Negotiating "scholarship becomes loan if u leave/transfer"? Forum

[eupelia]

I've seen some discussions about negotiating GPA/ranking stipulations out of a scholarship offer, or negotiating a more lenient requirement...on a similar note...

Has anyone had experience with a scholarship offer that states that scholarships awarded become a loan if you transfer out of the school or do not graduate? Is that something that I should attempt to negotiate, and if so how do you spin that? "Oh, I might decide to use you for a full-ride for 1L and then transfer to the school I really want to go to, so please remove that clause" LOL I mean that's basically what they would be hearing if you object to that clause? But I personally just feel like I'm painting myself into a corner and I can't know what life will bring...

There is also a stipulation that I must take the California bar before any other bar...why do they care? Does anyone know about that?

I've just never seen these types of terms and I'm a little nervous about what's behind them and what they mean for me.

[tesoro]

I've seen some discussions about negotiating GPA/ranking stipulations out of a scholarship offer, or negotiating a more lenient requirement...on a similar note...

Has anyone had experience with a scholarship offer that states that scholarships awarded become a loan if you transfer out of the school or do not graduate? Is that something that I should attempt to negotiate, and if so how do you spin that? "Oh, I might decide to use you for a full-ride for 1L and then transfer to the school I really want to go to, so please remove that clause" LOL I mean that's basically what they would be hearing if you object to that clause? But I personally just feel like I'm painting myself into a corner and I can't know what life will bring...

There is also a stipulation that I must take the California bar before any other bar...why do they care? Does anyone know about that?

I've just never seen these types of terms and I'm a little nervous about what's behind them and what they mean for me.

I think they expect you perform quite well, so in exchange for a free education they want you to improve their USNWR ranks. So they want you to graduate from their school, be employed from their school, and pass the CA bar so they can up their bar passage rate.

I've never heard of this stip before, and have no advice w.r.t. negotiating your way out of it. Hope this helps at least a little though.

[Great Satchmo]

I've seen some discussions about negotiating GPA/ranking stipulations out of a scholarship offer, or negotiating a more lenient requirement...on a similar note...

Has anyone had experience with a scholarship offer that states that scholarships awarded become a loan if you transfer out of the school or do not graduate? Is that something that I should attempt to negotiate, and if so how do you spin that? "Oh, I might decide to use you for a full-ride for 1L and then transfer to the school I really want to go to, so please remove that clause" LOL I mean that's basically what they would be hearing if you object to that clause? But I personally just feel like I'm painting myself into a corner and I can't know what life will bring...

There is also a stipulation that I must take the California bar before any other bar...why do they care? Does anyone know about that?

I've just never seen these types of terms and I'm a little nervous about what's behind them and what they mean for me.

Is this California Western?

You'll have to get creative on a reason to ask them to remove the stipulation for turning it into a loan if you leave the school for any reason. However, anything I can think about doesn't seem to be an attractive thing to say to the school.

[mrm2083]

That sounds like some kind of scam to me and I can't believe a school would do that. What if you fail out? They will throw a bill your way? If that is the case I would run away from that school as fast as possible.

[Unitas]

Also, I believe you said it decreased after the first year to half.. This really seems like a scam...

[remotelyfeasible]

This school sounds like it sucks, just for putting these terms into a scholarship. I can understand their motives, but no decent school would write these types of terms.

As if normal GPA cutoffs/assigning scholarship kids to a section isn't bad enough...

[bigben]

HAHA wow that is really low.

To negotiate just tell them you have no idea what might happen in the future. Maybe you won't be able to finish law school for some reason. Maybe you will have to move unexpectedly for some reason, and maybe that involves a transfer. Just say you feel it would be ridiculous to have that hanging over your head, so you won't come unless they remove the stipulation.

There is a legal question as to whether this clause would really be enforceable in the event that you did leave, and how much trouble it would be for them to enforce it. You should of course assume that it is enforceable, but nonetheless I think there would be some question.

[Mr. Matlock]

The "you must take the CA bar before any others" is laughable!!

[OmbreGracieuse]

I've seen some discussions about negotiating GPA/ranking stipulations out of a scholarship offer, or negotiating a more lenient requirement...on a similar note...

Has anyone had experience with a scholarship offer that states that scholarships awarded become a loan if you transfer out of the school or do not graduate? Is that something that I should attempt to negotiate, and if so how do you spin that? "Oh, I might decide to use you for a full-ride for 1L and then transfer to the school I really want to go to, so please remove that clause" LOL I mean that's basically what they would be hearing if you object to that clause? But I personally just feel like I'm painting myself into a corner and I can't know what life will bring...

There is also a stipulation that I must take the California bar before any other bar...why do they care? Does anyone know about that?

I've just never seen these types of terms and I'm a little nervous about what's behind them and what they mean for me.

My academic UG scholarship is like that. If I wanted to transfer somewhere else before finishing up with my BA I could, but it would turn to money I have to pay back. My UG probably wanted me for my grades though (I had a really decent ACT score); I wouldn't be worried about it. I am sure if something truly pressing (cancer, death, ect) came up that would cause you to have to leave, they'd accept it.

I think the CA bar thing is just to help with school rankings. I think most schools want you to take it where they are; they can show off numbers then!

If they are offering you a full ride, btw, congrats!

[eupelia]

Yes, I'm a little concerned about their "scholarship converts to loan" cloud looming over my head so that I allow them to micromanage my life to the point of forcing me to take the CA bar first...I may not want to practice in California.

And yes, it's California Western, how did you know that? Have you heard of similar cases?

They have added in the requirement that I stay in the top 20% of my class to keep the 1/2 scholarship each trimester. If I don't, then I can keep a quarter scholarship if I stay in the top 22%. Seems harsh.

Penn State has offered 20K per year, if I stay in the top half of my class, but no rules if I transfer or leave -- much less invasive. Then again you can't really compare other schools to Penn State, who has such an AMAZING admissions team that I feel like they are family from how helpful and responsive they've been...I appreciated it so much that after I had the acceptance letter and scholarship offer, I wrote a letter to their admissions office, thanking them for their empathy, sincerity, concern, responsiveness and encouragement. They are like the Disney World of admissions offices, I swear. If I went there, I would never ever transfer out because I'd feel like a TRAITOR! =)

[minuit]

All those stipulations are ridic! Top 20% to keep half scholly? Go to Penn State!

[violinst]

The truth is, you shouldn't go to that school.