financial aid, scholarships, and early decision Forum

[rachue]

Hello everyone,

I'm applying this fall, taking the LSAT for the first time in October. I would really like to get scholarships to finance my education. If I elect to apply early decision to a university (say, Columbia, for example), would that decrease my chances of receiving a merit scholarship from them? My train of thought was that if I make it known that I definitely want to go somewhere, a school may be less inclined to fling out money to try and convince you to come. I'm not experienced with this, though, so I don't really know. Any thoughts on this? Has anyone already been through this?

Thanks in advance!

[Tiago Splitter]

Look at lawschoolnumbers.com. There you can sort by early decision admits to see what kind of scholarship offers they received at a given school.

Applying ED typically correlates with little or no scholly money, although I don't know if the cause and effect is as clear as some make it out to be. Most ED applicants are borderline candidates anyway who likely would not have received scholarship money had they applied regular decision.

As you said, schools also have little incentive to buy you away from another school when you apply ED. Oftentimes, regular decision candidates get their scholarship money by playing one school against another. This is obviously not an option for an ED admit.

In short, don't expect any money if you apply Early Decision.

[rachue]

Good to have that confirmed! Many thanks.

[gloriacollins]

I don't know actually, but my sister is getting scholarships.. so i think it will be possible.. anyway i will ask my sister and contact you later...

[rachue]

thanks! i'd really appreciate that!