Scholarship Stipulation Forum

[Oklahoma2014]

My top choice of law schools sent a scholarship award letter offering what comes out to 75% ($24k/$32k per year). There is a renewal stipulation of maintaining a 2.9 gpa. According to the schools student hand book, the recommended median they give their professors for 1L courses is 2.75. So they are offering me 75% in exchange for staying just above the top 50%. My numbers are above their top 25% of incoming students in terms of ug gpa and lsat score. It doesn't seem like an unrealistic request, nor does it seem like a number that I can not attain. However, looking around on here it seems no one wants a scholarship with stipulations other than "good standing."

What do you all think, is the 2.9 stipulation an unreasonable request? What other questions should I ask the school before I accept?

Thank you for any advice you might have on this subject.

[Dany]

A 2.9 is not "just above" the median of 2.75. Most people in the class will get median or below, and you can't count on beating the curve. You have to negotiate the stip down (or negotiate it away completely) or you're taking a HUGE risk.

[Tiago Splitter]

What do you all think, is the 2.9 stipulation an unreasonable request?

Yes

What other questions should I ask the school before I accept?

Ask them to remove the stips.

LSAT/GPA don't do a great job of predicting 1L grades. It isn't unusual for people with stellar LSAT/GPA combos to fail to stay in the top half.

This particular stip requires you to stay somewhere around top 40%. If you don't you'll be paying 32K/year for your second and third years. If that's not okay with you, negotiate that stip away or go somewhere else.

[CanadianWolf]

Probably top third. Does Oklahoma stack one section with all scholarship students ? If so, then there is a strong possibility that you may lose this scholarship after one year.
Some law school libraries have books showing actual first year grades class-by-class. This can help gauge the reasonableness of the 2.9 GPA stipulation.

Regardless, if you want to work in Oklahoma after law school, you're probably at the best school. Therefore, the 75% scholarship is a bonus if you look at it with "open eyes".

[Oklahoma2014]

Thanks for the responses. I have 3 other scholarship offers I am waiting on. Will just have to weigh my options and see what I can negotiate. Has anyone been successful in negotiating a tiered scholarship? Like in my instance, keep the 75% if 2.9, drops to 50% if below 2.9 but still in good standing.