2009-2010 Fee Waiver Tracker/FAQ Thread Forum

[GatorBait09]

W&M through email request this morning.

[daniel5215]

W&M through email request this morning.

how is your stats?

[Pearalegal]

Email from W&M as well.

[amidea]

I requested a merit-based fee waiver from Columbia and they said:

"Thank you for your interest in Columbia Law School.

We provide application fee waivers only to those prospective students who agreed to participate in the Candidate Referral Service of The Law School Data Assembly Service and who meet certain other criteria as determined by us. Should you satisfy those requirements, you will be contacted by us directly via email.

We hope to review your application in the coming months."

I definitely agreed to participate in CRS but it seems like Columbia fee waivers came out already. I would've thought a 177 LSAT and 3.63 could be decent enough to warrant a fee waiver, but I guess not.. I'll keep my fingers crossed that they just haven't gotten to me yet though.

[Borhas]

college of William & Mary just sent one out

[Rasta10]

Received University of San Diego, Denver Sturm, Indiana-Indianapolis, and UM today via e-mail.

Did you request a Waiver from Sturm?

Yup, shot them an e-mail just for the heck of it and they sent me a code within 12 hours.

Okay, thanks a lot.

Just got my code, I owe you one

[knola002]

W&M through email request this morning.

+1

[forza]

Got W&M today too.

Also, Emory responded to my request with a fee waiver code. Score.

[Lady Heather]

Michigan. But I don't know if it's because I'm broke (requested need-based) or awesome (requested merit-based, as well).

I got W&M a while back, but, then again, I already had a reportable LSAT score then.

[missvik218]

Michigan. But I don't know if it's because I'm broke (requested need-based) or awesome (requested merit-based, as well).

The combo probably helped .. I too am needy, but not quite as awesome and they rejected my request. I'm going to fill out the need based form and send it in tomorrow.

[Lady Heather]

Michigan. But I don't know if it's because I'm broke (requested need-based) or awesome (requested merit-based, as well).

The combo probably helped .. I too am needy, but not quite as awesome and they rejected my request. I'm going to fill out the need based form and send it in tomorrow.

Do it. You will be faxing/emailing, right?

I don't know if I'm destitute enough, but the time it took to fill out the fee waiver form and gather all the materials was well worth the $60. I wish I got paid that much for real work.

[PoorOrpheus]

I just got one from Wash U. that mentions "Students of color" and that I will be considered for a "Scholar in Law award." If it was not already clear, schools do look at ethnic information in giving out these fee waivers (or at least which form letter they send out).

[Lady Heather]

I just got one from Wash U. that mentions "Students of color" and that I will be considered for a "Scholar in Law award." If it was not already clear, schools do look at ethnic information in giving out these fee waivers (or at least which form letter they send out).

Would it be wrong - as in a school will reject me for doing so, not as in bad morals - to fib on my CRS information in hopes of getting more fee waivers?

[forza]

I just got one from Wash U. that mentions "Students of color" and that I will be considered for a "Scholar in Law award." If it was not already clear, schools do look at ethnic information in giving out these fee waivers (or at least which form letter they send out).

Would it be wrong - as in a school will reject me for doing so, not as in bad morals - to fib on my CRS information in hopes of getting more fee waivers?

Are you serious?

This question is so full of fail.

[doinmybest]

No W&M or Vandy yet... Just out of curiosity, how many schools are some of you guys applying to? I'm getting some fee waivers that I did not think I'd get and my list is getting a bit unmanageable.

[PoorOrpheus]

^ Eep. Applications are so expensive and I understand the motivation behind that, but I think it could get hairy if they compare later on (and had maybe created a shadow file for you based on your fee waiver status that has you as coming from background x).

[PoorOrpheus]

No W&M or Vandy yet... Just out of curiosity, how many schools are some of you guys applying to? I'm getting some fee waivers that I did not think I'd get and my list is getting a bit unmanageable.

I'm still only applying to the 7 schools on the list I finalized before fee waivers came out. How many are you applying to?

[doinmybest]

I just got one from Wash U. that mentions "Students of color" and that I will be considered for a "Scholar in Law award." If it was not already clear, schools do look at ethnic information in giving out these fee waivers (or at least which form letter they send out).

Would it be wrong - as in a school will reject me for doing so, not as in bad morals - to fib on my CRS information in hopes of getting more fee waivers?

Like what type of fibbing? Like fibbing about your race? Because if thats the case, even if you do make it into LS, good luck getting through your character & fitness review for the BAR.

[doinmybest]

^ Eep. Applications are so expensive and I understand the motivation behind that, but I think it could get hairy if they compare later on (and had maybe created a shadow file for you based on your fee waiver status that has you as coming from background x).

Whoa whoa law schools will be able to see what other schools I'm applying to??? Thats news to me!

[missvik218]

No W&M or Vandy yet... Just out of curiosity, how many schools are some of you guys applying to? I'm getting some fee waivers that I did not think I'd get and my list is getting a bit unmanageable.

I'm a splitter, so a pretty sizable amount, looking at about 20 right now ... I have fee waivers for a little over half.

Edit: Recently I've gotten waivers from some great schools, but ones I would never consider attending, IMO you don't have to apply just because they waived your fee. Make your list of schools you would like to go to and then hope/pursue fee waivers from those schools.

[forza]

^ Eep. Applications are so expensive and I understand the motivation behind that, but I think it could get hairy if they compare later on (and had maybe created a shadow file for you based on your fee waiver status that has you as coming from background x).

Whoa whoa law schools will be able to see what other schools I'm applying to??? Thats news to me!

No. I don't think so, anyway. Some schools specifically ask what other schools you're applying to on their applications - if they knew anyway, why would they waste the space on the application?

[Lady Heather]

^ Eep. Applications are so expensive and I understand the motivation behind that, but I think it could get hairy if they compare later on (and had maybe created a shadow file for you based on your fee waiver status that has you as coming from background x).

Yeah... I fear that very thing happening...

No W&M or Vandy yet... Just out of curiosity, how many schools are some of you guys applying to? I'm getting some fee waivers that I did not think I'd get and my list is getting a bit unmanageable.

I originally had a list of all the schools I was considering, and added every school that sent me a fee waiver. I have since narrowed that list down only to schools I would actually want to go to (should I be accepted), regardless of whether I have a fee waiver. So far, I'm at 20 schools. But I haven't applied yet, so I may narrow the list. But it won't be getting any longer. Oh, and I'm a splitter, btw.

[PoorOrpheus]

^ Eep. Applications are so expensive and I understand the motivation behind that, but I think it could get hairy if they compare later on (and had maybe created a shadow file for you based on your fee waiver status that has you as coming from background x).

Whoa whoa law schools will be able to see what other schools I'm applying to??? Thats news to me!

That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying School A has created a shadow file for you based on your fee waiver status (unlikely but who knows). When you apply to School A with the changed ethnic information, it's going to look...strange.

[UFMatt]

No W&M or Vandy yet... Just out of curiosity, how many schools are some of you guys applying to? I'm getting some fee waivers that I did not think I'd get and my list is getting a bit unmanageable.

I planned for 12, but added another 3 or 4 after getting fee waivers. Might as well in case they offer a fat scholarship.

[doinmybest]

^ Eep. Applications are so expensive and I understand the motivation behind that, but I think it could get hairy if they compare later on (and had maybe created a shadow file for you based on your fee waiver status that has you as coming from background x).

Whoa whoa law schools will be able to see what other schools I'm applying to??? Thats news to me!

That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying School A has created a shadow file for you based on your fee waiver status (unlikely but who knows). When you apply to School A with the changed ethnic information, it's going to look...strange.

Oh lol! You were answering Lady Heather's question.

I'm trying to narrow my list down from 20 something to somewhere between 10-15. I'm just afraid some of these fee waivers I'm getting were sent to me from schools who would just love to reject me to get their yield up. If thats the case I need plenty of back ups.