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I'm wondering what T-14 schools generally offer fee waivers upon request? What has been a successful method for people on this board?

Namely, I'd like to expand my application pool from HYS + UVA to Chicago and a few others. I know they all have their own processes, but anyone have some specific experience with GULC, Penn, Berkeley or others?

For reference my numbers are 4.0/174. I wouldn't qualify for anything need-based. I've received a barrage of emails from lesser schools, but none I'd really consider.

MumofCad wrote:I'm wondering what T-14 schools generally offer fee waivers upon request? What has been a successful method for people on this board?

Namely, I'd like to expand my application pool from HYS + UVA to Chicago and a few others. I know they all have their own processes, but anyone have some specific experience with GULC, Penn, Berkeley or others?

For reference my numbers are 4.0/174. I wouldn't qualify for anything need-based. I've received a barrage of emails from lesser schools, but none I'd really consider.

I don't think GULC grants them but Penn definitely does merit based wavers. I think so does Berkeley.

Just send a polite email explaining your situation (graduation year, UGPA, LSAT, work experience), and your interest in the specific school in question, and then politely ask if you'd qualify for a merit-based fee way.

No need to be demur or indirect.

While my splitter-istic numbers precluded me from receiving too many fee waivers, I have a good friend with numbers somewhat worse than yours, who had great success with such an approach throughout the T14.

Just received this from Chicago:

"Thank you for your inquiry. Throughout the application cycle, our review committee will pull various statistical information from LSDAS and email some individuals a fee waiver based on those stats, but that is not something applicants can request. If you receive a waiver from us after applying, we will reimburse the fee. Aside from that if your fees are waived by LSAC, then our application fee is automatically waived."

oliver_h wrote:Just received this from Chicago:

"Thank you for your inquiry. Throughout the application cycle, our review committee will pull various statistical information from LSDAS and email some individuals a fee waiver based on those stats, but that is not something applicants can request. If you receive a waiver from us after applying, we will reimburse the fee. Aside from that if your fees are waived by LSAC, then our application fee is automatically waived."

Chicago should give him one....

oliver_h wrote:Just received this from Chicago:

"Thank you for your inquiry. Throughout the application cycle, our review committee will pull various statistical information from LSDAS and email some individuals a fee waiver based on those stats, but that is not something applicants can request. If you receive a waiver from us after applying, we will reimburse the fee. Aside from that if your fees are waived by LSAC, then our application fee is automatically waived."

Hmmmm....that's disappointing. Well, I guess I will wait and see whether they pull me. I assume, its still early.

Wait until after a school sends out its first wave of fee waivers through CRS before requesting one. There's really no reason to ask before then, and if your numbers are good you'll likely get one from them anyway without having to email.

sonervous88 wrote:

oliver_h wrote:Just received this from Chicago:

"Thank you for your inquiry. Throughout the application cycle, our review committee will pull various statistical information from LSDAS and email some individuals a fee waiver based on those stats, but that is not something applicants can request. If you receive a waiver from us after applying, we will reimburse the fee. Aside from that if your fees are waived by LSAC, then our application fee is automatically waived."

Chicago should give him one....

I'm 3.9/173

oliver_h wrote:

sonervous88 wrote:

oliver_h wrote:Just received this from Chicago:

"Thank you for your inquiry. Throughout the application cycle, our review committee will pull various statistical information from LSDAS and email some individuals a fee waiver based on those stats, but that is not something applicants can request. If you receive a waiver from us after applying, we will reimburse the fee. Aside from that if your fees are waived by LSAC, then our application fee is automatically waived."

Chicago should give him one....

I'm 3.9/173

you'll get one. i was 3.88/172

oliver_h wrote:

sonervous88 wrote:

oliver_h wrote:Just received this from Chicago:

"Thank you for your inquiry. Throughout the application cycle, our review committee will pull various statistical information from LSDAS and email some individuals a fee waiver based on those stats, but that is not something applicants can request. If you receive a waiver from us after applying, we will reimburse the fee. Aside from that if your fees are waived by LSAC, then our application fee is automatically waived."

Chicago should give him one....

I'm 3.9/173

They may not give them out yet... I've heard that UVA and perhaps GULC are the only schools that give out solicited merit-based fee waivers. If you look at last year's thread, the first Chicago one was given out on Sep 1 (I believe). Just hang in there and wait.

ETA: For example, just got this from Penn

"Thank you for your message and interest in Penn Law.

Merit-based fee waivers are made available through queries to the LSAC Candidate Referral Service (CRS) database automatically and in light of using various criteria; we do not grant them following individual requests.

For merit-based fee waiver consideration, please make sure you have opted-in for CRS LSAC's Candidate Referral Service; registered with the Credential Assembly Service; have at least one LSAT score on file; and have sent your most recent transcripts to LSAC."

Hawkeye Pierce wrote:

oliver_h wrote:

sonervous88 wrote:

oliver_h wrote:Just received this from Chicago:

"Thank you for your inquiry. Throughout the application cycle, our review committee will pull various statistical information from LSDAS and email some individuals a fee waiver based on those stats, but that is not something applicants can request. If you receive a waiver from us after applying, we will reimburse the fee. Aside from that if your fees are waived by LSAC, then our application fee is automatically waived."

Chicago should give him one....

I'm 3.9/173

They may not give them out yet... I've heard that UVA and perhaps GULC are the only schools that give out solicited merit-based fee waivers. If you look at last year's thread, the first Chicago one was given out on Sep 1 (I believe). Just hang in there and wait.

ETA: For example, just got this from Penn

"Thank you for your message and interest in Penn Law.

Merit-based fee waivers are made available through queries to the LSAC Candidate Referral Service (CRS) database automatically and in light of using various criteria; we do not grant them following individual requests.

For merit-based fee waiver consideration, please make sure you have opted-in for CRS LSAC's Candidate Referral Service; registered with the Credential Assembly Service; have at least one LSAT score on file; and have sent your most recent transcripts to LSAC."

Thanks! I think my problem is that its early and that I don't have a complete UGA transcript yet. I used a few AP credits from high school to opt-out of certain low-level classes. I had no idea LSAC would then require a transcript from some no name local CC that the credit apparently went through. They've had over 2 weeks now to send it in and nada. Very frustrating.

It's still July. Breathe.

MumofCad wrote:I'm wondering what T-14 schools generally offer fee waivers upon request? What has been a successful method for people on this board?

Namely, I'd like to expand my application pool from HYS + UVA to Chicago and a few others. I know they all have their own processes, but anyone have some specific experience with GULC, Penn, Berkeley or others?

For reference my numbers are 4.0/174. I wouldn't qualify for anything need-based. I've received a barrage of emails from lesser schools, but none I'd really consider.

GULC has sent fee waivers out to some applicants. Got one on July 6th.

Dany wrote:It's still July. Breathe.

Haha yes, yes.

BTW, to OP, Columbia emailed me back with:

"Thank you for your interest in Columbia Law School.

Should you satisfy the requirements for a merit-based fee waiver, you will be contacted by us directly via email."

So, again, the answer is to be patient!

Dany wrote:It's still July. Breathe.

Of course, but its good for planning purposes since some have extra essays and what not. But mainly for me, its critical to have everything in order and submitted ASAP in Sept because I have my doctoral defense in Dec and can't be dealing with applications in Oct-Nov-Dec. I wish it were otherwise. Guess I'll just suck up the cost and apply less broadly or in January to any stragglers that come up with late fee waivers.

Dany wrote:It's still July. Breathe.

So when do most schools send them out? August? September?

jsvaughn wrote:

Dany wrote:It's still July. Breathe.

So when do most schools send them out? August? September?

Just depends. You can see when particular schools sent them out here: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=122246

There's a thread-specific search function in the bottom left corner so you can just search for a school's name without having to read the whole thread.

MumofCad wrote:

Dany wrote:It's still July. Breathe.

Of course, but its good for planning purposes since some have extra essays and what not. But mainly for me, its critical to have everything in order and submitted ASAP in Sept because I have my doctoral defense in Dec and can't be dealing with applications in Oct-Nov-Dec. I wish it were otherwise. Guess I'll just suck up the cost and apply less broadly or in January to any stragglers that come up with late fee waivers.

Why can you not have everything 100% ready to go and then click submit when fee waivers come in? It takes less than one minute to submit an application. You're making this more complicated than it is.

Dany wrote:

MumofCad wrote:

Dany wrote:It's still July. Breathe.

Of course, but its good for planning purposes since some have extra essays and what not. But mainly for me, its critical to have everything in order and submitted ASAP in Sept because I have my doctoral defense in Dec and can't be dealing with applications in Oct-Nov-Dec. I wish it were otherwise. Guess I'll just suck up the cost and apply less broadly or in January to any stragglers that come up with late fee waivers.

Why can you not have everything 100% ready to go and then click submit when fee waivers come in? It takes less than one minute to submit an application. You're making this more complicated than it is.

Well I hope its as easy as you indicate. Since I've never done it before, I wouldn't personally know. Hence, asking questions on a forum from those who would. The LSAC site and repeated warnings not to send a targeted PS/LOR to the wrong school, make me believe its not so straightforward if done correctly. Might be misleading, but there are certainly issues of clarity on how the process plays out on LSAC's website for non-experts or the inexperienced.

Is there someplace where you can go to access the previous year's app? That way you could prepare any addendum or additional essays required by certain schools? Would love to be done with it all Sept 1 and have the easy point-click experience when I need it.

Many schools have applications from last year on their sites, and you can look at school-specific threads (like the Harvard Applicants 2010-2011 thread, for example) here for information about applications.