Law School Fee Waivers Forum

[Sh@keNb@ke]

I'm pushing my June test back to October because of finals, personal reasons, and I'm just not where I want to be currently so can I still apply for law school fee waivers without an LSAT score? Does anyone have personal experience with this? All advice is appreciated, thanks!

[swilson215]

I'm pushing my June test back to October because of finals, personal reasons, and I'm just not where I want to be currently so can I still apply for law school fee waivers without an LSAT score? Does anyone have personal experience with this? All advice is appreciated, thanks!

Will you be applying for need-based or merit-based waivers? Need-based waivers don't require LSAT scores, but if you're asking individual schools for merit-based fee waivers, they'll probably want to know your LSAT score.

If your GPA is high you might be able to find schools that will still give you fee waivers even though you haven't taken the LSAT yet. In my experience, though, most of the schools that I individually solicited for a waiver asked for my LSAT score.

Wait...are you talking about getting a fee waiver based solely on your URM status?

[Sh@keNb@ke]

I'm pushing my June test back to October because of finals, personal reasons, and I'm just not where I want to be currently so can I still apply for law school fee waivers without an LSAT score? Does anyone have personal experience with this? All advice is appreciated, thanks!

Will you be applying for need-based or merit-based waivers? Need-based waivers don't require LSAT scores, but if you're asking individual schools for merit-based fee waivers, they'll probably want to know your LSAT score.

If your GPA is high you might be able to find schools that will still give you fee waivers even though you haven't taken the LSAT yet. In my experience, though, most of the schools that I individually solicited for a waiver asked for my LSAT score.

Wait...are you talking about getting a fee waiver based solely on your URM status?

I'll most likely be applying for need-based, but I was hoping I could send law schools an email giving them my GPA (currently a 3.85) and tell them that I'll be taking the LSAT in October. I wasn't talking about getting a fee waiver based solely on my URM status, but should this be something that I include?

[swilson215]

I'll most likely be applying for need-based, but I was hoping I could send law schools an email giving them my GPA (currently a 3.85) and tell them that I'll be taking the LSAT in October. I wasn't talking about getting a fee waiver based solely on my URM status, but should this be something that I include?

Well, if you phrase it like that then I would imagine probably 50% or more of the schools might bite at giving you a merit-based waiver.

Personally, I wouldn't just be like, "PS - I'm a URM." or anything. I think your GPA should be enough. I was just wondering because this thread was in the URM section...?

[Sh@keNb@ke]

To Whom It May Concern:

I am an African-American college Junior at the University of _____ and I will be graduating in June 2012. My grade point average at ______ is a 3.xx and I will be graduating with honors in my ____ major. I am taking the LSAT this October, but I want to send in my application even before I take the LSAT.

While researching schools, (name of law school) stood out as a school that would be a prime fit for me and I was excited about applying. However, the recent economic downturn has made financing the application process a bit more difficult than I had anticipated. With this in mind, I would respectfully like to ask for a fee waiver to apply for admission to the Class of 2014. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

How does this sound?

[swilson215]

To Whom It May Concern:

I am an African-American college Junior at the University of _____ and I will be graduating in June 2012. My grade point average at ______ is a 3.xx and I will be graduating with honors in my ____ major. I am taking the LSAT this October, but I want to send in my application even before I take the LSAT.

While researching schools, (name of law school) stood out as a school that would be a prime fit for me and I was excited about applying. However, the recent economic downturn has made financing the application process a bit more difficult than I had anticipated. With this in mind, I would respectfully like to ask for a fee waiver to apply for admission to the Class of 2014. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

How does this sound?

Sounds fine to me. Here's the link to the blog entry I wrote on asking for fee waivers late last year: http://twentysomethinglaw.blogspot.com/ ... ivers.html A copy of the email I sent is posted there. Good luck!

[BlakcMajikc]

To Whom It May Concern:

I am an African-American college Junior at the University of _____ and I will be graduating in June 2012. My grade point average at ______ is a 3.xx and I will be graduating with honors in my ____ major. I am taking the LSAT this October, but I want to send in my application even before I take the LSAT.

While researching schools, (name of law school) stood out as a school that would be a prime fit for me and I was excited about applying. However, the recent economic downturn has made financing the application process a bit more difficult than I had anticipated. With this in mind, I would respectfully like to ask for a fee waiver to apply for admission to the Class of 2014. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

How does this sound?

Wouldn't it be class of 2015?

Sidenote... applying for the LSAC fee waiver may be worth your time.

[swilson215]

Wouldn't it be class of 2015?

Sidenote... applying for the LSAC fee waiver may be worth your time.

Ooooh, good catch. +1 to the LSAC waiver -- those $12 fees add up quickly.

[Sh@keNb@ke]

Sorry it is the class of 2015. Thanks guys, hopefully I'll be able to get a fee waiver even though I don't already have an LSAT score. I'm a little worried that the need based waiver might not workout because of my parents small boost in income from last year, but if I can contact the school and get the waiver then it should be fine right?

[BlakcMajikc]

Sorry it is the class of 2015. Thanks guys, hopefully I'll be able to get a fee waiver even though I don't already have an LSAT score. I'm a little worried that the need based waiver might not workout because of my parents small boost in income from last year, but if I can contact the school and get the waiver then it should be fine right?

I'll just PM you