Serious question - inability to pay early decision Forum

[ravens20]

Why don't you just tell us the schools in question. I feel like I am in a spelling bee.

let's just say they are numerically consecutive on the list. B ranked higher than A.

and like i said, I wasn't actually going to DO anything - i don't even know WHAT i'd get from school B (or school A for that matter) - i didn't even apply for financial aid yet, i was just wondering for the sake of wondering. I'm like that.

I sure wish school B read their mail in December.

So school B is ranked higher than school A and is giving you a substantial financial aid package? That's just sucks.

As for the "I can't afford it excuse"...that is just not going to fly. The student loan system is such that pretty much anyone can afford law school (the only relevant question is how long it is going to take you to pay it off). The assumption made in the loans is that as an adult you are responsible for paying off the debt accrued in law school through the money you make as a lawyer. Therefore, need based aid is practically nonexistent apart from the student loan system.

[Dignan]

So school B is ranked higher than school A and is giving you a substantial financial aid package? That's just sucks.

Just for fun, does anyone want to play "guess the schools?" My money (no pun intended) is on Penn and Michigan as school A and school B.

[vanwinkle]

God, this thread is still going? Srsly?

[existenz]

...

[Jockin Jay-Z]

Beg A to release you from the ED. If you present a convincing case, you might get lucky.

Except the "convincing argument" could convince them to 1) revoke their acceptance and then 2) notify all other schools of the breach of contract, causing them to revoke acceptances as well.

This has happened before.

Asking them to release you from the ED for a financial reason is not a breach of contract, it's simply a request. Being denied and then going to a different school would be a breach of contract.

[cigrainger]

She said 'very very' close to HYS, and they're consecutive. My guess is she EDed to NYU (A) and got into Columbia (B). Either way, once you were accepted, you needed to withdraw. If they still sent you acceptance letters, etc, you need to send them a second withdrawal notification. You're playing with fire and if you're not careful, you're not going to be going to law school next year because you've broken your contract (not withdrawing is enough to break contract).

Any way you go about it, your assertion that either would give you 'need-based' aid is rather ridiculous. Many (perhaps most) people go to law school entirely on loans. That's the extent of your 'need-based' aid: subsidized loans. You REALLY should have done more research before applying to law schools, and especially before applying early decision anywhere.

You need to take responsibility and withdraw from the other schools. Again if you have to. And you should be researching how the loans are going to work right now instead of asking if it's okay to break a contract, online and not anonymously. If you take private loans without researching and then want to trade them for the federal loans you could have had later, you'll be facing consequences that are even worse than rejection from law schools.

[the lantern]

I don't normally make posts like this, but I just got dumber by reading the OPs first few posts. Way to do research beforehand...

[seveoneanon]

If you can't afford to go to law school and you applied ED, there's nothing wrong with NOT attending lawschool altogether. Example:

1.) Accepted to X via Binding ED
2.) You run into financial problems and incur a lot of debt. Law school loans do NOT pay for existing debt.
3.) You are unable to enter law school because your financial aid package (loans) do not cover all of your expenses.

Just withdrawal.

Also, even at worst, the contract only says you commit to enroll. So, technically, you could enroll and then immediately drop all classes, and not attend.

[lostjake]

1. Get into time machine
2. Set controls for -5 months
3. Travel in time and post comment
4. Shoot self for using one time use time machine for posting in internet forum

[somewhatwayward]

it sounds like you just want to go to stanford instead of columbia and you regret that you applied ED to columbia. cloaking that in an "inability to pay" is pretty lame.

what i don't understand is why i won't get as much considering the fact that i am still applying for NEED-based financial aid.
it's not like i have any less NEED.

nobody is entitled to any money to pay for school, and we should be grateful for what we get.

[JOThompson]

There are two ways to comply with your ED agreement: either attend your ED institution or don't matriculate anywhere this year. ED is always a risk vs. reward scenario and you may have misjudged it this time, but if the prospect of so much debt is killing you, you can always reapply next cycle.

[Sias]

Hello

I have a rather serious (but possibly "dumb" question). Let's say someone is accepted to a school (school A) early decision. it's a fine school, but it turns out that she may not be able to afford it. it is an expensive school and her family just isn't rich. she knew going in that financially she would be taking a risk applying early decision. However, she got into another school, school B, and the financial aid package they offer her is substantially better than the one offered by school A.
In fact, it's so much better that she doesn't even know if she can justify or afford school A. I don't think she can pay them the tuition. they simply aren't offering enough.
(obviously this is a for-instance and hasn't happened because she hasn't even gotten her W2 yet and can't do her taxes until she gets it and therefore cannot fill in her financial aid forms...)

So what would happen if she withdrew from school A and went to school B? She is aware of the 'contract' she signed....but what really are the "consequences"? (seriously) What if she says that she cannot afford school A but school B has made her an offer that is feasible financially?

i know you may be thinking this is ridiculous and she shouldn't have applied early decision, but just humor me and answer the question!
My friend told me know knows of someone who applied early decision to undergrad somewhere and couldn't afford it and ended up going somewhere else.

Why would you ED somewhere if you understood, but disagreed with, the terms of the contract? You do realize that law school often leads to a career in law, of which contracts are essentially paramount, right?

I'm mystified here.

[stratocophic]

1. Get into time machine
2. Set controls for -5 months
3. Travel in time and post comment
4. Shoot self for using one time use time machine for posting in internet forum

It's like, I'm glad that noobs are learning how to use the search function because it cuts down on instances of retarded repeat questions, but at the same time the number of zombie threads that pop up as a result almost make me wish they'd just ask the dumb questions and let the pointless failures of the past rest in peace. Although TBF, seeing people weigh in very earnestly on something that occurred 3 years ago is generally pretty entertaining.

[TOMaHULK]

Since I'm thinking of applying somewhere ED next cycle, can someone tell me exactly what the advantages of applying ED would be?

I mean, if a situation like the above arouse, it seems kindda pointless.

Unless, does applying ED generally mean that school might take you with a GPA/LSAT lessor their 25%?

I really want to learn what would be a great school for me to apply ED with. Should it be a reach school in this scenerio?

[romothesavior]

Since I'm thinking of applying somewhere ED next cycle, can someone tell me exactly what the advantages of applying ED would be?

I mean, if a situation like the above arouse, it seems kindda pointless.

Unless, does applying ED generally mean that school might take you with a GPA/LSAT lessor their 25%?

I really want to learn what would be a great school for me to apply ED with. Should it be a reach school in this scenerio?

Only ED if you:

1. Love the school
2. Would definitely attend if admitted
3. Don't mind potentially passing up great offers to other schools.
4. Are okay with paying sticker for said school

[thatsnotmyname]

Since I'm thinking of applying somewhere ED next cycle, can someone tell me exactly what the advantages of applying ED would be?

I mean, if a situation like the above arouse, it seems kindda pointless.

Unless, does applying ED generally mean that school might take you with a GPA/LSAT lessor their 25%?

I really want to learn what would be a great school for me to apply ED with. Should it be a reach school in this scenerio?

The benefit of applying ED is that it's easier for you to get in.

So if you have one school that's your clear-cut number one choice and you would do anything to go to that school (including paying full tuition), applying ED to that school may be a good decision for you.

Just from reading these forums it seems that a lot of people on here who did not have a strong chance of acceptance at a T10 school applied UVA ED this cycle and got in. So if you are absolutely set on attending a school of a certain caliber, but are uncertain of your odds because you're a splitter or have lower numbers, applying ED will benefit you.

[Sias]

1. Get into time machine
2. Set controls for -5 months
3. Travel in time and post comment
4. Shoot self for using one time use time machine for posting in internet forum

It's like, I'm glad that noobs are learning how to use the search function because it cuts down on instances of retarded repeat questions, but at the same time the number of zombie threads that pop up as a result almost make me wish they'd just ask the dumb questions and let the pointless failures of the past rest in peace. Although TBF, seeing people weigh in very earnestly on something that occurred 3 years ago is generally pretty entertaining.

be straight with me bro, will I succeed in law school?

[TOMaHULK]

So it's safe to assume for some of the replied post above that ED, "does/could" generally help you get into a score that's a reach for u?

Also, you would apply ED for a school, and then send in other application (to then withdrawal if you get into the ED school), or would you send one ED and wait to hear back from before applying to others? (I assume you would apply at the same time in case you don't get in to others correct?)