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Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:57 am
by ThreeRivers
Soo I have a 167 / 3.44 gpa..... my original list consisted of:

George Washington
UNC
ND
Ohio St
Pitt
Texas
Vandy
WUSL

Of these I got application fees for Pitt, WUSL, and Ohio State

After going through all my unsolicitied fee waivers, I decided to apply to these schools that gave them to me, but I felt I still might be interested in:
W&M
Wash & Lee
Cardoza
WF
Washington
Temple
Minn.
Seton Hall
Case Western

So eventually I ended up with 17 applications (but had fee waivers for 12 of these)
My app total STILl comes up to $612

Now I have mixed emotions, obviously when it comes to my career / life earning $612 will end up not being significant, so if it is necessary.. I'm fine with it. If it is not though I don't want to waste $. Any of those you think I should cut out (My primary motive is to eventually make as much $ as possible)?

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:02 pm
by franklyscarlet
Don't apply to any school you wouldn't be happy to go to. Other than that, it's worth the money.

ETA: having read more carefully, there are definitely schools on this list where job prospects are bleak. I would do a little research on those unsolicited schools.

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:05 pm
by ThreeRivers
franklyscarlet wrote:Don't apply to any school you wouldn't be happy to go to. Other than that, it's worth the money.
Yea I researched all of these schools and I could really picturing me attending them / had decent job prospects accord to Law School Transparency (based on my numbers). I don't think I can TRULY make a decision until I visit a couple, but obviously I'm waiting until I get my acceptances / rejections / can narrow it down to 2 or 3 (can't fly all across the country)

Only one I'm debating I might not want to go to really is Washington just because its completely opposite side of country for me, but I might if some of my other ones don't pan out.. idk

Its just that is a ton of $ for me lol

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:07 pm
by tennisking88
If you have no money with which to apply, you can ask schools for a need-based waiver. Doesn't hurt.

I don't think you have much of a shot at Vandy. I also don't think Pitt is a good school, unless you really want to stay in Pittsburgh. Same goes for OH St/UNC and pretty much all the schools below (other than maybe WM) - even though they're good schools, they place predominantly within their region. Make sure you'd actually want to live in those states.

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:20 pm
by ThreeRivers
tennisking88 wrote:If you have no money with which to apply, you can ask schools for a need-based waiver. Doesn't hurt.

I don't think you have much of a shot at Vandy. I also don't think Pitt is a good school, unless you really want to stay in Pittsburgh. Same goes for OH St/UNC and pretty much all the schools below (other than maybe WM) - even though they're good schools, they place predominantly within their region. Make sure you'd actually want to live in those states.
Pitt is actually a prime candidate for me (due to instate tuition /probably a scholly / can stay in Pittsburgh which is a city I enjoy a lot), but all of that depends on where else I get in...

With my numbers I can take a shot at a couple schools with semi-ok national range, but a high chance I might have to go to a good regional school. All of the schools are places I THINK i wouldn't mind living in, but I'm not 100% sure (which comes to me eventually visiting a couple places once I find out who accepts me).

Vandy / Texas were originally my "reach" schools... do you think these are too unrealistic / I should probably just cut out? (This would cut out $152 since they are 2 of the 5 didn't give me an app waiver).

However, Texas would probably be my no.1 school with Vandy probably being no. 3 (GW is probably number 2)

If they're completely unrealistic I'll cut them out though...

edit: Most of the 5 that didn't grant me a fee waiver responded with a "only do merit based through CRS and if you wish to apply for need-based fill out these forms... In which case I wouldn't qualify due to being a dependent, but I'm the one actually paying for these and it'll actually be quite hard for me (although like I stated before I could manage it)

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:59 pm
by NiccoloA
You'll have a tough time getting into Texas with that GPA. Texas schools love GPAs for some stupid reason.

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:05 pm
by tennisking88
NiccoloA wrote:You'll have a tough time getting into Texas with that GPA. Texas schools love GPAs for some stupid reason.
+1. Also an in-state quota. No damage in applying though. If you wanna stay in Pitt, you should get a hell of a scholarship from Pitt and go. You may get into GW, but you prob will not get aid and you don't wanna pay full sticker price for GW.

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:07 pm
by NiccoloA
If you live on the west coast, can you go to a California school? USC might take you. Forget the UC's worth going to though. Berkley and LA are also GPA whores - for what reason, again, I do not know.

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:10 pm
by tennisking88
NiccoloA wrote:If you live on the west coast, can you go to a California school? USC might take you. Forget the UC's worth going to though. Berkley and LA are also GPA whores - for what reason, again, I do not know.
He implied earlier that he lived in Pittsburgh

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:12 pm
by weatherswaysme
Hard to get into UNC unless you are in-state. I think they have around 70-75% from in-state each year, but if you really want to go there then I guess its worth the app

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:15 pm
by tennisking88
weatherswaysme wrote:Hard to get into UNC unless you are in-state. I think they have around 70-75% from in-state each year, but if you really want to go there then I guess its worth the app
Yep. They also don't have much national presence. Mostly regional w/in NC. Also a retartedly high $75 app. fee.

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:16 pm
by Angrygeopolitically
Get a job. :mrgreen:

Email and ask. You need to aim a tad higher.

Re: Holy APPLICATION FEES, Advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:31 pm
by ThreeRivers
tennisking88 wrote:
NiccoloA wrote:You'll have a tough time getting into Texas with that GPA. Texas schools love GPAs for some stupid reason.
+1. Also an in-state quota. No damage in applying though. If you wanna stay in Pitt, you should get a hell of a scholarship from Pitt and go. You may get into GW, but you prob will not get aid and you don't wanna pay full sticker price for GW.
So you would rank sticker at GW < scholly at Pitt?

I figured GW would open up more opportunity for big law
Also an added benefeit (I know this is one I can't count on at all so it is just a footnote), would be that if I did well at GW I could probably transfer into a T14