Vandy fee waiver with low score Forum

[Duckbuster]

I received a fee waiver a fee waiver from vandy but my LSAT is about 8 points lower than their median and gpa is 3.1 , I wasn't going to apply there because I didn't think I had a shot but do I have a shot since they sent me a fee waiver?

[Glock]

Do it. It is free.

[Opie]

Fee waivers mean nothing. I would apply anyway, but don't expect anything. They send those out so that they can be more "selective", or reject people in layman's terms.

[2014]

Unless you are a URM it is frankly a waste of 16 dollars. But to each their own.

[Duckbuster]

Well my grandmother on my mothers side is native american and my great grandparents on my fathers side are from Spain , therefore my last name is very Spanish, does any of this qualify me for minority status?

[PDaddy]

I received a fee waiver a fee waiver from vandy but my LSAT is about 8 points lower than their median and gpa is 3.1 , I wasn't going to apply there because I didn't think I had a shot but do I have a shot since they sent me a fee waiver?

The bad and the good here:

Just keep in mind that this is how the schools keep their selectivity ratings up. They send fee waivers to people who have little or no chance of admission to entice them to apply when they ordinarily would not. it gives the schools more applicants to deny, thus, raising their selectivity rating for the rankings. Applications are down over the past two years, so they will be employing this tactic even more in the near future.

Does this mean that you won't get in? Not necessarily. However, they have not read any of your essays and know nothing about your softs or LOR's, so they are presumably working off of your numbers, which you admit are well below their medians. If you are a URM, it's a little more complicated, and URM status could mean a slightly different ball game given that they may have a shortage of them. Your major and school might make a difference, as well. If you are 3.1 in Biology from Princeton with a 160, that's different from 3.1 from Cal State Fullerton in Sociology.

But take the opportunity to apply. it's free, and all they can do is say no. Milk it for all it's worth. Retake the LSAT if you can, maybe they will W/L you and your score improves enough to get you off the W/L. No matter what, this is a good opportunity for you. Just be cautiously optomistic about it and put your best foot forward. It is, after all, Vandy, and that name speaks loud and clear if you can get your JD from there.

Unless you are a URM it is frankly a waste of 16 dollars. But to each their own.

Frankly, I don't know how OP can "waste" $16 dollars on an application to one of the very best law schools and universities in the world - even with the prospect of getting rejected - if there's even a small chance that he might get in. If we can justify wasting $16 on things like drinks on Friday and Saturday nights, there's all the reason in the world to go for this!

Well my grandmother on my mothers side is native american and my great grandparents on my fathers side are from Spain , therefore my last name is very Spanish, does any of this qualify me for minority status?

If you haven't lived as a Native American, i.e. followed the traditions and teachings, etc., and have neither been a member of a recognized tribe nor have never been certified as eligible for the BIA benefits, don't claim you are Indian. I would not go down that road. In high school, I was recognized as benefits eligible in the state of Oregon, and I did not even take the benefits. I didn't even claim my Native-American status on applications. If you're not a tribe member and not otherwise a URM, it will reek of an attempt to benefit from the claim without living the life, and the schools could use it against you.

That's kind of a serious thing, because they are looking for real URM's who have come from hardship and impoverished backgrounds. Personally, I feel that poor whites (and those from other groups), if they can prove they are really really poor, should qualify as URM's.

[j12]

Unless you are a URM it is frankly a waste of 16 dollars. But to each their own.

[mrtoren]

You're giving LSAC $16 and letting Vandy claim to have a lower acceptance rate. Lose-lose.

[Glock]

If you haven't lived as a Native American, i.e. followed the traditions and teachings, etc., and have neither been a member of a recognized tribe nor have never been certified as eligible for the BIA benefits, don't claim you are Indian. I would not go down that road. In high school, I was recognized as benefits eligible in the state of Oregon, and I did not even take the benefits. I didn't even claim my Native-American status on applications. If you're not a tribe member and not otherwise a URM, it will reek of an attempt to benefit from the claim without living the life, and the schools could use it against you.

That's kind of a serious thing, because they are looking for real URM's who have come from hardship and impoverished backgrounds. Personally, I feel that poor whites (and those from other groups), if they can prove they are really really poor, should qualify as URM's.

The application does not ask if you are a member of a tribe. It asks if you are a Native American. There are tons of Native Americans who have little tribal connection who get an URM boost. Additionally, you could argue that non-enrolled Native Americans are some of the most underrepresented minorities there are. You may not get as big of a boost as somebody with a compelling reservation diversity statement, you should get something.

OP: ask for the school's definition of native american. If you quality, mark it and get a boost. I bet you do qualify.. 1/8 and 1/16 are common blood quantum numbers.