2014-2015 Fee Waivers Forum

[bhowton]

Minnesota, Penn, Duke, NYU, Northwestern, UT (and others I don't care to mention) all unsolicited.

UVA successfully solicited. I reached out to Columbia and UChicago with no luck. Both replied with a form email pointing me to the waiver policy on their website.

Are all you people with Columbia and Chi waivers TFA or Peace Corps?

[ChemEng1642]

Minnesota, Penn, Duke, NYU, Northwestern, UT (and others I don't care to mention) all unsolicited.

UVA successfully solicited. I reached out to Columbia and UChicago with no luck. Both replied with a form email pointing me to the waiver policy on their website.

Are all you people with Columbia and Chi waivers TFA or Peace Corps?

Nope for Columbia

[Gray]

.

[KissMyAxe]

....

[Brady199]

Dry run from CCN :/

I have a 172

[HRomanus]

got NU last night like everyone else. No hidden Cornell.

Columbia's waivers are entirely determined by LSAT score. No idea what the cutoff is, but I got it with a 171 (unsolicited.)

Now that they've waived me I'll apply just so that they can lol at my gpa.

I don't know about that, I got jack shit with a 175.

Nothing from Northwestern or Columbia for me (173).

[Gray]

.

[smiles123]

Solicited BU, BC, GW

Attempted to solicit Vandy and failed

[ChemEng1642]

got NU last night like everyone else. No hidden Cornell.

Columbia's waivers are entirely determined by LSAT score. No idea what the cutoff is, but I got it with a 171 (unsolicited.)

Now that they've waived me I'll apply just so that they can lol at my gpa.

Huh maybe that's the sweet spot. I got my fee waiver with a 171 also (pre-September).

[bhowton]

I don't know, with 170/3.81 I hoped to get Columbia. I'm having a hard time reading these waivers.

Seeing what comes in today and waiting to revise PS to check for hidden Cornell.

[paragonloop]

.

[Gray]

.

[secadc11]

Just got Minnesota and they specified in bold that it was for my Sept LSAT.

I had already successfully solicited, but still.

[hillz]

3.8/174 and no fee waiver love from Columbia or Chicago... should I wait or just pay at this point?

They're probably not giving you love because your numbers are exactly what they're looking for and they know that you'll apply anyway.

Just a theory!

I suspect this too. I did get Columbia with very similar stats but not a couple of others where people with lower numbers received waivers. I went ahead and ponied up with Chi just because someone said there usually isn't another wave after the initial one post-LSAT.

[hillz]

Has anyone received a CRS waiver for Cornell? I saw that someone had received an "individual" one but wasn't sure a wave had gone out yet.

[Gray]

.

[WeeBey]

Has anyone received a CRS waiver for Cornell? I saw that someone had received an "individual" one but wasn't sure a wave had gone out yet.

I guess your talking about me lol yea mine was hidden, but instead it crs it said an individual was applied. I tried to solicit when scores came out and they said wait for crs so it is kinda weird.

got NU last night like everyone else. No hidden Cornell.

Columbia's waivers are entirely determined by LSAT score. No idea what the cutoff is, but I got it with a 171 (unsolicited.)

Now that they've waived me I'll apply just so that they can lol at my gpa.

I don't know about that, I got jack shit with a 175.

Nothing from Northwestern or Columbia for me (173).

Just go to their site, it's click the fee waiver button. They'll email you a code in a couple of hours

[appind]

How do I request an application fee waiver?
The $85 application fee is rarely waived, and only waived in extenuating circumstances. If you would like to request an application fee waiver, send a detailed email to gls@law.columbia.edu outlining your reasons for requesting the waiver.

from col website, any specific form of letter that's commonly used or should one go about outlining their reasons in detail?

Just ask for 'm, won't hurt; worst thing that happens is they say no. Nobody will hold that against you, and you can save a good deal of money that way.

what if they waive and then one doesn't apply, does that hurt?

[ChemEng1642]

How do I request an application fee waiver?
The $85 application fee is rarely waived, and only waived in extenuating circumstances. If you would like to request an application fee waiver, send a detailed email to gls@law.columbia.edu outlining your reasons for requesting the waiver.

from col website, any specific form of letter that's commonly used or should one go about outlining their reasons in detail?

Just ask for 'm, won't hurt; worst thing that happens is they say no. Nobody will hold that against you, and you can save a good deal of money that way.

what if they waive and then one doesn't apply, does that hurt?

The statement from the Columbia website sounds like it's only describing need-based fee waivers? Their merit based waivers are definitely not "only waived in extenuating circumstances". You basically just email them your LSAT and GPA to ask them for a waiver. There's a template floating around somewhere.

I don't know how your chances can hurt you if you're not even applying to the school...

[appind]

The statement from the Columbia website sounds like it's only describing need-based fee waivers? Their merit based waivers are definitely not "only waived in extenuating circumstances". You basically just email them your LSAT and GPA to ask them for a waiver. There's a template floating around somewhere.

I don't know how your chances can hurt you if you're not even applying to the school...

It doesn't say merit-based in the description so it subsumes all types of fee waivers perhaps. Or do schools differentiate between merit-based and other types? My highest LSAT is ttt so it feels ttt emailing them for waiver.

I have non-trad softs for any chances at these schools, should I mention that as additional information in fee waiver email?

The chances hurt question is only when due to low lsat I skip this cycle to some schools for the next one.

[ChemEng1642]

It doesn't say merit-based in the description so it subsumes all types of fee waivers perhaps. Or do schools differentiate between merit-based and other types? My highest LSAT is ttt so it feels ttt emailing them for waiver.

I have non-trad softs for any chances at these schools, should I mention that as additional information in fee waiver email?

The chances hurt question is only when due to low lsat I skip this cycle to some schools for the next one.

Oh I only assumed that the statement was referring to need-based because they definitely give out waivers under non-extenuating circumstances. I believe the only types of waivers are need-based (financial), merit based, very specific experience based (TFA, military, etc. which would be listed on the website), and resident based (some state schools offer fee waivers if you are a resident of that state - ex: Texas). I've never heard of softs playing any role in fee waivers.

I doubt it would hurt - especially if you indicate in the future that you are now requesting another fee waiver because of a higher LSAT score. People don't apply for a variety of reasons, and I can't see why they would hold this against you.

[bhowton]

Has anyone successfully solicited Columbia or UChi?

[LoganCouture]

If you are missing Columbia/UChi and you have great numbers: it's not you, it's them. Those waivers missed me and I'd like to think I still have an okay chance at getting in. Those waivers definitely missed people with better stats than me too.

I solicited after the last wave and I was shot down with a brutal quickness.

[Wieters]

Pittsburgh unsolicited (in what appears to be a PT email), for anyone who might be interested.

[Irish11]

I just landed on page one, and frankly I think the banner for this thread is my life's single greatest accomplishment.

Is there any point in trying to solicit NYU? My guess is no.

I e-mailed them on Tuesday and haven't gotten a response.