Veterans Thread Forum

[Billy Madison]

Totally just sent an email to GULC asking for a waiver for BU... Send another email to correct it or just forget about applying to GULC?

Definitely do not let the mistake deter you from applying. I would send a correction, personally.

That's what I ended up doing. Someone in another thread said they did the same thing and still got a waiver. I just hope they don't take it too seriously and it doesn't reflect poorly on me.

they'll probably laugh, "look at this idiot", and then completely forget it by the time they start looking at applications.

I hope so. I feel way better about it now that they gave me a waiver despite my stupidity. Guess we'll see...

[siesek]

hey y'all.

ED to columbia? everything i read says ED to columbia is insignificant, but when i use your magical myLSN thing, my chance goes from 11% to 63%. and if the only factor to consider is scholarship negotiations, and I have this fancy GI bill and yellow ribbon program... ?

what do y'all think?

[TripTrip]

hey y'all.

ED to columbia? everything i read says ED to columbia is insignificant, but when i use your magical myLSN thing, my chance goes from 11% to 63%. and if the only factor to consider is scholarship negotiations, and I have this fancy GI bill and yellow ribbon program... ?

what do y'all think?

#s?

[hokie6260]

G'day Vets!

Question....if I use Post 9/11 GI Bill and it covers all of tuition, can I still get a cost of living school loan? I did a quick google search this weekend and I couldn't find anyting of help....

Anyone have experience with it? I understand I will get E-5 BAH, but I have a family and would like to have something to supplement my wife's income while I am in school...

TIA

[Cobretti]

G'day Vets!

Question....if I use Post 9/11 GI Bill and it covers all of tuition, can I still get a cost of living school loan? I did a quick google search this weekend and I couldn't find anyting of help....

Anyone have experience with it? I understand I will get E-5 BAH, but I have a family and would like to have something to supplement my wife's income while I am in school...

TIA

Yes, and your living stipend doesn't count as income so you can still take out the full amount the school calculates for COA.

[Nagster5]

So I know if you get a service connected medical discharge with more than 30 days active you get 100% G.I. Bill eligibility, but does that include ineligible active duty time? I am an academy grad and as such my time up until the 5 year mark doesn't count for the GIB. I'm afraid I might get the boot before I hit 5 years and 30 days and be left with no GIB benefits. I can't find anything beyond unsourced speculation anywhere.

[ScottRiqui]

So I know if you get a service connected medical discharge with more than 30 days active you get 100% G.I. Bill eligibility, but does that include ineligible active duty time? I am an academy grad and as such my time up until the 5 year mark doesn't count for the GIB. I'm afraid I might get the boot before I hit 5 years and 30 days and be left with no GIB benefits. I can't find anything beyond unsourced speculation anywhere.

Post #25 in this thread seems to indicate you're in good shape:

"Just to follow up on the original question from this post: Can Junior Officers in their commitment window(4 years ROTC, 5 Years Academy) that get medically retired/separated receive the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

The answer is YES! I only completed 3 out of the required 4 years of active service, ROTC grad, and medically retired at 90%. I applied via E-Benefits AFTER I was medically retired so that the VA could see my discharge code. I recently was awarded 100% of the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit. So relieved!"

[Nagster5]

So I know if you get a service connected medical discharge with more than 30 days active you get 100% G.I. Bill eligibility, but does that include ineligible active duty time? I am an academy grad and as such my time up until the 5 year mark doesn't count for the GIB. I'm afraid I might get the boot before I hit 5 years and 30 days and be left with no GIB benefits. I can't find anything beyond unsourced speculation anywhere.

Post #25 in this thread seems to indicate you're in good shape:

"Just to follow up on the original question from this post: Can Junior Officers in their commitment window(4 years ROTC, 5 Years Academy) that get medically retired/separated receive the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

The answer is YES! I only completed 3 out of the required 4 years of active service, ROTC grad, and medically retired at 90%. I applied via E-Benefits AFTER I was medically retired so that the VA could see my discharge code. I recently was awarded 100% of the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit. So relieved!"

Yeah I saw that thread, but posts 26 and 27 make me think that might not be the whole story. Maybe they got it fixed on appeal, but if that guy just got lucky or qualified due to his high % or something it's a different story.

[Maplesyrup]

http://www.benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/fac ... l_info.pdf

it seems like the 5+3 year period requirement and the 30 day w/ service connected medical discharge requirement is an either or type deal.

edit: if it doesn't work out there is always voc rehab, its a much better program anyways

[Nagster5]

.

[longs3s]

Wondering if anyone here has had any luck negotiating scholarships into stipends, and if so, where/how? I'm post 9/11, so I have 100% GI bill coverage.

[BNA]

Wondering if anyone here has had any luck negotiating scholarships into stipends, and if so, where/how? I'm post 9/11, so I have 100% GI bill coverage.

I had mixed results. Denied by two private schools and allowed by one private school and one public school. I think it depends on their familiarity with the GIB and how you present it to them. Be sure to reinforce the fact that it's a widely accepted practice and all it takes is basically renaming the award from scholarship to stipend and a post GIB disbursement issuance. Once you land one from a similarly ranked school you should be able to use that as evidence of acceptability to ease their concerns, but be careful - the school that allowed it may not want that information going to other schools. Not sure how the school I'm at made it happen (leaving it off their paperwork to the VA all together or including it as a "living expense stipend" or whatever).

[Longsx3]

Wondering if anyone here has had any luck negotiating scholarships into stipends, and if so, where/how? I'm post 9/11, so I have 100% GI bill coverage.

I had mixed results. Denied by two private schools and allowed by one private school and one public school. I think it depends on their familiarity with the GIB and how you present it to them. Be sure to reinforce the fact that it's a widely accepted practice and all it takes is basically renaming the award from scholarship to stipend and a post GIB disbursement issuance. Once you land one from a similarly ranked school you should be able to use that as evidence of acceptability to ease their concerns, but be careful - the school that allowed it may not want that information going to other schools. Not sure how the school I'm at made it happen (leaving it off their paperwork to the VA all together or including it as a "living expense stipend" or whatever).

Thank you very much. I approached one public school about it already and they said no per state rules of how their scholarships can be applied.

[Troianii]

Wondering if anyone here has had any luck negotiating scholarships into stipends, and if so, where/how? I'm post 9/11, so I have 100% GI bill coverage.

I had mixed results. Denied by two private schools and allowed by one private school and one public school. I think it depends on their familiarity with the GIB and how you present it to them. Be sure to reinforce the fact that it's a widely accepted practice and all it takes is basically renaming the award from scholarship to stipend and a post GIB disbursement issuance. Once you land one from a similarly ranked school you should be able to use that as evidence of acceptability to ease their concerns, but be careful - the school that allowed it may not want that information going to other schools. Not sure how the school I'm at made it happen (leaving it off their paperwork to the VA all together or including it as a "living expense stipend" or whatever).

Yeah I'm interested in this. The GI Bill is a great thing that offers that cushion when applying to schools where you wouldn't get much of a scholarship, but then it can be odd to get a full tuition scholarship from a school and look at it with a GI Bill. :/ I'm waiting on getting more responses w/scholarship offers, but I'm interested in trying to get a school to change a scholarship into a stipend.

[longs3s]

Wondering if anyone here has had any luck negotiating scholarships into stipends, and if so, where/how? I'm post 9/11, so I have 100% GI bill coverage.

I had mixed results. Denied by two private schools and allowed by one private school and one public school. I think it depends on their familiarity with the GIB and how you present it to them. Be sure to reinforce the fact that it's a widely accepted practice and all it takes is basically renaming the award from scholarship to stipend and a post GIB disbursement issuance. Once you land one from a similarly ranked school you should be able to use that as evidence of acceptability to ease their concerns, but be careful - the school that allowed it may not want that information going to other schools. Not sure how the school I'm at made it happen (leaving it off their paperwork to the VA all together or including it as a "living expense stipend" or whatever).

Yeah I'm interested in this. The GI Bill is a great thing that offers that cushion when applying to schools where you wouldn't get much of a scholarship, but then it can be odd to get a full tuition scholarship from a school and look at it with a GI Bill. :/ I'm waiting on getting more responses w/scholarship offers, but I'm interested in trying to get a school to change a scholarship into a stipend.

I mean, I know schools in general are willing to do it - my undergrad (public state school) gave me my scholarship back - I just wasn't sure about law schools. Btw, in case you're curious, my undergrad did have to rewrite their scholarship's wording to allow for expenses outside of tuition.

[Troianii]

Wondering if anyone here has had any luck negotiating scholarships into stipends, and if so, where/how? I'm post 9/11, so I have 100% GI bill coverage.

I had mixed results. Denied by two private schools and allowed by one private school and one public school. I think it depends on their familiarity with the GIB and how you present it to them. Be sure to reinforce the fact that it's a widely accepted practice and all it takes is basically renaming the award from scholarship to stipend and a post GIB disbursement issuance. Once you land one from a similarly ranked school you should be able to use that as evidence of acceptability to ease their concerns, but be careful - the school that allowed it may not want that information going to other schools. Not sure how the school I'm at made it happen (leaving it off their paperwork to the VA all together or including it as a "living expense stipend" or whatever).

Yeah I'm interested in this. The GI Bill is a great thing that offers that cushion when applying to schools where you wouldn't get much of a scholarship, but then it can be odd to get a full tuition scholarship from a school and look at it with a GI Bill. :/ I'm waiting on getting more responses w/scholarship offers, but I'm interested in trying to get a school to change a scholarship into a stipend.

I mean, I know schools in general are willing to do it - my undergrad (public state school) gave me my scholarship back - I just wasn't sure about law schools. Btw, in case you're curious, my undergrad did have to rewrite their scholarship's wording to allow for expenses outside of tuition.

Haha, they rewrote a scholarship so they could give it to you? Must feel special. My undergrad had a weird system - they'd pay for the room and board and just cut a check for it when I was off campus, but since tuition and room and board was 50k, I was fine with it.

[longs3s]

Wondering if anyone here has had any luck negotiating scholarships into stipends, and if so, where/how? I'm post 9/11, so I have 100% GI bill coverage.

I had mixed results. Denied by two private schools and allowed by one private school and one public school. I think it depends on their familiarity with the GIB and how you present it to them. Be sure to reinforce the fact that it's a widely accepted practice and all it takes is basically renaming the award from scholarship to stipend and a post GIB disbursement issuance. Once you land one from a similarly ranked school you should be able to use that as evidence of acceptability to ease their concerns, but be careful - the school that allowed it may not want that information going to other schools. Not sure how the school I'm at made it happen (leaving it off their paperwork to the VA all together or including it as a "living expense stipend" or whatever).

Yeah I'm interested in this. The GI Bill is a great thing that offers that cushion when applying to schools where you wouldn't get much of a scholarship, but then it can be odd to get a full tuition scholarship from a school and look at it with a GI Bill. :/ I'm waiting on getting more responses w/scholarship offers, but I'm interested in trying to get a school to change a scholarship into a stipend.

I mean, I know schools in general are willing to do it - my undergrad (public state school) gave me my scholarship back - I just wasn't sure about law schools. Btw, in case you're curious, my undergrad did have to rewrite their scholarship's wording to allow for expenses outside of tuition.

Haha, they rewrote a scholarship so they could give it to you? Must feel special. My undergrad had a weird system - they'd pay for the room and board and just cut a check for it when I was off campus, but since tuition and room and board was 50k, I was fine with it.

I mean, they had already done it for overages before, they just had to modify it a bit more for the GI bill.

[MichiganMan87]

post deleted

[MichiganMan87]

Have a question/looking for advice from you guys. I'm currently active duty USAF, rated. I applied this cycle for Fall 2016 admission. Early this fall I was also chosen to become an instructor in my career field, which incurred a further 1 year service commitment. Now I owe the USAF time until Aug 2017. I've talked to the AFPC functional, who said he will sign me off to palace chase and go reserve if I can start school in January (is this a thing?), but unlikely that he would let me get off active duty sooner. I'm looking for advice from a few people before I respond, trying to remain tactful and press that I must get out in August to be able to go to school. Since the January thing is most likely out, and he doesn't seem likely to approve me to get out August 2016, how likely is it that schools that have accepted me will allow me to defer (ASU, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Denver)? Or am I doomed to reapply and wait again come next fall? Appreciate any thoughts. Thanks!

[Maplesyrup]

Have a question/looking for advice from you guys. I'm currently active duty USAF, rated. I applied this cycle for Fall 2016 admission. Early this fall I was also chosen to become an instructor in my career field, which incurred a further 1 year service commitment. Now I owe the USAF time until Aug 2017. I've talked to the AFPC functional, who said he will sign me off to palace chase and go reserve if I can start school in January (is this a thing?), but unlikely that he would let me get off active duty sooner. I'm looking for advice from a few people before I respond, trying to remain tactful and press that I must get out in August to be able to go to school. Since the January thing is most likely out, and he doesn't seem likely to approve me to get out August 2016, how likely is it that schools that have accepted me will allow me to defer (ASU, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Denver)? Or am I doomed to reapply and wait again come next fall? Appreciate any thoughts. Thanks!

depends on your numbers. also, if they want you this year they will probably want you next year. so either way the outcome would most likely be the same.

[baghdadi]

hello dear champions,

so,

(a) I've received one acceptance via e-mail... are there schools that physically mail acceptances? (mail takes ~6 weeks to get here)
(b) applying for financial aids. I'm sure I'm missing something when I read & re-read all these law school websites. I've got the FAFSA done, but I should apply for financial aids before I'm accepted?!

Thank you all so, so much. I love you all with the fire of 1,000 suns.

[longs3s]

hello dear champions,

so,

(a) I've received one acceptance via e-mail... are there schools that physically mail acceptances? (mail takes ~6 weeks to get here)
(b) applying for financial aids. I'm sure I'm missing something when I read & re-read all these law school websites. I've got the FAFSA done, but I should apply for financial aids before I'm accepted?!

Thank you all so, so much. I love you all with the fire of 1,000 suns.

There are definitely schools that mail acceptances rather than send an email - Vanderbilt (almost always) and Georgetown are just some examples.
As far as financial aid, it almost always comes after the acceptance in my experience, so you should probably wait. Also, FAFSA for fall of 2016 isn't available until January.

[nontrad2014]

Wondering if anyone here has had any luck negotiating scholarships into stipends, and if so, where/how? I'm post 9/11, so I have 100% GI bill coverage.

I had mixed results. Denied by two private schools and allowed by one private school and one public school. I think it depends on their familiarity with the GIB and how you present it to them. Be sure to reinforce the fact that it's a widely accepted practice and all it takes is basically renaming the award from scholarship to stipend and a post GIB disbursement issuance. Once you land one from a similarly ranked school you should be able to use that as evidence of acceptability to ease their concerns, but be careful - the school that allowed it may not want that information going to other schools. Not sure how the school I'm at made it happen (leaving it off their paperwork to the VA all together or including it as a "living expense stipend" or whatever).

Yeah I'm interested in this. The GI Bill is a great thing that offers that cushion when applying to schools where you wouldn't get much of a scholarship, but then it can be odd to get a full tuition scholarship from a school and look at it with a GI Bill. :/ I'm waiting on getting more responses w/scholarship offers, but I'm interested in trying to get a school to change a scholarship into a stipend.

If accepted......apply for vocational rehab. When the post-9/11 changes happened (2011ish for scholarships) they left Voc rehab off the books. So, according to the federal statutes, vocational rehab pays 100% and any scholarship (regardless of designation) is refunded. My school refunded all scholarship money to those of us on post 9/11 and voc rehab.

[Troianii]

Wondering if anyone here has had any luck negotiating scholarships into stipends, and if so, where/how? I'm post 9/11, so I have 100% GI bill coverage.

I had mixed results. Denied by two private schools and allowed by one private school and one public school. I think it depends on their familiarity with the GIB and how you present it to them. Be sure to reinforce the fact that it's a widely accepted practice and all it takes is basically renaming the award from scholarship to stipend and a post GIB disbursement issuance. Once you land one from a similarly ranked school you should be able to use that as evidence of acceptability to ease their concerns, but be careful - the school that allowed it may not want that information going to other schools. Not sure how the school I'm at made it happen (leaving it off their paperwork to the VA all together or including it as a "living expense stipend" or whatever).

Yeah I'm interested in this. The GI Bill is a great thing that offers that cushion when applying to schools where you wouldn't get much of a scholarship, but then it can be odd to get a full tuition scholarship from a school and look at it with a GI Bill. :/ I'm waiting on getting more responses w/scholarship offers, but I'm interested in trying to get a school to change a scholarship into a stipend.

If accepted......apply for vocational rehab. When the post-9/11 changes happened (2011ish for scholarships) they left Voc rehab off the books. So, according to the federal statutes, vocational rehab pays 100% and any scholarship (regardless of designation) is refunded. My school refunded all scholarship money to those of us on post 9/11 and voc rehab.

^_- sounds too good to be true. At any rate yeah I'll definitely look into voc rehab - kind of been planning on it.

[jm4magic]

Looking for support and guidance from fellow veterans. I am new to the TLS community.

My 2.23 GPA is going to very difficult to overcome even with a stellar score and I need to figure out if the schools I am likely to be admitted to would be worth my time and money. The legal market is brutal and there are thousands of law school graduates every year who cannot find work within the legal field. This problem isn't limited to the bottom 20 schools but exists within the T-14 as well.

I have been told that my application will be within the top 10% of law school applications when it comes to content and life experience (Muslim serving in the front lines at a time when the nation is at war with countries who are predominantly Muslim, lost over 165 lbs. to earn the title of Marine and earned my BA from SDSU in two years-was taking 28+ units per semester). Unfortunately law schools really wont evaluate my application until I get close to or exceed their GPA/LSAT medians.

Where I am in the process now: Registered for the February 2016 LSAT and I am taking a prep course through Testmasters. Averaging 140's on PT. I have a part time paralegal job, taking care of my family and I am getting old. Just turned 28.

2007-2012
0311/Marine Corps
1/1 and Fast Co.