Debt can be really scary, but don't let it outweigh your happiness - afterall you will be there for 3 years. Good luck!

3 years of "good life."

25 years of debt peonage?

Good plan.

I can't take that risk.....I don't have any family or other resources if I dig myself a huge debt hole. I was really just wanting to know if they would give a scholly to someone in my position.

[DeeCee]

Thank you for the calculator idea. I did some soul-searching over winter break and calculated my finances. Needless to say, I've been sad ever since. I figured out if I went to UNC (which is a great school still), even with my debt I could take three full years of tuition and COL, and if I could get a job at 80k out of school, I could pay back my loans fine on the standard 10 year plan.

I put in my 20k + 35k/yr (17k plus COL in Chapel Hill)= $125,000 (can take 80k job to be OK on 10 year plan)
Then I put in my dream school (GW) 20k + 65k/yr (tuition plus conservative COL in DC) = $215,000. I could only take a big law job in order to pay back my loans. I really want to keep my options open and hopefully work in government or PI, so I know this would not work.

So this is where I'm at and why I'm asking the WL question.

Just wanted to emphasize I am extremely realistic about my debt prospects, but still (not being realistic) in wishing for a fat scholly off the WL. LOL

[dddhhh]

Thank you for the calculator idea. I did some soul-searching over winter break and calculated my finances. Needless to say, I've been sad ever since. I figured out if I went to UNC (which is a great school still), even with my debt I could take three full years of tuition and COL, and if I could get a job at 80k out of school, I could pay back my loans fine on the standard 10 year plan.

I put in my 20k + 35k/yr (17k plus COL in Chapel Hill)= $125,000 (can take 80k job to be OK on 10 year plan)
Then I put in my dream school (GW) 20k + 65k/yr (tuition plus conservative COL in DC) = $215,000. I could only take a big law job in order to pay back my loans. I really want to keep my options open and hopefully work in government or PI, so I know this would not work.

So this is where I'm at and why I'm asking the WL question.

Just wanted to emphasize I am extremely realistic about my debt prospects, but still (not being realistic) in wishing for a fat scholly off the WL. LOL

It could happen! Just have a back up plan. Put in a seat deposit to your 2nd choice and then once you know whether you are getting a scholarship or not - either attend your backup school or reapply early to GW! Good luck