In at Berkeley Law! Forum

[JollyGreenGiant]

I called and they said there was an "Error in the Code" of my FinAid letter, and I would be able to see it by Friday. They couldn't tell me over the phone.

Blah.

You committed to Boalt without knowing anything about schollys? This true?

Tentative commitment, not the firm one.

And what if you get nada? Then where you going?

[Kronk]

I called and they said there was an "Error in the Code" of my FinAid letter, and I would be able to see it by Friday. They couldn't tell me over the phone.

Blah.

You committed to Boalt without knowing anything about schollys? This true?

Tentative commitment, not the firm one.

And what if you get nada? Then where you going?

Boalt. But shhhh, I don't want to tell them that.

[JollyGreenGiant]

Damn, son. You're bold.

I like it.

[Kronk]

Damn, son. You're bold.

I like it.

You know my old saying: F debt, logic, and the economy!

[spiffypyro]

Haha no problem! I was pretty bummed when I saw my package o' loans too... would really love some scholly money from Berkeley.

What does that mean? That they will have loan packages out today, but some of them won't include scholarships?

That was my understanding... if you have a scholarship it will be posted, but some (most?) of them have not been awarded yet. Not sure how they will notify us of that, or if they will notify if we do not in fact receive anything.

[Dignan]

I assume that all of you received this email, but just in case you didn't, here is some highly relevant information from the office of financial aid:

Scholarship awards are currently being determined by the scholarship committee and are most likely not listed on your Offer Letter yet. Students who are awarded scholarships will be notified directly by the committee by phone or e-mail. Scholarship awarding is an ongoing process and you are still in the running unless otherwise notified.

[Hattori Hanzo]

My award summary shows a $17.5K "Law Grant". Is this merit or need-based?

[1armedscissor]

My award summary shows a $17.5K "Law Grant". Is this merit or need-based?

I think it's need-based. I got $12k which pales in comparison with offers from other schools

[Hattori Hanzo]

My award summary shows a $17.5K "Law Grant". Is this merit or need-based?

I think it's need-based. I got $12k which pales in comparison with offers from other schools

So IF my request for matching scholarship is accepted (for $25K/year), that's $25K in addition to $17.5K?

[dudester]

My award summary shows a $17.5K "Law Grant". Is this merit or need-based?

I think it's need-based. I got $12k which pales in comparison with offers from other schools

So IF my request for matching scholarship is accepted (for $25K/year), that's $25K in addition to $17.5K?

"Berkeley Law encourages students to obtain scholarships, fellowships, and fee remissions from the Law School and outside organizations including the University. Therefore, these awards will not affect the amount of the Boalt Hall Grant unless the total amount of awards and Boalt Hall Grant exceeds the cost of attendance. In that rare instance, the amount of the grant will be adjusted downward."

"f you receive a Matching Scholarship award of (for example) $20,000.00 in your first year that does not mean you will get $20,000.00 in Matching Scholarship each year. What you are guaranteed is $20,000 of Berkeley Law non-loan (scholarship and grant) aid all three years. This makes the scholarship flexible and sensitive to other changes in your financial aid award. If you receive a need-based grant or another Berkeley Law scholarship, your Matching Scholarship could decrease (but you would not receive less non-loan aid than the amount guaranteed by the Matching award). If you secure an outside scholarship or a U.C. Berkeley teaching assistant position that includes a tuition remission, it will not affect the amount of your Matching Scholarship."

Sounds like need-based grants are not affected by merit-based aid offers, but merit-based aid amounts could be adjusted -perhaps on a case-by-case basis- if you're awarded need-based grants.

[jadjerd]

All very vague ways to say, we'll basically do what we want, except go below the amount of Schol. we promised for your match, one way or another.

This is all getting very speculative, I think, but here's another piece to add to the puzzle:

Will that need-based grant aid be reduced for students who gain residency after the first year? Methinks possibly, but I will definitely be asking at Accepts day. See y'all there!

[Dignan]

All very vague ways to say, we'll basically do what we want, except go below the amount of Schol. we promised for your match, one way or another.

This is all getting very speculative, I think, but here's another piece to add to the puzzle:

Will that need-based grant aid be reduced for students who gain residency after the first year? Methinks possibly, but I will definitely be asking at Accepts day. See y'all there!

If the law school is anything like the rest of the University of California system, then the answer to your question is a definite "yes."

[heyyitskatie]

I called and they said there was an "Error in the Code" of my FinAid letter, and I would be able to see it by Friday. They couldn't tell me over the phone.

Blah.

I e-mailed them and was told that there was a "systems error" and that my aid package wouldn't get available until Friday, either. Since I deferred, I'm probably pretty screwed, but you never know

Good luck!

[Hattori Hanzo]

"Berkeley Law encourages students to obtain scholarships, fellowships, and fee remissions from the Law School and outside organizations including the University. Therefore, these awards will not affect the amount of the Boalt Hall Grant unless the total amount of awards and Boalt Hall Grant exceeds the cost of attendance. In that rare instance, the amount of the grant will be adjusted downward."

"f you receive a Matching Scholarship award of (for example) $20,000.00 in your first year that does not mean you will get $20,000.00 in Matching Scholarship each year. What you are guaranteed is $20,000 of Berkeley Law non-loan (scholarship and grant) aid all three years. This makes the scholarship flexible and sensitive to other changes in your financial aid award. If you receive a need-based grant or another Berkeley Law scholarship, your Matching Scholarship could decrease (but you would not receive less non-loan aid than the amount guaranteed by the Matching award). If you secure an outside scholarship or a U.C. Berkeley teaching assistant position that includes a tuition remission, it will not affect the amount of your Matching Scholarship."

Sounds like need-based grants are not affected by merit-based aid offers, but merit-based aid amounts could be adjusted -perhaps on a case-by-case basis- if you're awarded need-based grants.

Thanks for the info.
So basically anything could happen. If they match my other scholarship things will certainly get complicated for me

[Legacy316]

I called the financial aid office and they said that there was an error involved with the processing of my federal loans, so I, too, probably will not see what mine looks like until Friday or so. I really want to know what I'm going to get offered so I can stop checking bearfacts every five seconds like I used to do with all the dam status checkers!

[86revolt]

i really hope they're not done giving out scholarships yet.

[crackberry]

Berkeley has generously given me $0 and decided that they will refuse to match my Stanford (or Harvard) offers. Interesting.

[CoutureChiq]

Berkeley has generously given me $0 and decided that they will refuse to match my Stanford (or Harvard) offers. Interesting.

How do you know they refused to match? Did they call or email you?

[crackberry]

Berkeley has generously given me $0 and decided that they will refuse to match my Stanford (or Harvard) offers. Interesting.

How do you know they refused to match? Did they call or email you?

I emailed the financial aid office and the woman with whom I corresponded told me that they have a policy only to match financial offers from other schools (and not straight up admissions offers, even from HYS). I haven't gotten any need-based aid from HLS or SLS yet because my mom hasn't filled out her portion of NeedAccess and will be unable to do so until June or July (she got an extension on her taxes due to some issues with my deceased father's will and pension plan, etc.), which means I expect I won't get any need-based aid from either school and, if I do, it will be well after I send my deposit in, rendering the matching program totally useless to me.

I told the woman I would be happy to submit an older merit-based offer from Michigan or Duke, but she told me that since I'd withdrawn and since my most likely option other than Berkeley would be either Stanford or Harvard, I would have to submit an offer from one of them. Because I won't be able to do that before May 1, I am out of luck.

Incidentally, I find their policy totally ludicrous.

[Tangerine Gleam]

Berkeley has generously given me $0 and decided that they will refuse to match my Stanford (or Harvard) offers. Interesting.

You have $ at Stanford & Harvard?

And how do you know that they refused to match? Aren't they still deliberating, or did they give you a final answer?

[crackberry]

Berkeley has generously given me $0 and decided that they will refuse to match my Stanford (or Harvard) offers. Interesting.

You have $ at Stanford & Harvard?

And how do you know that they refused to match? Aren't they still deliberating, or did they give you a final answer?

No $$ (yet). See above.

[general100]

Boalt doesn't match need-based aid, does it?

[crackberry]

Boalt doesn't match need-based aid, does it?

It does from HYS (which don't give merit aid), but not from any other schools.

[general100]

Well I hope that someone qualifies for need-based aid. I was told that because my parents' imputed contribution was something crazy like $25,000 (RIDICULOUS), I won't be receiving any need-based aid, irrespective of the fact that they won't be giving me a dime for law school. Sticker at Boalt is out of control.

[dudester]

Berkeley has generously given me $0 and decided that they will refuse to match my Stanford (or Harvard) offers. Interesting.

How do you know they refused to match? Did they call or email you?

I emailed the financial aid office and the woman with whom I corresponded told me that they have a policy only to match financial offers from other schools (and not straight up admissions offers, even from HYS). I haven't gotten any need-based aid from HLS or SLS yet because my mom hasn't filled out her portion of NeedAccess and will be unable to do so until June or July (she got an extension on her taxes due to some issues with my deceased father's will and pension plan, etc.), which means I expect I won't get any need-based aid from either school and, if I do, it will be well after I send my deposit in, rendering the matching program totally useless to me.

I told the woman I would be happy to submit an older merit-based offer from Michigan or Duke, but she told me that since I'd withdrawn and since my most likely option other than Berkeley would be either Stanford or Harvard, I would have to submit an offer from one of them. Because I won't be able to do that before May 1, I am out of luck.

Incidentally, I find their policy totally ludicrous.

How do you think Berkeley should assess how much money an acceptance from a school that hasn't/won't award you need- or merit-based aid is worth?