Application Fee Waivers - Fall 2011 Applicants Forum

[WestOfTheRest]

Oops. Sorry about that screw up. What I was going to say was that these posts are really synical. So according to your logic it, why wouldn't they send fee waivers to every single person who took the LSAT regardless of score so that they could reject us all and then have a huge rejection rate. So it seems that you are indicating that not only does it mean nothing to get a waiver, but they actually are trying to trick you into applying which makes it actually a bad thing to get one. So I guess if you get accepted and they give you a scholarship you are really screwed.

I think it means you at least will be considered.

it means your numbers are in a certain range, that's it.

[Nola]

A range that would include what they consider to be potential candidates. That is what I am saying. If you get a fee waiver it seems to me that means you have a shot and if you have a kick ass app you could get in. Of course, it has to be what they are looking for and you probably have to contribute to the overall makeup of the class they are trying to assemble but still it is a shot.

So you agree then?

[St.Remy]

A range that would include what they consider to be potential candidates. That is what I am saying. If you get a fee waiver it seems to me that means you have a shot and if you have a kick ass app you could get in. Of course, it has to be what they are looking for and you probably have to contribute to the overall makeup of the class they are trying to assemble but still it is a shot.

So you agree then?

No, they give it to the range of people who think that they are potential candidates. If you're numbers are just below the medians of a school then you might decide to save your money and not apply, in which case the school misses out on the chance to reject you. If they send a fee waver your way then you have much less of an incentive not to apply ($12 is far less than $82).

The reason that they don't just give waivers to anyone is that application fees are a cash cow for schools. The average application only gets about ten minutes of consideration before a decision is made, and for that ten minutes they get the entire fee. For schools that get thousands of applications those fees add up to some major cash.

[beachbum]

A range that would include what they consider to be potential candidates. That is what I am saying. If you get a fee waiver it seems to me that means you have a shot and if you have a kick ass app you could get in. Of course, it has to be what they are looking for and you probably have to contribute to the overall makeup of the class they are trying to assemble but still it is a shot.

So you agree then?

It really, really depends on the school. Some schools will give waivers almost exclusively to candidates they intend to consider for admission. Others will hand them out like candy in hopes of boosting their yield percentage. And still others will seemingly throw darts to randomly assign waivers.

In the end, you can speculate all day about what a waiver from x school signifies. But your best bet is to check LSN to gauge your admission chances, and enjoy the $12 application if you decide to apply.

[Nola]

So candidates below the medians have a zero % chance of addmission? If the range for a school is 172 - 169 and they send waivers to people with a score of 170, people who had that score appear to have been admitted. So again if they send you the waiver you are within their range which means you have a chance at admission. I am not saying you have a better chance I am just saying it is an indication of some chance.

[beachbum]

So candidates below the medians have a zero % chance of addmission? If the range for a school is 172 - 169 and they send waivers to people with a score of 170, people who had that score appear to have been admitted. So again if they send you the waiver you are within their range which means you have a chance at admission. I am not saying you have a better chance I am just saying it is an indication of some chance.

Again, it depends on the school. In your example, I think it's better to think of it this way: you are already in the range of candidates they accept, and they just happen to be giving you a fee waiver. The waiver itself is not an indication of improved chances (or of anything, really).

And to answer your question: if you're below both medians, you better have a hell of an app (or be a URM) to get accepted.

[4102011]

& I got my Michigan fee waiver in the mail, & my dad said that it had a note from Dean Zearfoss about their extensive public interest program

Yaaaaay!

& then he said that when he touched it it started burning. Oh, Ohio.

[rupret1]

Perhaps schools send waivers based on whether a candidate has listed the school's state as one in which they are interested on the LSDAS Credentials site. I seem to remember being able to pick 10 or 15 states where I'd prefer to study. Maybe schools that give a limited # of fee waivers use this as a screening tool. For instance, Michigan may not be interested in sending fee waivers to people who have no desire nor intention of attending school in Michigan. Just a theory, but it might explain why two people with the same stats won't get a waiver to the same school.

[sarahh]

Perhaps schools send waivers based on whether a candidate has listed the school's state as one in which they are interested on the LSDAS Credentials site. I seem to remember being able to pick 10 or 15 states where I'd prefer to study. Maybe schools that give a limited # of fee waivers use this as a screening tool. For instance, Michigan may not be interested in sending fee waivers to people who have no desire nor intention of attending school in Michigan. Just a theory, but it might explain why two people with the same stats won't get a waiver to the same school.

I don't think this is the case. I have gotten very few waivers from schools in the states I listed and plenty from schools in states I did not list.

[WestOfTheRest]

So the University of Nebraska just sent me a letter, "Inviting me to apply." But no fee waiver. I have to contact their office in order to get one.

[beachbum]

Update: Much to my surprise (ha ha...), GULC denied my request for a waiver. And since I have very little interest in actually attending GULC, I think it's time to scratch them off the ol' app list.

[d34d9823]

Oops. Sorry about that screw up. What I was going to say was that these posts are really scynical. So according to your logic it, why wouldn't they send fee waivers to every single person who took the LSAT regardless of score so that they could reject us all and then have a huge rejection rate.

Because people with certain numbers will likely apply whether they get one or not, which is money in their pocket.

So it seems that you are indicating that not only does it mean nothing to get a waiver, but they actually are trying to trick you into applying which makes it actually a bad thing to get one.

Why? It can't hurt to apply.

So I guess if you get accepted and they give you a scholarship you are really screwed.

In this economy, yes.

I think it means you at least will be considered.

You believe the stripper when she tells you she loves you, don't you?

[Hannibal]

I filled out my app for Illinois today (last one I can fill out! ) and saw that the app fee was $0. Thought I had somehow gotten some fee waiver.

Yeah, nope.

[sundance95]

Is anyone else in the DC area getting spammed like crazy by the 1000 schools attending GW's Law School Fair?

[TT09]

Oops. Sorry about that screw up. What I was going to say was that these posts are really scynical. So according to your logic it, why wouldn't they send fee waivers to every single person who took the LSAT regardless of score so that they could reject us all and then have a huge rejection rate.

Because people with certain numbers will likely apply whether they get one or not, which is money in their pocket.

So it seems that you are indicating that not only does it mean nothing to get a waiver, but they actually are trying to trick you into applying which makes it actually a bad thing to get one.

Why? It can't hurt to apply.

So I guess if you get accepted and they give you a scholarship you are really screwed.

In this economy, yes.

I think it means you at least will be considered.

You believe the stripper when she tells you she loves you, don't you?

I literally lol'ed for about 5 good minutes after reading this. Excellent work.

[beatrock]

Denied request for Gtown fee waiver if anyone wants to save the time in sending out an email - 169 and above the GPA median

[dcwumpus]

Is anyone else in the DC area getting spammed like crazy by the 1000 schools attending GW's Law School Fair?

YES. The last two days I've gotten slammed. Plus, schools are sending me information about events in Michigan since that's where I went to UG (three years ago).

Strangest of all, though, was the one from the Valparaiso dean asking me to accompany him to a lecture on legal writing in Indiana.

[2014]

Is anyone else in the DC area getting spammed like crazy by the 1000 schools attending GW's Law School Fair?

I'm a 3 hour drive on a good day to DC and I'm getting the stupid emails. It's extremely irritating.

[sundance95]

Is anyone else in the DC area getting spammed like crazy by the 1000 schools attending GW's Law School Fair?

YES. The last two days I've gotten slammed. Plus, schools are sending me information about events in Michigan since that's where I went to UG (three years ago).

Strangest of all, though, was the one from the Valparaiso dean asking me to accompany him to a lecture on legal writing in Indiana.

I love the range of the emails; I was invited by schools from Yale & Vandy on down to Creighton, Saint Louis, and Northern Illinois U.

[beachbum]

Is anyone else in the DC area getting spammed like crazy by the 1000 schools attending GW's Law School Fair?

YES. The last two days I've gotten slammed. Plus, schools are sending me information about events in Michigan since that's where I went to UG (three years ago).

Strangest of all, though, was the one from the Valparaiso dean asking me to accompany him to a lecture on legal writing in Indiana.

+1. Didn't know what to make of that Valpo e-mail either. Part of me is flattered and the other part is kinda creeped out.

[lilliea]

Perhaps this has already been answered somewhere, but I'm curious, so I'll ask it again.

Aside from HYS, are there any other t14 schools which don't give our merit-based fee waivers? I'm taking the LSAT in October, and would like to know which applications I should wait on and which ones I should just go ahead and submit.

On Berkeley's website it says that they do not give out merit-based fee waivers. Here's what they say about fee waivers in general (posted on their FAQ page, http://www.law.berkeley.edu/47.htm )

Does Berkeley Law grant fee waivers? We will waive your Berkeley Law application fee if you were approved for an LSAC fee waiver. If you apply electronically, your application fee will be waived automatically. If you submit a paper application, simply include a copy of your LSAC fee waiver approval letter with your application. We do not provide merit-based fee waivers.

A limited number of application fee waivers are available to applicants who are current participants in public service programs (Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, etc.). For more information and to apply, visit http://www.law.berkeley.edu/39.htm. Please submit the Fee Waiver Request Form along with proof of participation to the Admissions Office. Be sure to read the instructions carefully. The deadline to submit an application with a fee waiver request is Monday, January 17, 2011.

But for me, UC Berkeley is a school worth paying $75 bucks for.

Thanks for the info it is much appreciated.

Also, congrats to all those who have gotten fee waivers. Every little bit helps, right?

[vegenator]

Denied request for Gtown fee waiver if anyone wants to save the time in sending out an email - 169 and above the GPA median

+1, same stats too. Kind of hurt by the cold-heartedness of Gtown's rejection too. "Unfortunately we are unable to offer YOU a merit-based fee waiver, but hope that you will still decide to apply to Georgetown" Me specifically? But, but, but,... I've been getting waivers from schools ranked higher than you like candy!?!?!

[vegenator]

Awh... U Chicago rejected my email request for a fee waiver too. I wasn't signed up for CRS in time to even be considered for the first wave. [Yes, that was before I became an avid reader of TLS, before I knew the full wonders of CRS and its fee waiver grabbing potential] Any consensus on what types of numbers got the waivers? I'm not sure my 169 / 3.83 are going to make the cut ---> I should just suck it up and pay the $75.

[JohnBoy]

Some of you guys are insane.

Fee waivers are not a bad thing. It's better to apply to a school for 12 bucks and get rejected than it is to pay a hundo and get dinged. The top 14 get 5000+ applications each year, I don't think they need to pad their stats anymore with fee waivers they plan to automatically reject.

A fee waiver may not indicate a school "loves you," but it does say you are in their range...which you should already know if you have done the research.

[Bildungsroman]

Whatever a fee waiver means in terms of your chances (and trying to guess is a sucker's game), I think if a school that you think is out of your league gives you a fee waiver you might as well spend the $12 to apply. I'd rather be out a few more bucks and not always have lingering questions of "what if?".