Veterans Thread Forum

[FairchildFLT]

Has anyone had luck with negotiating a tuition reduction scholarship into a living stipend scholarship? I'm 100% GI eligible so the basics are taken care of (tuition, fees, BAH), but I've heard that some schools will roll a tuition scholarship into one that is paid directly to you (read: pocketable since the GI Bill picks up the rest of the tab). Currently attempting to work with a school on this, but would love to hear a story if anyone else has had success.

All of the public schools in the T14 that I've contacted do. This also includes Texas at 15. All of the private schools I talked to in the T14 would not. YMMV.

[BULLSHARK6]

I got my first acceptance while on TDY travel last week! Just got back stateside and started prepping paperwork for my resignation (Navy O-3). I wanted to ask here first if anyone had any experience serving in the active reserves while attending Law School. Am I crazy to think it's something s law student can also juggle? I want to stay involved and the reserve billets look very promising. Just want to hear what the sentiment is from anyone who has experience. Thanks.

[storpappa]

Has anyone had luck with negotiating a tuition reduction scholarship into a living stipend scholarship? I'm 100% GI eligible so the basics are taken care of (tuition, fees, BAH), but I've heard that some schools will roll a tuition scholarship into one that is paid directly to you (read: pocketable since the GI Bill picks up the rest of the tab). Currently attempting to work with a school on this, but would love to hear a story if anyone else has had success.

Would love to hear from someone that has been successful with making this happen

I asked a public university about converting scholarship to stipend. The response was negative. They are "unable to award any scholarship above and beyond tuition and fees." Strange on a few points, since a stipend is for expenses. The tuition award was for more then just "soft" money to convert from out of state to in state rates.

If you got this to work please PM or post some info.

[DiniMae]

I got my first acceptance while on TDY travel last week! Just got back stateside and started prepping paperwork for my resignation (Navy O-3). I wanted to ask here first if anyone had any experience serving in the active reserves while attending Law School. Am I crazy to think it's something s law student can also juggle? I want to stay involved and the reserve billets look very promising. Just want to hear what the sentiment is from anyone who has experience. Thanks.

Congrats!

[TheSpanishMain]

I think the feasibility of drilling as an active reservist depends on the reserve unit. Some are very demanding of your time even when you're not at drill. Some are much more understanding and will let you reschedule things as needed. It just depends. FWIW I have a sectionmate who is doing it and he seems fine.

[mike0331]

I imagine it's doable though not desirable. One of the reasons I got out was anticipating law school... though I may go back. As a Sergeant and squad leader/assistant section leader I ended up spending at least a few hours a week tracking people down, moreso on the week of drill. We also had clusters of Thurs-Sun drills. After our deployment my unit was much more forgiving with taking time for academic reasons. Even when we mobilized for OEF a good friend of mine was an HBS student and they let him take his finals by proctored correspondence from Pendleton. This is enlisted side Marine Corps, I'd imagine as an officer in the Navy they'll be understanding, though I also imagine it will take more of your time month to month. I know my Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant had weekly conference calls, and even site surveys as well occasionally.

I do know at least one lawyer who did most of law school while in my unit, and one of my Marines is still in and an L1 right now.

Mike

[storpappa]

I drilled on ship, and was on the primary reserve crew. I was also active duty on a reserve ship. It didn't prepare me for the "fun" of last minute calls to show up on Friday, or not Friday but Saturday morning. Working uniform, dress uniform, civies. At the base, at the ship, at a bus, at the airport. And then the bus back to the base as you fall asleep and wake up an hour overdue because the driver didn't know which base or how to get there.

I was told not to do reserve on a ship, but I loved it, and wanted to keep up my sea duty time. Reservists at SIMA would show up fixed schedule, leave fixed times. And when a game was going on that would make traffic difficult, could show up early, and leave early. Skip lunch and skip out early to avoid the traffic.

Studying till 2300, falling asleep with your nose in a textbook, only to be shaken away at 0015 because the secondary crew has too many sailors who didn't get their sea legs, and a nor'easter off of Hatteras is too much for them. You have the watch.

I would do it again

You have the watch, it makes you stronger and builds character.
Besides, if you can get a JAG summer drill assignment, I would think that would be helpful.

Come on, would you rather have the watch or be sitting at home watching SNL. TV will always be there, but having the watch on the bridge during a nasty storm. You know you want to do it.

[seizmaar]

i did active reserve all through law school, but air force so ymmv. the pros were the pay, health insurance, and the camaraderie. they tried to deploy me to afghanistan my 3L year, so that was a bit stressful but turned out ok.

[mike0331]

Do they not give you guys adequate notice prior to deployments?

You really would have had no excuse for not knowing about our deployment. We were given an intent to activate I think 6 months or so prior to signing our orders, and were forewarned over a year in advance.

Mike

[FairchildFLT]

Do they not give you guys adequate notice prior to deployments?

You really would have had no excuse for not knowing about our deployment. We were given an intent to activate I think 6 months or so prior to signing our orders, and were forewarned over a year in advance.

Mike

Hahahahahaha must be nice!

[mike0331]

Yeah. May 1st activation was pretty sweet as well as far as school was concerned. I was able to take my finals early as well.

Mike

[mikes82]

Long time lurker,
Would most biglaw firms in NYC area be opposed to hiring someone who had attended t6 law school prior to joining the military?

[bjsesq]

Yeah. May 1st activation was pretty sweet as well as far as school was concerned. I was able to take my finals early as well.

Mike

Mike

[fats provolone]

Long time lurker,
Would most biglaw firms in NYC area be opposed to hiring someone who had attended t6 law school prior to joining the military?

i dunno, that's a pretty unusual situation. what answer are you expecting exactly.

[mikes82]

Long time lurker,
Would most biglaw firms in NYC area be opposed to hiring someone who had attended t6 law school prior to joining the military?

i dunno, that's a pretty unusual situation. what answer are you expecting exactly.

Nothing in particular, just an honest assessment.

[bjsesq]

Long time lurker,
Would most biglaw firms in NYC area be opposed to hiring someone who had attended t6 law school prior to joining the military?

i dunno, that's a pretty unusual situation. what answer are you expecting exactly.

Nothing in particular, just an honest assessment.

Gonna be tough to get much here, man. I think your situation is unique enough that anyone not talking out of their ass will tell you that your guess is as good as theirs.

[fats provolone]

the most general answer i can give is your results will be slightly less predictable

i had a pretty "weird" bg and i got some offers i probably shouldn't have and didn't get some i probably should have. but there are a million other factors too so who knows. probably not worth worrying about

[mikes82]

the most general answer i can give is your results will be slightly less predictable

i had a pretty "weird" bg and i got some offers i probably shouldn't have and didn't get some i probably should have. but there are a million other factors too so who knows. probably not worth worrying about

Without getting into the nitty gritty, how do you define "weird"?

I'm just hoping that top markets would still be available, but anyway, thanks for replying.

[biglawhopeful18]

.

[ArcticDeckie]

Anyone else get a snail mail letter from the Columbia Law student vets group encouraging you to apply? It said they found me through CRS, and although I have already received an unsolicited fee waiver, I am below both of their 25ths. I know Columbia is probably the most vet friendly t6, but I'm not really getting my hopes up. Has anyone ever seen that big of a boost given to a veteran?

I did, and I think it included a fee waiver as well, but I have absolutely no shot of getting in there (I didn't apply). The 'veteran boost' has been discussed here in the past. While it does seem to exist to some extent, it's not an 'I got accepted below both 25ths' sort of boost. However, as long as you can articulate your experience well, it can only do good things for you.

[KingsleyZissou]

Anyone in here have any experience with SLIP? I'd be interested in hearing your views on the program. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to post in the thread.

Disclaimer: 0L here, just looking ahead.

[storpappa]

Letter was in today's mail.

[senafront]

Has anyone had luck with negotiating a tuition reduction scholarship into a living stipend scholarship? I'm 100% GI eligible so the basics are taken care of (tuition, fees, BAH), but I've heard that some schools will roll a tuition scholarship into one that is paid directly to you (read: pocketable since the GI Bill picks up the rest of the tab). Currently attempting to work with a school on this, but would love to hear a story if anyone else has had success.

Would love to hear from someone that has been successful with making this happen

I asked a public university about converting scholarship to stipend. The response was negative. They are "unable to award any scholarship above and beyond tuition and fees." Strange on a few points, since a stipend is for expenses. The tuition award was for more then just "soft" money to convert from out of state to in state rates.

If you got this to work please PM or post some info.

I got this to work where I am currently attending (only tried it here, can't speak to other schools). I just asked them if they could classify it so that it would apply on top of my GI Bill, and they said yes. We had a little conference call with the VA admin to make sure everything was going to work out as I understood it, and he confirmed. PM with any questions.

[UnicornHunter]

Has anyone had luck with negotiating a tuition reduction scholarship into a living stipend scholarship? I'm 100% GI eligible so the basics are taken care of (tuition, fees, BAH), but I've heard that some schools will roll a tuition scholarship into one that is paid directly to you (read: pocketable since the GI Bill picks up the rest of the tab). Currently attempting to work with a school on this, but would love to hear a story if anyone else has had success.

Would love to hear from someone that has been successful with making this happen

I asked a public university about converting scholarship to stipend. The response was negative. They are "unable to award any scholarship above and beyond tuition and fees." Strange on a few points, since a stipend is for expenses. The tuition award was for more then just "soft" money to convert from out of state to in state rates.

If you got this to work please PM or post some info.

I got this to work where I am currently attending (only tried it here, can't speak to other schools). I just asked them if they could classify it so that it would apply on top of my GI Bill, and they said yes. We had a little conference call with the VA admin to make sure everything was going to work out as I understood it, and he confirmed. PM with any questions.

Damn, nice work. I should have paid more attention to the whole scholarship thing, with BAH + a "stipend" you're probably getting paid more to go to school than I ever did while I was serving.

[DiniMae]

Anyone ITT a Penn Law student or alum?