Marshall/Rhodes vs Fulbright vs HLS?? Forum

[MockTrialBoy89]

Hey guys,

I've posted before, but here's a run down of my stats: 3.87/178/TFA. I took the LSAT last fall, and I am currently finishing up my first year of TFA. I've always planned to apply to LS at the beginning of Fall 2008, and the LS Calculator gives me the following odds: Yale (76.93%), Stanford (85.47%), and Harvard (91.52%).

Just wondering, but I'm also very interested in applying to the Marshall/Rhodes and Fulbright programs. Marshall/Rhodes are crazy, but I come from a relatively less competitive area of the country, so I think that should give me a foot in the door. Also, I would want to teach English in Thailand for the Fulbright, so I'm guessing that TFA is a great soft. My UG's career services dept. has told me that I'm not disqualified by applying to these out of college, but I shouldn't wait any longer to apply.

Ok, so should I just apply to LS this fall, or wait a bit and do one of these for a year or two (of course, there's a very high chance that I won't get them)? Should I apply to both and defer?? I feel like my shot at Yale would go way up after doing one of these.

PS, I want to run for high public office at some point in my life, so I'm not too concerned about what biglaw thinks. If I'm not being clear with any of this, ask me questions.

Thanks

[mumbling2myself]

I'm pretty sure those schools will permit you to defer for either of those opportunities. I'd apply for everything, see what shakes out.

[The Agitator]

Seconded.

[MockTrialBoy89]

Hmm, I suppose my question is mainly focused on Yale. Say I get the Marshall (with wild luck), get into HLS but not YLS. At this point, is it worth it for me to take the Marshall and defer HLS, or wait to apply to HLS/YLS after at the end of the Marshall, which would probably give me a better chance to get into YLS without any binding arrangement with HLS? Does that make sense??

[bobsbowl]

If I were you I would focus my energy on actually obtaining these scholarships and admissions to various law schools. You are likely an auto-admit for law school, but scholarships like Rhodes, Marshall, etc, are generally crapshoots - no matter how qualified you think you are. Also, most of these scholarships inform you when you are a finalist, so I would worry about decisions like this at that time. Bottom line - unless you've actually been admitted to Yale and Harvard, gotten a Marshall or Rhodes, I wouldn't worry about it. Good luck.

[anyglen]

Go ahead and apply. If your very unlikely scenario comes to pass (get the Rhodes/Marshall and H but not Y), then you just reapply in 2 years. I applied with an eh LSAT two years ago, got into NYU, Columbia, and Stanford, but got WL/dinged at Harvard. I upped my LSAT, worked, and applied again this year and I'm in at H and Y, with a scholarship at Columbia. They don't seem to have held a grudge for me, and I'm pretty sure they won't for a Rhodes/Marshall.

[Chem_PhD]

You'll know if you have the Rhodes/Marshall by December, so it's likely that you can just withdraw your applications before they've made a decision. Heck, it probably wouldn't be that detrimental to wait until after you know if you've got one before applying. You'll know if you're getting an interview around the end of October, so you can just put off applications for a month or so. It's a pretty quick process once you've got all your materials submitted. I'm not as familiar with the Fulbright process, but I know many schools will let you defer for up to two years with a good reason. I'm CERTAIN that counts as a good reason!

[JDewey]

I was faced with the same decision. I applied to the top-7, and then heard back about my Marshall in mid-december. I just recently asked University of Chicago if I could defer, and have yet to hear back from them regarding whether or not this will be allowed.

As was stated above, you might as well be playing the lottery with the Marshall/Rhodes scholarships, I just happened to get lucky. In my opinion, I don't think Fulbright scholarships are worth postponing law school.

You are already a very strong applicant at HLS. I would apply to the schools you wish to attend, apply for your scholarship, and then proceed from there. I get the feeling that the only time deferrals aren't granted are when borderline applicants ask to be deferred so they can spend a year doing something less than productive.

Edit: I wish you the best of luck.

[MockTrialBoy89]

^ Thanks! Where will you be studying on the Marshall??

[ddorner04]

This OP is the type of person who makes me look at myself in the mirror and whisper under my breath "worthless." Very impressive stats and lots of compassion to boot. Good luck to you...not that you need it!

[Luxor]

Marshall and Rhodes are decided early in the Fall semester. You won't have any conflict in the decision -- you'll know months before you have to respond to either HLS or Yale.

[gatosenlapiscina]

Asking the general population questions about Rhodes scholarships, etc, sounds a bit like self-aggrandizement to me. Maybe you should call Bill Clinton and ask his opinion as I imagine everyone else is unqualified to give advice

[limyanko]

In my opinion, I don't think Fulbright scholarships are worth postponing law school.

I'm really curious why you say that. I'm very interested in the Fulbright (teaching) program, and not really interested in the Marshall and Rhodes at all. Obviously, Marshall/Rhodes are far more prestigious, but you don't think the benefit for yourself -- the experience of living in a foreign country, immersed in another culture -- is worth the deferral? (Let alone the benefits for others, say, by doing development work in your free time or teaching English to people lacking quality education.)

Not trying to get all holier-than-thou, of course, and congrats on the Marshall, that's a big achievement. I am just genuinely curious