break ties with Georgetown? Forum

[scobryan]

I have a somewhat complicated situation regarding my admission at Georgetown, and am in need of advice. I was accepted in January this year. My numbers are solid (171, 3. and well within the range of GULC, but not necessarily a lock. Also, I applied (binding) "early decision," which meant the admissions process was expedited, but required that I withdraw my applications from other schools if accepted. I am not sure if others have had this experience, but I only realized the significance of this move after the fact. Since there is no chance I will attend a different school, GULC has no incentive to offer any sort of scholarship or financial assistance. Thus, I'm looking at a $200,000+ bill coming out.

I've decided (irrespective of the money) to wait a year before I start school. My original plan was to defer and keep my place at GTOWN. However, now I am thinking that I may just cut ties, and reapply (not "Early Decision") next year. I'm confident my stats are high enough that I will be accepted again, especially since I'll be able to reapply early in the cycle. Also, I will be able to apply to other schools and hopefully be able to play them off one another to improve my odds of being offered money. Still, I realize it's a risk, and was looking for any advice. Has anyone been accepted at a school, turned it down, and then reapplied? Are you able to use the same information (letters of rec, resume) again? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[romothesavior]

I have a somewhat complicated situation regarding my admission at Georgetown, and am in need of advice. I was accepted in January this year. My numbers are solid (171, 3. and well within the range of GULC, but not necessarily a lock. Also, I applied (binding) "early decision," which meant the admissions process was expedited, but required that I withdraw my applications from other schools if accepted. I am not sure if others have had this experience, but I only realized the significance of this move after the fact. Since there is no chance I will attend a different school, GULC has no incentive to offer any sort of scholarship or financial assistance. Thus, I'm looking at a $200,000+ bill coming out.

I've decided (irrespective of the money) to wait a year before I start school. My original plan was to defer and keep my place at GTOWN. However, now I am thinking that I may just cut ties, and reapply (not "Early Decision") next year. I'm confident my stats are high enough that I will be accepted again, especially since I'll be able to reapply early in the cycle. Also, I will be able to apply to other schools and hopefully be able to play them off one another to improve my odds of being offered money. Still, I realize it's a risk, and was looking for any advice. Has anyone been accepted at a school, turned it down, and then reapplied? Are you able to use the same information (letters of rec, resume) again? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Before you break ties, have you written a scholarship request?

Second of all, when you say your stats are high enough to get accepted again, do you mean to GULC? Because if so, that's quite a gamble. They may not like it that you have backed out of your ED and it could hurt you next time you apply. Others may have more insight on this, but it is definitely something to be concerned with.

[showNprove]

If you would want to go to Georgetown after you take a year off, then definitely do not break ties.

However, your 171/3.8 is good enough to get into better schools. To be honest, you have a shot at every T14 school (although HYS is a big reach). I don't know why you would commit yourself to Georgetown in light of your other options.

[TCScrutinizer]

171/3.8 should def. apply to Boalt.

[ToTransferOrNot]

If I was GULC, and someone backed out of ED, I would send a letter to LSAC which would then go to any other law school you ever apply to, ever, as well as the Character and Fitness files.

You agreed to ED. It turned out to be a bad move--too bad, so sad. I hope they nail you to the wall if you reneg on your obligations. You put "binding" in quotes as if that little point is meaningless.

[lawschoolftw]

If I was GULC, and someone backed out of ED, I would send a letter to LSAC which would then go to any other law school you ever apply to, ever, as well as the Character and Fitness files.

You agreed to ED. It turned out to be a bad move--too bad, so sad. I hope they nail you to the wall if you reneg on your obligations. You put "binding" in quotes as if that little point is meaningless.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't applying ED only prevent you from enrolling in any other law schools that cycle?? I don't think OP would be breaking any kind of rules by withdrawing his application and then reapplying other places next year.

Also, I agree that OP should write a letter requesting scholarship money, your numbers are deffinitely good enough to get into other T14's, so they may throw some money your way.

[starstruck393]

You need to approach it carefully. I would ask them for a scholarship, and if they don't grant one, let them know that the more you think about it, the more you don't think that you can take on that much debt. You'd still like to attend law school, but you think you need to search for a cheaper option.

I'd imagine that the majority of ED dropouts or dropout attempts do so to take sticker at a higher ranked school, not go for a scholarship, so you may elicit some more sympathy there than otherwise. And while you do need to understand the gravity of the contract you signed (especially since you're going to law school), and should have thought ahead, it is a little much to expect that contract to be upheld in every instance. To bar someone from finding a less expensive option, and hold them to $200k of potentially life crippling debt if they want to attend law school simply on the basis of a box selected back in September or October seems very extreme.

To summarize, the adcomms hold the ability to allow you out of your ED contract or not. Really, there isn't any incentive for an adcomm to force a student to attend (or drop ls altogether), especially if you approach it from a financial standpoint. I know Michigan has on at least a few occasions told its ED and deferred students that if they are having serious doubts about their feasibility of financing law school, to come talk to them. Just approach it politely, and be sure to stress the debt as the reason for your decision.

As to applying again, you can probably use the same LORs, but you'll definitely want to update you resume and any essays with happenings from the year off, and you may want to revise your ps as well.

[wackadoodle]

I have to ask if you have any interest in public interest/ government work- I'm assuming not or you wouldve mentioned it in your original post but if you do you should keep georgetowns lrap in mind bc it's extremely generous

[amputatedbrain]

If I was GULC, and someone backed out of ED, I would send a letter to LSAC which would then go to any other law school you ever apply to, ever, as well as the Character and Fitness files.

You agreed to ED. It turned out to be a bad move--too bad, so sad. I hope they nail you to the wall if you reneg on your obligations. You put "binding" in quotes as if that little point is meaningless.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't applying ED only prevent you from enrolling in any other law schools that cycle?? I don't think OP would be breaking any kind of rules by withdrawing his application and then reapplying other places next year.

Also, I agree that OP should write a letter requesting scholarship money, your numbers are deffinitely good enough to get into other T14's, so they may throw some money your way.

TITCR . . . if OP reneges they will not be able to attend any law school this year. Clean slate next cycle (although I suppose Gtown may hold it against you unofficially, but they get about 10,000 applications a year, so I imagine there's a good chance you'd slip through)