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Hello TLS. I'm a longtime lurker, but I finally have a situation I thought worthy of your cruelly honest council.

I was accepted at Georgetown and GW and waitlisted at the other T14s at which I applied (UChi, UVA, NU). I spent a while deliberating but finally put in my deposit at GULC last week, withdrew at GW and from UVAs WL. I stayed on Chi's as I felt it was the only school that might sway me from my decision.

Then just as I think I'm set, GW sends me an email TODAY offering 90k with no stips. I'd rather not go into the details of my personal finances, but regardless of where I go I will graduate debt free. That said, $90,000 tax-free is a lot of money. Like maybe renege on my deposit and deal with ~30% lower chance at biglaw or whatnot kind of money.

My questions:
1) Having already deposited, is it too late to try and leverage this for something at GULC?
2) Having sent a withdrawal email, did GW send me this in error? Or are they saying they still want me?
3) Assuming I can't get anything from GULC, would I be crazy to turn down my one T14 shot? (I know this exact question has been asked 1,000 times on here. Ignore if you want.)

#s: LSAT:171 GPA: Foreign educated, hard to say, someone once told me it translates as a 3.5.

Goals: I would like to practice in Chicago (home) or DC, hence my app pattern. A clerkship would be incredible, but let's not get carried away. Government/pi work in DC would also be lovely. In Chicago, ideally biglaw, but not essential, could do small firm work or government. I would really like the potential to be able to come back to Chicago, so GULCs relative portability is a big draw.

I got the same offer and am in a similar situation (under 50k debt). I'm deposited at Penn with worse stats and will be trying to get money from them tomorrow. Worst case, they say no. Best case, you reduce that CoA by thousands a year

Considering your personal situation, go to Georgetown. This being said, use the GW offer to negotiate some $$ out of Georgetown. Yes, it is still possible to negotiate after having deposited, especially if you frame the offer as this being a completely new and startling development, which it is. Also, stay on those WLs, brah.

You want to work in Chicago and will have no debt post-law school. I'd do GULC over GW for sure. Couldn't tell from your OP if you were still on NU's waitlist. Hopefully you're still on that because that'd be a good pick for your goals.

Couldn't tell from your OP if you were still on NU's waitlist. Hopefully you're still on that because that'd be a good pick for your goals.

Yeah I am, sorry. I was considering withdrawing so I didn't mention it. I figured a) 98% of NU supposedly has major WE, I don't so it's unlikely anyhow. Plus I'm kinda used to the idea of moving to DC now so I wasn't sure if NU would make me switch. Uchi is of course at least equally unlikely but I figure it was my #1 from the start so might as well ride it out.

Thanks for the replies guys, working on GULC at the moment, sent a few emails and will try and call today. I hadn't filled out the financial aid forms before this. Do you think that's necessary for this kind of thing?

Doorkeeper wrote:Considering your personal situation, go to Georgetown. This being said, use the GW offer to negotiate some $$ out of Georgetown. Yes, it is still possible to negotiate after having deposited, especially if you frame the offer as this being a completely new and startling development, which it is. Also, stay on those WLs, brah.

+1 to all of this. Stay on the waitlists you mentioned as long as you possibly can. It's a pity you withdrew from UVA.

Just heard back from GULC. They split the difference and offered 45k no stips. That more or less settles it. Georgetown here I come!

Thanks again guys. As much as I'm tempted to dismiss TLS as an amoral soulless echo chamber, I really wouldn't have known to "leverage" scholly's, or even what half the stuff I got meant without what I read on here. Good game.

It's a pity you withdrew from UVA.

Perhaps, but I think, better career prospects not withstanding, I'd rather live in DC. I've got family there and I get on better in cities. It was never my top choice and I figured it was better to get off the WL for the benefit of someone for whom it was. Chi/NU have a place in my heart UVA never did. /unique snowflakage