Reject Offer, Apply again next year for $$? Forum

[chrislee012]

So i understand it is a bit late to apply this cycle. However, i will be sending my apps in tomorrow. My question is, if i end up being accepted at my safety school and rejected at my target school, would my safety school be okay with me rejecting their acceptance and for me to apply earlier next cycle in hopes of more money and the chance of getting into my target? Advice is greatly appreciated.. Thank you.

[TripTrip]

So i understand it is a bit late to apply this cycle. However, i will be sending my apps in tomorrow. My question is, if i end up being accepted at my safety school and rejected at my target school, would my safety school be okay with me rejecting their acceptance and for me to apply earlier next cycle in hopes of more money and the chance of getting into my target? Advice is greatly appreciated.. Thank you.

What is the point in applying to a safety school if you're not going to matriculate even if they're the only ones who accept you?

[bailey8078]

Did this last year. Epic waste of money, and you piss off the safety (did not receive fee waivers this year from either I got money at last year).

If you're going to retake, retake.

If you think you have the numbers apply this year. People still get in. But only apply places you'd be happy to go.

[wtrc]

I don't really understand, is the only purpose you are applying to this safety because you might get in at the target and then can negotiate scholarships better? If not, then what is it? I'm used to safeties being there in case you don't get in anywhere else....

[chrislee012]

im doing this because it seems pretty late in this cycle, and i feel as though if i had applied earlier it would make my odds better. i really want to go to my target and i understand applying twice to a law school is not penalizing, so i figure why not try this cycle as well? i can't retake because i've taken the lsat 3 times already. i just figure next cycle i can apply super early to up my odds and include my senior year grades which bump my gpa up a few points. thanks for the input everyone.

[doing_it_in_a_car]

Applying twice to certain law schools may be penalizing.

https://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/jd ... hp#process
Q. I applied to Penn Law last year and was denied admission. I would like to reapply this year. What materials do I need to submit with my new application?
Applicants who are denied admission may reapply to Penn Law in a subsequent year. It should be noted, however, that candidates are unlikely to be admitted unless there is some significant change since their previous application. Previous applicants who wish to reapply must:

Submit the current application, an updated résumé, and a new personal statement
Submit the $80.00 application fee
Register with the Credential Assembly Service if registration is no longer current, and pay for additional reports
Send updated transcripts to LSAC for all academic work—undergraduate, graduate, and/or professional—completed since your last application
While not required, we strongly suggest that an applicant submit two new letters of recommendation to replace or supplement previously submitted letters

[oaken]

Applying twice to certain law schools may be penalizing.

https://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/jd ... hp#process
Q. I applied to Penn Law last year and was denied admission. I would like to reapply this year. What materials do I need to submit with my new application?
Applicants who are denied admission may reapply to Penn Law in a subsequent year. It should be noted, however, that candidates are unlikely to be admitted unless there is some significant change since their previous application. Previous applicants who wish to reapply must:

Submit the current application, an updated résumé, and a new personal statement
Submit the $80.00 application fee
Register with the Credential Assembly Service if registration is no longer current, and pay for additional reports
Send updated transcripts to LSAC for all academic work—undergraduate, graduate, and/or professional—completed since your last application
While not required, we strongly suggest that an applicant submit two new letters of recommendation to replace or supplement previously submitted letters

Well that doesn't exactly say applying twice can be penalizing, just that you're not likely to get accepted if you've already been denied unless something significant has changed, which I'm sure anyone could guess is the case anyway.

Applying twice can pay off too. I applied to Georgetown mid-November last year and mid-November this year, same numbers, only a year of WE difference. Last year I was waitlisted after four months and an interview. This year I was accepted in less than a month. Still waiting to see how it plays out with other schools, but I've at least got one success story from re-applying.

[chrislee012]

thank you for the wonderful responses everyone. you guys have been very helpful. a question i still am wondering is, if i get accepted to my safety, turn down, and apply again next year, will they accept me again or have some kind of bias against me for turning them down? I just want to make sure i have a law school to attend, although i want to try to apply to my target this year and next year earlier in the cycle in case i dont get in and to up my odds. Thanks again for the continued input.

[mg7]

thank you for the wonderful responses everyone. you guys have been very helpful. a question i still am wondering is, if i get accepted to my safety, turn down, and apply again next year, will they accept me again or have some kind of bias against me for turning them down? I just want to make sure i have a law school to attend, although i want to try to apply to my target this year and next year earlier in the cycle in case i dont get in and to up my odds. Thanks again for the continued input.

Just apply to both if you think you have the numbers, and if you get into the safety and rejected at the target, why not work your ass off and try transferring to the target?

[oaken]

thank you for the wonderful responses everyone. you guys have been very helpful. a question i still am wondering is, if i get accepted to my safety, turn down, and apply again next year, will they accept me again or have some kind of bias against me for turning them down? I just want to make sure i have a law school to attend, although i want to try to apply to my target this year and next year earlier in the cycle in case i dont get in and to up my odds. Thanks again for the continued input.

Just apply to both if you think you have the numbers, and if you get into the safety and rejected at the target, why not work your ass off and try transferring to the target?

Uh

[BigZuck]

No such thing as a "safety," you don't have to go to law school. Only apply to schools you would be happy to graduate from (and are objectively good choices given cost, location, job prospects, etc.) and schools you plan to use scholarships from as leverage. Don't apply to some TTTT as a safety just so you have somewhere to go, that's a recipe for disaster.

[North]

Just apply to both if you think you have the numbers, and if you get into the safety and rejected at the target, why not work your ass off and try transferring to the target?

Because that's a terrible idea. Also:

No such thing as a "safety," you don't have to go to law school. Only apply to schools you would be happy to graduate from (and are objectively good choices given cost, location, job prospects, etc.) and schools you plan to use scholarships from as leverage. Don't apply to some TTTT as a safety just so you have somewhere to go, that's a recipe for disaster.

[mg7]

Just apply to both if you think you have the numbers, and if you get into the safety and rejected at the target, why not work your ass off and try transferring to the target?

Because that's a terrible idea. Also:

No such thing as a "safety," you don't have to go to law school. Only apply to schools you would be happy to graduate from (and are objectively good choices given cost, location, job prospects, etc.) and schools you plan to use scholarships from as leverage. Don't apply to some TTTT as a safety just so you have somewhere to go, that's a recipe for disaster.

I was giving that advice under the assumption that OP wouldn't apply to a TTT as his safety just to have somewhere to go. I assumed it was a school that OP would be happy to go to but not as happy as his target, so why is that a terrible idea? If he'll be happy at either one but happier at his target, there is no harm in going to his "safety" if he gets rejected from the target and trying to transfer later, which is what I thought the entire point of a safety school was.

[dingbat]

thank you for the wonderful responses everyone. you guys have been very helpful. a question i still am wondering is, if i get accepted to my safety, turn down, and apply again next year, will they accept me again or have some kind of bias against me for turning them down? I just want to make sure i have a law school to attend, although i want to try to apply to my target this year and next year earlier in the cycle in case i dont get in and to up my odds. Thanks again for the continued input.

If I were an adcom, I would probably assume you have no interest in attending and would ding you to protect the yield.

(unless there's a clear reason why this year would be different from last year - e.g. if you withdrew because a parent died)