2009-2010 Fee Waiver Tracker/FAQ Thread Forum

[missvik218]

I love the parallel running waiver threads.

Me too, and I especially love the posters updating regularly on both

[oneforship]

I love the parallel running waiver threads.

Me too, and I especially love the posters updating regularly on both

I don't want to leave anyone out!

[missvik218]

I love the parallel running waiver threads.

Me too, and I especially love the posters updating regularly on both

I don't want to leave anyone out!

I know! It's very thoughtful of you!

[Katerina]

Notre Dame fee waiver email today.

[missvik218]

I just got this from Duke (note - my numbers are horrible for them it was a Hail Mary):

Dear Xxxxxx:

Thank you for your interest in Duke Law School. We are unable to accept merit-based fee waiver requests.

Application fee waivers are granted one-time-only. If you were granted a fee waiver for a previous term, you would not be eligible to receive future application fee waivers from Duke Law School.

Automatic fee waivers: If you received a waiver of the fees associated with taking the LSAT, we will waive your application fee automatically.

Need-based fee waivers: Attached is a fee waiver form (PDF file). We will be unable to consider requests received after February 15, 2010. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible.

A decision on your need-based fee waiver must be received prior to submitting the application electronically, so plan ahead. If you submit the application prior to receiving a decision on your fee waiver request, the request will be denied. Notification will be provided via email.


Sincerely,

Robin Holman
Assistant Director of Admissions for Operations


Edit: To add, don't bother applying for a need based fee waiver if you + your parents combined income is more than $50,000 annually.

[humdrum]

G-town just denied my request for a fee waiver. OUCH!

Same, they rejected mine with 175/3.2 self reporting.

how quickly did they get back to you? I emailed them 2 days ago and have yet to receive any response, whereas UMich and UPenn responded within hours.

[40ina]

Notre Dame fee waiver email today.

So I too got this email from ND today but didn't consider it to be an automatic fee waiver, and wrote them back requesting one. They better give it to me!



"Dear XXX:

I invite you to consider Notre Dame Law School as you make plans for your legal education and career. From information provided by the Law School Admission Council, it appears that you meet several of our criteria for admission consideration.

Notre Dame enjoys a distinctive reputation among nationally regarded law schools for preparing graduates who are well trained, who are fully committed to effectively serving their clients, and who appreciate their roles as counselors of the law. The Law School's mission of "educating a different kind of lawyer" means that the three years you spend at the Law School fundamentally shapes the way you think about and respond to legal issues, personal and professional aspirations, and concepts such as justice, community, and professional responsibility.

If your own professional and personal goals align with our mission as a law school, I strongly encourage you to apply to Notre Dame. Please visit our website at law.nd.edu for additional information including the London Law Centre, career services, and alumni and student profiles.

Our electronic application will be available in mid-September via LSAC.

Best wishes as you plan for your legal education.

Sincerely,

Melissa Fruscione
Acting Director of Admissions and Financial Aid

P.S. A brief overview of Notre Dame Law School will be mailed to you."

[js87]

Question for people reapplying for a second cycle:

Will we get any fee waivers? I applied for the 08-09 cycle but ultimately decided to retake the LSAT in September and reapply for this cycle. I haven't gotten any fee waivers yet.

[missvik218]

Notre Dame fee waiver email today.

So I too got this email from ND today but didn't consider it to be an automatic fee waiver, and wrote them back requesting one. They better give it to me!

I think that's more of an invitation to apply, oneforship received one from them, I think was today, and it explicitly stated that they were waiving the application fee. I hope they give you one upon request!

[LSATfromNC]

Question for people reapplying for a second cycle:

Will we get any fee waivers? I applied for the 08-09 cycle but ultimately decided to retake the LSAT in September and reapply for this cycle. I haven't gotten any fee waivers yet.

Neither did I, but through request I have gotten a handful.

[40ina]

Notre Dame fee waiver email today.

So I too got this email from ND today but didn't consider it to be an automatic fee waiver, and wrote them back requesting one. They better give it to me!

I think that's more of an invitation to apply, oneforship received one from them, I think was today, and it explicitly stated that they were waiving the application fee. I hope they give you one upon request!

Thanks missvik. That's what I figured...

[oneforship]

G-town just denied my request for a fee waiver. OUCH!

Same, they rejected mine with 175/3.2 self reporting.

how quickly did they get back to you? I emailed them 2 days ago and have yet to receive any response, whereas UMich and UPenn responded within hours.

GULC got back to me initially quite quickly telling me they would get back to me with an answer when they started looking at fall admissions cycle. I think I got the denial 4-5 days after my initial email?

[oneforship]

Notre Dame fee waiver email today.

So I too got this email from ND today but didn't consider it to be an automatic fee waiver, and wrote them back requesting one. They better give it to me!

I think that's more of an invitation to apply, oneforship received one from them, I think was today, and it explicitly stated that they were waiving the application fee. I hope they give you one upon request!

Thanks missvik. That's what I figured...

Yes, in my email they explicitly waived the fee. But it's definitely worth the shot to ask, IMO.

[LSATfromNC]

Notre Dame fee waiver email today.

So I too got this email from ND today but didn't consider it to be an automatic fee waiver, and wrote them back requesting one. They better give it to me!

I think that's more of an invitation to apply, oneforship received one from them, I think was today, and it explicitly stated that they were waiving the application fee. I hope they give you one upon request!

Thanks missvik. That's what I figured...

I asked and was denied! She said something about my subpar LSAT and mediocre GPA then attempted to stifle the chuckle emanating from her mouth.

[missvik218]

I asked and was denied! She said something about my subpar LSAT and mediocre GPA then attempted to stifle the chuckle emanating from her mouth.

Wait .. WHAT?! Did you call?

[LSATfromNC]

I asked and was denied! She said something about my subpar LSAT and mediocre GPA then attempted to stifle the chuckle emanating from her mouth.

Wait .. WHAT?! Did you call?

Not but thats what it felt like. I was told "At this time, the information on file with LSAC did not meet the merit based requirements" along with a link to request a need based waiver....

[missvik218]

I asked and was denied! She said something about my subpar LSAT and mediocre GPA then attempted to stifle the chuckle emanating from her mouth.

Wait .. WHAT?! Did you call?

Not but thats what it felt like. I was told "At this time, the information on file with LSAC did not meet the merit based requirements" along with a link to request a need based waiver....

Ooooh, OMG for a second there I was like NO WAY!! First I thought, how ballsy of you to actually call and ask ... and then how horrible that she laugh at your LSAT score, like she could do better!

[emtuoh]

I know this is slightly old news, but for those of you who were wondering about the W&M waiver not showing up on LSAC, I e-mailed them and got this reply (which is completely contradictory of some e-mails others got):

LSAC tells me it's because our application does not become active until August 20. After that date the fee waiver should show when you go to check out. If, for some reason, it doesn't show - let me know.

I guess this means it should appear once you've completed your app starting tomorrow.

[D. H2Oman]

hmmm. Good info. I guess we will find out tomorrow.

[nparker]

I may have overlooked this information somewhere, but is there a place where we can find out which schools offer merit-based waivers and which don't? If, for some reason, someone knows all this information off the top of their head, the schools I'm interested in knowing about are (I've noted in parentheses those schools that I know do/do not offer merit-based waivers ... of course, I could be wrong. If so, please tell me.):

Yale
Harvard
Stanford
Columbia
Chicago
NYU
Berkeley (no)
Michigan (yes)
Virginia (yes)
Duke (no)
Northwestern (yes)
Georgetown (yes)
UCLA
USC

[missvik218]

Not that I think a ton of you are going to care, but South Carolina won't give merit waivers until their application is posted in early September.

[gahthelaw]

this south carolina info got me thinking...

for those of us (gunners) that are planning to submit apps in september, do you think we may be doing ourselves a disservice by not holding out for waivers? or will any waivers we're going to get have already appeared as soon as apps come out? for example, i know that columbia historically grants a ton of waivers but that sometimes they don't arrive until october or so. has anyone thought about how they're going to deal with it?

[missvik218]

This from Tulane:

Dear Ms. Xxxxxx:

Thank you for your e-mail and your interest in Tulane Law School. We will begin to grant fee waivers after September 1st. In order to do so we will need some basic financial information- a summary of your monthly or annual income and expenses would suffice. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy or elaborate as we just need to determine that a fee waiver would benefit you while you apply to law school. If you have any other questions, please contact me.

this south carolina info got me thinking...

for those of us (gunners) that are planning to submit apps in september, do you think we may be doing ourselves a disservice by not holding out for waivers? or will any waivers we're going to get have already appeared as soon as apps come out? for example, i know that columbia historically grants a ton of waivers but that sometimes they don't arrive until october or so. has anyone thought about how they're going to deal with it?

Good point, I don't really have a strategy of how I plan on dealing with this ... probably apply at schools to which I'd apply anyway and send a second round to schools who I get waivers from after the September LSAT, or once applications are made available. Additionally, I think I've heard of people (I could be making this up), who applied early, getting applications fees refunded if this were to be the case?!

[D. H2Oman]

this south carolina info got me thinking...

for those of us (gunners) that are planning to submit apps in september, do you think we may be doing ourselves a disservice by not holding out for waivers? or will any waivers we're going to get have already appeared as soon as apps come out? for example, i know that columbia historically grants a ton of waivers but that sometimes they don't arrive until october or so. has anyone thought about how they're going to deal with it?

I am all for submitted apps early. But I really think there is no advantage to get it in during September. Based on LSN (looking at appliactions submissions dates, which i spent waaay too much time doing), I am fairly confident pre-thanksgiving is all the same.

[Zojirushi]

I agree on September but think the end of October is a good deadline due to many schools releasing decisions ~November 20th.