When to start requesting merit based fee waivers? Forum

[bdubs]

When do schools start accepting requests for merit based fee waivers? Does anyone know if LSDAS keeps track of requests or if schools can see who you have requested/received waivers from?

[jcd178]

Bump. Really wondering about your first question as well. I saw somewhere else that we should wait until September or something, but I don't see a good reason why we couldn't send the emails now.

[saito816]

Bump. Really wondering about your first question as well. I saw somewhere else that we should wait until September or something, but I don't see a good reason why we couldn't send the emails now.

Bump, I've also been wondering this

[slax]

Another friendly bump. I saw on the old fee waivers thread that people started sending stuff out around 20 Aug. Anyone have first hand experience with this?

[gokickrocks]

Bump. I would like to know the same.

[JJDancer]

sorry OP no help here but
bump!

[JakeL]

I've already started requesting and received about 10. Some schools say no, some yes, and some say check back in September.

[gorockies]

I've been wondering this too, but I also have another question. Should you include your numbers in the email or do they just look them up themselves?

[JakeL]

I include my lsat but not my gpa because my lsat is good and my gpa sucks.

[094320]

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[bdubs]

Jumped the gun a bit. Here are some of the responses I have recieved:

Columbia: Only through CRS
Chicago: Only through CRS
Penn: Only through CRS
Michigan: Through CRS but accepting e-mail requests starting in mid-Sept.
Duke: Only through CRS - Received through CRS 8/12
Northwestern: Only through CRS
Cornell: Only through CRS

Georgetown: Not with your numbers

UVA: granted me a fee waiver - Received through CRS 8/18
WUSTL: granted me a fee waiver

NYU: Only with LSAC fee waiver (i.e. demonstrated financial need)
UC Berkeley: Only with demonstrated financial need (including public service programs Americorps, Peace Corps etc...)
UT Austin: Only with demonstrated financial need
GWU: Only with demonstrated financial need (including TFA, Americorps, and Peace Corps)

[094320]

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[fragged]

I sent out about 7 emails yesterday and got replies ranging from "check back in sept" to "we only grant need-based"

I received one waiver, got the email back within about 10 minutes after sending it.

But I am a splitter, and one school told me merit waivers are based on GPA and LSAT. Felt that one below the belt...

[094320]

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[Kurt Cobain]

How do you get merit based fee waivers? Email the schools? Because I was denied any fee waivers on LSAC.

[fragged]

No, I'm a splitter. Sorry, I reversed them in my last post.

My LSAT is way above their 75th, but my GPA is below their 25th.

[bdubs]

How do you get merit based fee waivers? Email the schools?

I e-mailed the schools. Looks like almost everyone wants you to wait until September to do so though.

Because I was denied any fee waivers on LSAC.

The schools I listed as "Only with demonstrated financial need" will not give you a fee waiver unless you are currently in a public service program. FYI- This seems to be more common at public schools.

[JJDancer]

Not directly related but I just got a fee waiver from a T-14 and its also incidentally the first fee waiver I've gotten from a school I actually planned on applying to. Yay. Hopefully many more to come for us all