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What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 8:39 pm
by Aroldis105
Obviously you want to avoid any sort of scholarship GPA stipulation, but at what point do you begin to consider a stipulation "reasonable", "doable", "non-damning", etc?

See Poll.

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 8:51 pm
by Lacepiece23
If you go to a school that actually has gpa stips I'd probably drop out if I was below top half of the class so therefore for me that would be an acceptable stipulation. The reason being is that the employment prospects at schools that actually have gpa stips aren't very good below the top half of the class. Actually top third, but I don't know if I would necessarily drop out if I didn't hit that.

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 8:52 pm
by Ti Malice
There are too many factors in play for a one-size-fits-all answer here. In one respect, all stips are unacceptable, because only schools with crappy employment statistics put stips on scholarships. The applicant should retake the LSAT and improve his or her options instead of attending that school.

On the other hand, if someone is hellbent on going to one of these schools, the answer partly depends on the placement characteristics of the school and on whether someone is paying in-state public tuition or private tuition. Many schools place so poorly that the only rational decision for someone who fails to place in the top third (or much better) after 1L year is to drop out. For someone who makes the rational decision in this situation, the stip itself causes no harm. Honestly, in almost all cases, failure to meet a stip just means that the rational decision is to drop out.

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 8:57 pm
by timbs4339
Top 80% after year one.

I would say good academic standing, but the issue for me is when losing the scholly will encourage a student to drop out. If you are bottom 20% at most schools, you're going to have serious problems finding work and you know it. Someone who is 45% on a 40% scholly might assume they will just do much better 2L and 3L and secure a job that way.

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 7:52 am
by 313DetroitLove
you will note the better schools only require good standing

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 9:26 am
by nebula666
Top 75% is the lowest I would consider. Just because you had a better LSAT and GPA than some of your classmates does not mean you will earn better grades in law school. Everyone thinks they are a special butterfly that will be in the top 10%; 90% of them will be wrong. Even 75% is risky but depending on the school, I would be comfortable with that.

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 9:59 am
by rickgrimes69
Lacepiece23 wrote:If you go to a school that actually has gpa stips I'd probably drop out if I was below top half of the class so therefore for me that would be an acceptable stipulation. The reason being is that the employment prospects at schools that actually have gpa stips aren't very good below the top half of the class. Actually top third, but I don't know if I would necessarily drop out if I didn't hit that.

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 12:08 pm
by magp90
I would say that top 75% is reasonable, because you probably shouldn't stay in law school if you're in the bottom 25% of your class anyways.

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 8:53 pm
by Pumpkin_Pie
Lacepiece23 wrote:If you go to a school that actually has gpa stips I'd probably drop out if I was below top half of the class so therefore for me that would be an acceptable stipulation. The reason being is that the employment prospects at schools that actually have gpa stips aren't very good below the top half of the class. Actually top third, but I don't know if I would necessarily drop out if I didn't hit that.

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 8:58 pm
by goldeneye
For the morons who voted top 1/3... lol.

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 11:05 pm
by HBBJohnStamos
goldeneye wrote:For the morons who voted top 1/3... lol.
I just assume those were Cooley adcomms.

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 11:07 pm
by hephaestus
Don't go to a school with GPA stips. HTH.

Re: What is an Acceptable GPA Scholarship Stipulation?

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 11:10 pm
by Bildungsroman
Good academic standing. Otherwise TTT you shouldn't attend at any price.