Got a Scholarship and In-State Tuition (What Else Can I do) Forum

[ebailey1212]

I have been accepted to George Mason, In State with a $13,000 scholarship. My tuition will be $12,000 a year, and probably $20,000 to $25,000 a year for living expenses.

Any outside the box recommendations to help deal with remaining tuition and living expenses.

[emkay625]

Have you attempted to negotiate your scholarship offer?

[ebailey1212]

Have you attempted to negotiate your scholarship offer?

No, however I applied "early binding" decision so from what I understand I have pretty much no room to negotiate.

[Good Guy Gaud]

Have you attempted to negotiate your scholarship offer?

No, however I applied "early binding" decision so from what I understand I have pretty much no room to negotiate.

Nothing to lose in at least giving it a shot.

[TheSpanishMain]

Withdraw and retake is your best bet.

[Hand]

Withdraw and retake is your best bet.

[pancakes3]

It's not about ticking off a box because you qualified for a scholarship. You have to analyze the situation in its totality and weigh the pros and cons of your decision (dollars and cents). Go make it happen captain.

[ebailey1212]

It's not about ticking off a box because you qualified for a scholarship. You have to analyze the situation in its totality and weigh the pros and cons of your decision (dollars and cents). Go make it happen captain.

I have done a ton of that which is why I am where I am ($12,000 a year tuition to go to a T40). My question is along the lines of hey I'm in a good position how can I make it even better.....

[TheSpanishMain]

It's not about ticking off a box because you qualified for a scholarship. You have to analyze the situation in its totality and weigh the pros and cons of your decision (dollars and cents). Go make it happen captain.

I have done a ton of that which is why I am where I am ($12,000 a year tuition to go to a T40). My question is along the lines of hey I'm in a good position how can I make it even better.....

You could take a year off and retake. "T40" isn't really a thing, and over a $100,000 in the hole to go to George Mason isn't a great deal. Granted, it's better than sticker, but it's still pretty steep. What are your goals?

But if you won't do that, no, not really. You applied early decision, which is usually not a good move, so you can't really negotiate. Other than, just try to get some roommates and live as cheaply as you can, I guess. Columbia Pike still has some affordable areas that are reasonably convenient to GM.

[ebailey1212]

It's not about ticking off a box because you qualified for a scholarship. You have to analyze the situation in its totality and weigh the pros and cons of your decision (dollars and cents). Go make it happen captain.

I have done a ton of that which is why I am where I am ($12,000 a year tuition to go to a T40). My question is along the lines of hey I'm in a good position how can I make it even better.....

You could take a year off and retake. "T40" isn't really a thing, and over a $100,000 in the hole to go to George Mason isn't a great deal. Granted, it's better than sticker, but it's still pretty steep. What are your goals?

But if you won't do that, no, not really. You applied early decision, which is usually not a good move, so you can't really negotiate. Other than, just try to get some roommates and live as cheaply as you can, I guess. Columbia Pike still has some affordable areas that are reasonably convenient to GM.

Honestly I feel like a lot of you guys (who are uber negative towards anything except a full ride to Harvard) don't really have a realistic grasp on life after undergraduate school. There aren't exactly a lot of career paths these days that are a cakewalk to a great salary and job security. (most people already know that law school isn't a guaranteed job/good salary anymore) but the fact is I know recent graduates from far worse schools than George Mason that have good paying jobs including newly hired associates in the Firm I currently work as a paralegal in.

Your not going to convince me that George Mason is a guaranteed path towards anything but your not going to convince me that with minimal tuition its better to just be a paralegal and cap out at 80,000 dollars a year either when I retire. Stop being so over-dramatic and find something better to do with your time.

[lymenheimer]

the fact is I know recent graduates from far worse schools than George Mason that have good paying jobs

Quoting for posterity.

[Hand]

It's not about ticking off a box because you qualified for a scholarship. You have to analyze the situation in its totality and weigh the pros and cons of your decision (dollars and cents). Go make it happen captain.

I have done a ton of that which is why I am where I am ($12,000 a year tuition to go to a T40). My question is along the lines of hey I'm in a good position how can I make it even better.....

You could take a year off and retake. "T40" isn't really a thing, and over a $100,000 in the hole to go to George Mason isn't a great deal. Granted, it's better than sticker, but it's still pretty steep. What are your goals?

But if you won't do that, no, not really. You applied early decision, which is usually not a good move, so you can't really negotiate. Other than, just try to get some roommates and live as cheaply as you can, I guess. Columbia Pike still has some affordable areas that are reasonably convenient to GM.

Honestly I feel like a lot of you guys (who are uber negative towards anything except a full ride to Harvard) don't really have a realistic grasp on life after undergraduate school. There aren't exactly a lot of career paths these days that are a cakewalk to a great salary and job security. (most people already know that law school isn't a guaranteed job/good salary anymore) but the fact is I know recent graduates from far worse schools than George Mason that have good paying jobs including newly hired associates in the Firm I currently work as a paralegal in.

Your not going to convince me that George Mason is a guaranteed path towards anything but your not going to convince me that with minimal tuition its better to just be a paralegal and cap out at 80,000 dollars a year either when I retire. Stop being so over-dramatic and find something better to do with your time.

Nobody is saying that, rather, what's being suggested is that you wait a year, retake the LSAT, and -- since you seem to be set on wanting to stay in the area -- you could go to GULC, or GW at the very least, with a bigger scholarship, and your odds of a good outcome will have improved dramatically, at fairly little cost to you.

[ebailey1212]

It's not about ticking off a box because you qualified for a scholarship. You have to analyze the situation in its totality and weigh the pros and cons of your decision (dollars and cents). Go make it happen captain.

I have done a ton of that which is why I am where I am ($12,000 a year tuition to go to a T40). My question is along the lines of hey I'm in a good position how can I make it even better.....

You could take a year off and retake. "T40" isn't really a thing, and over a $100,000 in the hole to go to George Mason isn't a great deal. Granted, it's better than sticker, but it's still pretty steep. What are your goals?

But if you won't do that, no, not really. You applied early decision, which is usually not a good move, so you can't really negotiate. Other than, just try to get some roommates and live as cheaply as you can, I guess. Columbia Pike still has some affordable areas that are reasonably convenient to GM.

Honestly I feel like a lot of you guys (who are uber negative towards anything except a full ride to Harvard) don't really have a realistic grasp on life after undergraduate school. There aren't exactly a lot of career paths these days that are a cakewalk to a great salary and job security. (most people already know that law school isn't a guaranteed job/good salary anymore) but the fact is I know recent graduates from far worse schools than George Mason that have good paying jobs including newly hired associates in the Firm I currently work as a paralegal in.

Your not going to convince me that George Mason is a guaranteed path towards anything but your not going to convince me that with minimal tuition its better to just be a paralegal and cap out at 80,000 dollars a year either when I retire. Stop being so over-dramatic and find something better to do with your time.

Nobody is saying that, rather, what's being suggested is that you wait a year, retake the LSAT, and -- since you seem to be set on wanting to stay in the area -- you could go to GULC, or GW at the very least, with a bigger scholarship, and your odds of a good outcome will have improved dramatically, at fairly little cost to you.

I'm sorry, but his comment took a negative tone and it deserved a response. As for the suggestion its just not for me, now is the time for me to make this transition in my life for a number of reasons.

P.S. take a close look at the employment statistics at GW vs GMU. The price I would likely pay at GW would probably be too much ground to make up to justify it.

[TheSpanishMain]

Honestly I feel like a lot of you guys (who are uber negative towards anything except a full ride to Harvard) don't really have a realistic grasp on life after undergraduate school.

I started law school at 30 and by then I had served in Iraq and Afghanistan, lived in six states, and worked in the federal civil service. I'm not a 22 year old with a Harvard fetish.

I'm sorry if you felt I was attacking you. That wasn't my intention. But I emphasize that I'm not a K-JD to make a point: waiting a year is not a big deal. And it can dramatically change your career trajectory. Best of luck in whatever you decide, I sincerely hope it all goes well.

[pancakes3]

It's not about ticking off a box because you qualified for a scholarship. You have to analyze the situation in its totality and weigh the pros and cons of your decision (dollars and cents). Go make it happen captain.

I have done a ton of that which is why I am where I am ($12,000 a year tuition to go to a T40). My question is along the lines of hey I'm in a good position how can I make it even better.....

It's not about ticking off a box that you've nominally analyzed the situation in its totality and weighed the pros and cons of your decision. You need to have actually analyzed the situation in its totality and weigh the pros and cons of your decision.

Hope that clears it up.

[dabigchina]

I don't think anybody is saying you need to go to T14 full ride.

But you should be getting a full ride from George Mason. Because you applied for early decision that's probably not going to happen for you this year.

Honestly I feel like a lot of you guys (who are uber negative towards anything except a full ride to Harvard) don't really have a realistic grasp on life after undergraduate school. There aren't exactly a lot of career paths these days that are a cakewalk to a great salary and job security. (most people already know that law school isn't a guaranteed job/good salary anymore) but the fact is I know recent graduates from far worse schools than George Mason that have good paying jobs including newly hired associates in the Firm I currently work as a paralegal in.

Your not going to convince me that George Mason is a guaranteed path towards anything but your not going to convince me that with minimal tuition its better to just be a paralegal and cap out at 80,000 dollars a year either when I retire. Stop being so over-dramatic and find something better to do with your time.