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Is there typically less merit based awarded coming off of a waitlist?

Usually. There are always exceptions, of course, but for the most part merit aid is reserved for the top students that the school wants to woo away from other peer schools. If you're coming in off the wait-list, chances are that you're a borderline 50/50 candidate, and thus wouldn't have qualified for merit aid to begin with.

Does anyone have experience getting $$ off of a waitlist??

guinness85 wrote:Does anyone have experience getting $$ off of a waitlist??

full tuition + stipend at a couple of wl schools last year.

I think it depends on why you're WL'd. If it was for YP, i.e. your numbers are too good for the school, it's possible. If you were WL'd because you were a borderline candidate to begin with, w/o retaking the LSAT I don't see why/how they'd offer you merit aid.

Looking on LSN there a certainly some schools who seem to offer the money unclaimed after the first and second round of deposits to people on the WL. On one hand, I think its silly that they offer money to the lesser qualified candidates, but on the other hand, why offer scholarship money to people who have already committed?

Hattori Hanzo wrote:I think it depends on why you're WL'd. If it was for YP, i.e. your numbers are too good for the school, it's possible. If you were WL'd because you were a borderline candidate to begin with, w/o retaking the LSAT I don't see why/how they'd offer you merit aid.

This cycle there seems to be a lot of WL with high numbers just because they applied late. I think that this is what happened to me at a couple of my schools. The question is, place deposit at T2 where I have full ride, or wait and hope to get off wait list with at least some $$ (probably very optimistic/unrealistic?).

What about need-based aid for students coming off WL?

guinness85 wrote:

Hattori Hanzo wrote:I think it depends on why you're WL'd. If it was for YP, i.e. your numbers are too good for the school, it's possible. If you were WL'd because you were a borderline candidate to begin with, w/o retaking the LSAT I don't see why/how they'd offer you merit aid.

This cycle there seems to be a lot of WL with high numbers just because they applied late. I think that this is what happened to me at a couple of my schools. The question is, place deposit at T2 where I have full ride, or wait and hope to get off wait list with at least some $$ (probably very optimistic/unrealistic?).

What about option C: Pay your seat deposit at T2 AND ride out the W/L with the hope of being offered some cash if you get off.

Richie Tenenbaum wrote:

guinness85 wrote:

Hattori Hanzo wrote:I think it depends on why you're WL'd. If it was for YP, i.e. your numbers are too good for the school, it's possible. If you were WL'd because you were a borderline candidate to begin with, w/o retaking the LSAT I don't see why/how they'd offer you merit aid.

This cycle there seems to be a lot of WL with high numbers just because they applied late. I think that this is what happened to me at a couple of my schools. The question is, place deposit at T2 where I have full ride, or wait and hope to get off wait list with at least some $$ (probably very optimistic/unrealistic?).

What about option C: Pay your seat deposit at T2 AND ride out the W/L with the hope of being offered some cash if you get off.

Yes... just want to avoid dropping the coin