2011-12 Cycle Fee Waiver Tracking Forum

[yoiav]

I conquered my fears and checked for an NYU hidden waiver-- yay!! Is it possible for me to delete things now so it doesn't say I'm 100% complete? That freaks me out, knowing that I attached a random file for my personal statement etc.

yes. you have the option to delete

[kjames511]

Got a fee waiver from University of Iowa the other day. I am surprised because I have no LSAT scores yet (taking it Oct 1) but my LSAC GPA (3.91) and all my transcripts are on LSAC. Is this customary? I was surprised to get a waiver without a LSAT score.

Thanks!

[Cornelius]

Got a response from Northwestern telling me to make sure I'm signed up for CRS. So basically, no-go on requesting a waiver from Northwestern. Sucks, maybe I'll get one after my October LSAT and can get a refund.

[MumofCad]

-

[soj]

don't go getting a big head

All I read

[Dany]

A preliminary review of your credentials indicates that you would be a competitive applicant for The University of Texas School of Law. Although we cannot guarantee your admission, we will waive your application fee provided you apply by November 1, 2011, which is prior to our general admission deadline of February 1, 2012. For your convenience, we have included a link to our 2011-2012 Admissions Bulletin . You can download a 2012 UT Law application or apply electronically through LSAC.

If you apply by mail, you must include a copy of this e-mail with your application. To accept our fee waiver offer, you must apply by November 1, 2011. Our early decision admission program is nonbinding. Regretfully, we cannot refund your application fee if you have applied to us prior to this CRS offer.

Please contact Sam Riley, our Director for Admission Programs, at (512) 232-1200, if you have questions regarding UT Law, our admission process, or if you would like to schedule a tour of the Law School. We wish you continued success in your academic endeavors and we look forward to receiving your application.

Respectfully,

Monica Ingram
Assistant Dean for Admission and Financial Aid

You are missing that some sections were in bold, which implied that we couldn't accurately read a succinct and straight-forward note. It's not that it is overtly hostile, it's just a strange tone when compared to every other one that at least begins with some attempt to encourage you to apply based on the strength of the school. This letter is unaddressed and says nothing remotely positive in tone until the very last sentence. It does not encourage you to apply and in fact seems rather reluctant in tone - like we have to extend these things but we're not in any way enthusiastic about you per se so don't go getting a big head. I wasn't planning to apply to UT anyhow, but I certainly would not after this email.

I contrast this with Michigan's approach, which is obviously the polar opposite, and how it basically encouraged me to look more closely at a school that was not initially on my list. I did end up applying, and not only applying but being very excited about the school.

To be more fair, because Michigan is clearly superior in marketing to other law schools, I could make the same comparison with Duke which simply sent a form email. Their friendly extension of a PT/fee waiver also did the job of spiking my interest, pointing out some programs that the school is particularly strong in that could be of interest. Maybe UT thinks that we don't read these things, but I certainly do even from schools that aren't on my list. It also had a weird title - all of the rest said something like "XX Fee Waiver" in the title. This one said "CRS Offer" - huh?

Anyhow, I guess I take it that while they are interviewing us, we are also interviewing them. Most applicants will have more than one school of fairly comparable rank to choose between and I personally worry when it doesn't seem like there is an appreciation for the reciprocal relationship between school and student upfront, before they even get your $$$. I'm quirky that way though, I know, and it probably does come from a job that requires me to always read between the lines and speculate about hidden biases. Still, I wouldn't advise this tactic to a client and I was a little surprised to see it from a well-respected law school. I'm not saying the impression was accurate in any way, but it was certainly not the right impression to be sending out to people you want to apply.

Not sure if serious.

[MumofCad]

Not sure if serious.

No, I am. If you look back, there were others that found the tone a little odd. I wouldn't really if they all sent out the same thing, but when you compare it to the approach of other schools and its the last in a long line, you are kind of left like ???. I would have liked to read something about Texas's approach to the law, programs, something that would go - yeah, I do really want to consider putting in the application, this school sounds interesting. Like I said though, I'm totally quirky and I fully embrace that.

[Tiago Splitter]

I'm quirky that way though, I know, and it probably does come from a job that requires me to always read between the lines and speculate about hidden biases

Good Lord lady. Your schtick is getting a little old.

Back on topic, I solicited priority track status from Duke. I'll let everyone know how that one goes.

[freestallion]

I cross posted this over in the Penn thread, but this one seems more active. I didn't get a fee waiver for Penn, but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and apply. Do you think there's any chance more will come in, in the next few weeks?

It really disappoints me that Penn doesn't grant requests for merit-based waivers. But I'm just wondering if there's any chance I may get one by email/mail/hidden sometime soon or if I should just go ahead and submit since the first wave is out and I'm obviously not in it

[Xifeng]

I think they were trying to be extra clear so they don't get a million emails with questions about their fee waiver policies. Not everyone reads TLS/can read in general. Texas was not trying to insult the intelligence of any of you. It will all be fine.

You guys are going to LOVE the wording of WL/rejection letters. They are entertaining.

[avemundi]

I cross posted this over in the Penn thread, but this one seems more active. I didn't get a fee waiver for Penn, but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and apply. Do you think there's any chance more will come in, in the next few weeks?

It really disappoints me that Penn doesn't grant requests for merit-based waivers. But I'm just wondering if there's any chance I may get one by email/mail/hidden sometime soon or if I should just go ahead and submit since the first wave is out and I'm obviously not in it

FWIW, I'm going to give it a couple more days until perhaps early-mid next week- won't make a difference regarding my acceptance (right...?) and might as well look over the essays and stuff one more time.

[MumofCad]

I think they were trying to be extra clear so they don't get a million emails with questions about their fee waiver policies. Not everyone reads TLS/can read in general. Texas was not trying to insult the intelligence of any of you. It will all be fine.

You guys are going to LOVE the wording of WL/rejection letters. They are entertaining.

I can't wait lol!

I totally agree with you that they are trying to avoid annoying emails asking for refunds, which I am sure they get a zillion of - I can totally sympathize with that.

I guess maybe I just have misunderstood the point of these. I was under the impression that they were meant not to get people who are already planning to apply, but to reel in those who weren't to boost app numbers (so they can then reject us) and possibly attract higher end candidates that could also be either WL or boost the school's median numbers. If its just going to people already planning to pay the admit fee, I don't get their purpose. That's what was off to me, because I felt like the rest were trying to get me to apply and this one was confusing with the purposes above in mind. There was no soft sell even.

ETA: Thanks to those who pointed out my communication was rather lacking in that long post though- it did not sound at all in the way I intended or was meaning it. -1 for ability to communicate in my column is fair.

[Dany]

I cross posted this over in the Penn thread, but this one seems more active. I didn't get a fee waiver for Penn, but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and apply. Do you think there's any chance more will come in, in the next few weeks?

It really disappoints me that Penn doesn't grant requests for merit-based waivers. But I'm just wondering if there's any chance I may get one by email/mail/hidden sometime soon or if I should just go ahead and submit since the first wave is out and I'm obviously not in it

Go to last year's fee waiver thread and search for Penn w/ the thread search in the bottom right. If there were multiple waves then I'd wait it out, but if not then you can go ahead and submit. In my experience things were pretty consistent from one year to the next.

[freestallion]

I cross posted this over in the Penn thread, but this one seems more active. I didn't get a fee waiver for Penn, but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and apply. Do you think there's any chance more will come in, in the next few weeks?

It really disappoints me that Penn doesn't grant requests for merit-based waivers. But I'm just wondering if there's any chance I may get one by email/mail/hidden sometime soon or if I should just go ahead and submit since the first wave is out and I'm obviously not in it

Go to last year's fee waiver thread and search for Penn w/ the thread search in the bottom right. If there were multiple waves then I'd wait it out, but if not then you can go ahead and submit. In my experience things were pretty consistent from one year to the next.

Thanks, good call It looks like Columbia is yet to come (hopefully!) and some people got Penn via snail mail. I guess I'll wait another week or 2, shouldn't hurt. I really hope I get one...

[amc987]

Sent an email to Northwestern soliciting a fee waiver. Promptly received an email back from the admissions office saying that if I wanted to be considered for a merit-based waiver, I had to check the CRS box on my LSAC account. I have already checked the box, so I guess that's a polite if slightly ambiguous way of saying I won't be getting one from them?

Has anyone had luck soliciting one from Penn or Northwestern??

[maxpower430]

email from Northwestern, and hidden NYU/Penn. somewhat off-topic but i noticed this while searching for the hidden waivers, but but when i was filling out NYU's app, it had the NYU header, but then the instructions from Columbia. i went back to my active apps and clicked through again and it went back to NYU's instructions, but a weird quirk and was wondering if i'm the only one

[avemundi]

email from Northwestern, and hidden NYU/Penn. somewhat off-topic but i noticed this while searching for the hidden waivers, but but when i was filling out NYU's app, it had the NYU header, but then the instructions from Columbia. i went back to my active apps and clicked through again and it went back to NYU's instructions, but a weird quirk and was wondering if i'm the only one

Happened to me too. It usually corrected itself after I closed the window and logged back in. A bit of a pain, but oh well.

[LawSchoolGuru]

Northwestern email. Hidden at Penn. Nothing from NYU. Come onnnn big apple!

[LawSchoolGuru]

Has anyone had luck soliciting one from Penn or Northwestern??

I had sent one to Penn several weeks ago. Unfortunately, they don't give solicited waivers.

"Merit-based fee waivers are made available through queries to the LSAC Candidate Referral Service (CRS) database automatically and in light of using various criteria; we do not grant them following individual requests.

For merit-based fee waiver consideration, please make sure you have opted-in for LSAC's Candidate Referral Service; registered with the Credential Assembly Service; have at least one LSAT score on file; and have sent your most recent transcripts to LSAC."

[JDndMSW]

BC AmeriCorps solicited waiver today. YAY!

[Cornelius]

Has anyone had luck soliciting one from Penn or Northwestern??

I had sent one to Penn several weeks ago. Unfortunately, they don't give solicited waivers.

"Merit-based fee waivers are made available through queries to the LSAC Candidate Referral Service (CRS) database automatically and in light of using various criteria; we do not grant them following individual requests.

For merit-based fee waiver consideration, please make sure you have opted-in for LSAC's Candidate Referral Service; registered with the Credential Assembly Service; have at least one LSAT score on file; and have sent your most recent transcripts to LSAC."

I posted this earlier today, but I'll mention it again in case anyone missed it: Northwestern's response basically said the same thing, they didn't explicitly say they don't grant them upon request, but their response to my request was only "make sure you're registered with the CRS."

[mottainai]

Has anyone had luck soliciting one from Penn or Northwestern??

I had sent one to Penn several weeks ago. Unfortunately, they don't give solicited waivers.

"Merit-based fee waivers are made available through queries to the LSAC Candidate Referral Service (CRS) database automatically and in light of using various criteria; we do not grant them following individual requests.

For merit-based fee waiver consideration, please make sure you have opted-in for LSAC's Candidate Referral Service; registered with the Credential Assembly Service; have at least one LSAT score on file; and have sent your most recent transcripts to LSAC."

I posted this earlier today, but I'll mention it again in case anyone missed it: Northwestern's response basically said the same thing, they didn't explicitly say they don't grant them upon request, but their response to my request was only "make sure you're registered with the CRS."

I got that response as well, and then the next day I got an email saying that they found me through CRS and granted me a waiver. So, it doesn't necessarily mean you won't get one.

[Yeshia90]

Oddly enough, I didn't get Texas or Iowa, or Penn...but NYU hidden and NW email. Weird.

[BigBlueLaw]

I'm having trouble accessing the spreadsheet in the OP. I was able to see it no problem last night but it says I don't have permission to view it. Did Hawkeye change the permission?

[Yeshia90]

Just got invited by Duquesne to see Justice Scalia give a speech. That is very, very cool.