Super Early vs Fee Waivers Forum

[iphone7]

So I'm planning on applying to all of the t-14 and a couple safeties. I have a 3.87/169 and I'm wondering if it's worth it to have all of my applications sent out by September 2nd and not get the fee waivers (that I've seen on other threads tend to come mid-late September) or wait until fee waivers come. I'd like to save the money but if applying by Sept 2 instead of a little later can give me a real boost then I want to do it. What do you all think is the best choice? Thanks.

[ihhwap1]

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[sarahlawg]

I personally don't think there's anything that getting your app out by sept 2nd will do for you that getting it out by nov 1st won't. That's my opinion, though. Make sure you check hidden fee waivers! You may also ask the school for waivers if you think you're likely to get one later in the cycle.

[Hawkeye Pierce]

Applying Sep 1 versus in Oct (before Halloween) will most likely not affect your chances at all... I'm going to wait for fee waivers from the top 10 before I apply. If they don't come by mid-October, then I'll just send out apps.

[dkt4]

wait for the fee waivers.

[Dany]

Absolutely wait for the waivers. Have all apps ready to go, and submit them once you hear about a fee waiver. I sent out all my applications Oct. 31-Nov. 5 and was in the first batch of decisions for nearly every school.

As for how long to wait, I'd monitor the fee waiver tracking thread, and if you don't get a waiver in a school's first CRS wave, email them and ask for one, get a response, then apply.

[Real Madrid]

I just started mass emailing this afternoon. We'll see how it goes.

[WestOfTheRest]

I just started mass emailing this afternoon. We'll see how it goes.

Mass emailing what?

[Emma.]

Wait for the waivers or be proactive and ask for them. Any time in September is still very early for apps and won't make a meaningful difference, but might save you hundreds of dollars.

[dabbadon8]

I made the mistake of applying sep. first and not waiting for fee waivers. That said I did email requesting them and received them for half my apps. I probably could have saved at least 100-200 by waiting on certain schools. I should have waited a little longer for them.

[Real Madrid]

Mass emailing schools asking them for waivers.

[094320]

..

[iphone7]

Cool. Thanks everyone. Now I'm planning on emailing schools asking and then seeing where I am from there. What schools should I expect (and not expect) fee waivers from w/ my numbers?

[Dany]

Cool. Thanks everyone. Now I'm planning on emailing schools asking and then seeing where I am from there. What schools should I expect (and not expect) fee waivers from w/ my numbers?

Fee waivers are pretty hit or miss, and it's rarely a case of "GPA>X; LSAT>Y = fee waiver" so it's tough to say.

You can browse through this thread from last year to see what number combinations got certain waivers. 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 thing.

[iphone7]

Cool. Thanks everyone. Now I'm planning on emailing schools asking and then seeing where I am from there. What schools should I expect (and not expect) fee waivers from w/ my numbers?

Fee waivers are pretty hit or miss, and it's rarely a case of "GPA>X; LSAT>Y = fee waiver" so it's tough to say.

You can browse through this thread from last year to see what number combinations got certain waivers. 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 thing.

Thanks Dany, that thread was very helpful. It seemed like most waivers for the schools where I am going to apply are sent by mid-September. So now my plan is in late August to email schools about fee waivers. Then, to apply on September First to ones that don't have waivers (YHSB), and the ones who have responded to my email with a fee waiver. Then, I'll wait until I get a fee waiver from other schools, but send in all applications on September 20 whether or not I have received a waiver.

[ihhwap1]

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[Dany]

So now my plan is in late August to email schools about fee waivers. Then, to apply on September First to ones that don't have waivers (YHSB), and the ones who have responded to my email with a fee waiver. Then, I'll wait until I get a fee waiver from other schools, but send in all applications on September 20 whether or not I have received a waiver.

If you have the money to spend on applications it's not a huge deal, but I would wait for schools to send out CRS waivers before applying even if they aren't there by September 20. All applications before Halloween are very early, and it was definitely worth it to me to wait and save money. September and October applicants were often grouped together for decision batches (sometimes with early November applicants.)

[bmore]

Cornell sent me a gift card refund after I applied so if they plan on giving you a fee waiver, you can just go ahead and apply early.

[lawyerwannabe]

Almost a numbers twin.

I got waivers from NYU, Penn, Michigan, Virginia, Duke, Northwestern, and Cornell.

Harvard, Columbia, and Berkeley sent me e-mails urging me to apply (but no waivers).

Strangely, did not hear a peep from Georgetown (and, not strangely, nothing from Yale, Stanford, or Chicago).

[iphone7]

Almost a numbers twin.

I got waivers from NYU, Penn, Michigan, Virginia, Duke, Northwestern, and Cornell.

Harvard, Columbia, and Berkeley sent me e-mails urging me to apply (but no waivers).

Strangely, did not hear a peep from Georgetown (and, not strangely, nothing from Yale, Stanford, or Chicago).

That's encouraging. Do you remember when you received those?

[lawyerwannabe]

Almost a numbers twin.

I got waivers from NYU, Penn, Michigan, Virginia, Duke, Northwestern, and Cornell.

Harvard, Columbia, and Berkeley sent me e-mails urging me to apply (but no waivers).

Strangely, did not hear a peep from Georgetown (and, not strangely, nothing from Yale, Stanford, or Chicago).

That's encouraging. Do you remember when you received those?

I applied right before Thanksgiving, so sometime before then. I do not remember exactly when I received any of them.

[freestallion]

Question: How do you go about finding 'hidden' fee waivers? This confuses me..

[lawyerwannabe]

I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure you act like you are submitting your application. When you arrive at the payment page, if you have a hidden fee waiver, you will know because only the LSAC fee will be asked for, not the school's application fee.

[annyong]

Question: How do you go about finding 'hidden' fee waivers? This confuses me..

This is a really good walkthrough: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=129078

[sarahlawg]

Almost a numbers twin.

I got waivers from NYU, Penn, Michigan, Virginia, Duke, Northwestern, and Cornell.

Harvard, Columbia, and Berkeley sent me e-mails urging me to apply (but no waivers).

Strangely, did not hear a peep from Georgetown (and, not strangely, nothing from Yale, Stanford, or Chicago).

That's encouraging. Do you remember when you received those?

I applied right before Thanksgiving, so sometime before then. I do not remember exactly when I received any of them.

I looked through my email (man I really need to clean that out..) and mine from those schools came mostly 11/1, but I took the Oct test, so I'm not sure if that's why.