2015-2016 Fee Waivers Forum

[lymenheimer]

In a general sense, where does your LSAT score need to be in order to successfully solicit fee waivers? Around the 50th? 75th? 25th?

I've received one unsolicited waiver so far and my score was at their 25th, but GPA above 50th.

Is there any rhyme or reason? Does someone in the 165-170 range have any shot at soliciting waivers for T14?

Considering someone in the 165-170 range (granted, on the higher end) is at or above median for many schools in the T14, yes they do have a chance.

[woodchuck78]

In a general sense, where does your LSAT score need to be in order to successfully solicit fee waivers? Around the 50th? 75th? 25th?

I've received one unsolicited waiver so far and my score was at their 25th, but GPA above 50th.

Is there any rhyme or reason? Does someone in the 165-170 range have any shot at soliciting waivers for T14?

Ask away! It never hurts to ask. I was surprised by some of the fee waivers I received. The worst that they'll say is no!

[Cochran]

Do fee waivers correlate at all with a school's actual interest in a candidate? I have been surprised by the amount of fee waivers I've received, many from schools that are super reaches. Does this mean that the school actually wants me or do they just do this to everyone?

[gastronomy]

.

[KMart]

In a general sense, where does your LSAT score need to be in order to successfully solicit fee waivers? Around the 50th? 75th? 25th?

I've received one unsolicited waiver so far and my score was at their 25th, but GPA above 50th.

Is there any rhyme or reason? Does someone in the 165-170 range have any shot at soliciting waivers for T14?

Yes there's a good shot. Fee waivers are good for the school: more applications looks good and it can keep admissions percentages lower. So they're pretty generous. The worst thing that they can say is no. I'd solicit any school for one (there's a select few who don't offer merit-based waivers so obviously there's no point to trying there, although I solicited Chicago last year and then the next day, after rejecting my solicitation, they gave me a waiver).

[Cochran]

Do fee waivers correlate at all with a school's actual interest in a candidate? I have been surprised by the amount of fee waivers I've received, many from schools that are super reaches. Does this mean that the school actually wants me or do they just do this to everyone?

I don't think they necessarily correlate. Particular schools might request that the CRS grant merit-based fee waivers to applicants who meet a certain LSAT or GPA range they're looking for. There's also speculation that fee waivers are distributed to candidates who would not otherwise have the likelihood of acceptance to a higher ranked school in order for the school to try and boost its selectivity on the U.S. News rankings.

Damn, and these waivers had me feeling myself for a minute lol. Thanks tho, that's kinda what I was thinking

[seagan823]

I am wondering if I should apply for need-based fee waivers at T14 schools. I am currently working in AmeriCorps so I know that my income would allow me to qualify for it. The only problem is that I have a decent amount of money saved (for someone just out of college). That money could easily be used to pay the fee. Are the need-based waivers only given out in cases of extreme need?

A lot of schools offer automatic waivers for americorps/tfa... check the faq section of the websites of the schools you're looking at, or call admissions.

I completed AmeriCorps and was able to get fee waivers from Boalt, Chicago and UVA through solicitation. They have information on their website about how to do so. The waivers aren't need based, they are granted because of your service. I know NYU and Georgetown offer TFA members and alums waivers, so I am going to try to see if they will stretch the rules to any AmeriCorps service. I will let you know what I find.

Georgetown gave me a waiver, don't know it was because of my scores or my service as I included both. NYU didn't bite. All told, using both AmeriCorps service and LSAC numbers to solicit fee waivers, I ended up with every t-14 minus HYS, Columbia and NYU. Unfortunately NYU and Columbia are in my personal top 5. Not looking forward to those $85 fees.

[RZ5646]

Do fee waivers correlate at all with a school's actual interest in a candidate? I have been surprised by the amount of fee waivers I've received, many from schools that are super reaches. Does this mean that the school actually wants me or do they just do this to everyone?

Because so many people get waivers despite having numbers way below the medians, I'd say there isn't much of a connection. One could even argue that the schools have a greater incentive to give waivers to people with low numbers because applicants with adequate numbers will apply to their target schools even without a waiver, but low numbers people might think the school is too much of a longshot and not want to waste money.

Just need Columbia now...

[lenalou722]

Wanted to add that randomly enough, I noticed that I received a hidden fee waiver from Northwestern, but the first time I took the LSAT was on December 5. So for December 5 LSAT takers, there is hope of having fee waiver prior to the release of scores.

[newrad]

Just signed up for CRS today. Didn't realized that I forgot to the first time.

How long should I wait for T14 fee waivers to come in before soliciting?

[RZ5646]

Just signed up for CRS today. Didn't realized that I forgot to the first time.

How long should I wait for T14 fee waivers to come in before soliciting?

Might as well solicit now. If they only give waivers based on CRS, they'll just tell you to wait, so you don't really have anything to lose.

[newrad]

Just signed up for CRS today. Didn't realized that I forgot to the first time.

How long should I wait for T14 fee waivers to come in before soliciting?

Might as well solicit now. If they only give waivers based on CRS, they'll just tell you to wait, so you don't really have anything to lose.

Thanks. When a website says that they send out CRS merit waivers "periodically throughout the application cycle," does anyone know how frequently that tends to be?

[YoungSimba]

.

[lawyersHATEhim]

FYI on waivers.
169 3.5 GPA
Unsolicited:
Duke PT median LSAT
Vandy 75th LSAT
Penn median LSAT
Northwestern 75th LSAT
UCLA 75th LSAT

I requested waivers from Georgetown, UVA, and Cornell yesterday, and UVA/ Georgetown have already granted them.

It never hurts to ask!

[newrad]

Received unsolicited UPenn & Cornell today.

[RZ5646]

Come on, Columbia....

[newrad]

NYU, Chicago, and Duke were sent out today. Still waiting on Columbia, too.

[GreekOmega12]

NYU, Chicago, and Duke were sent out today. Still waiting on Columbia, too.

GULC too.

[bezmialem]

Unsolicited:
Michigan
Emory
Chicago
NYU
Vanderbilt
Cornell
Duke PT

Solicited:
UVA
GULC
GW
WUSTL

Denied waiver by Northwestern, Penn, and Fordham

[sjp200]

UVA, NW, Vandy, WashU, USC in today

Trying to solicit UCLA and GULC atm

[YoungSimba]

Post removed.

[newrad]

Still nothing from Columbia

[MelliferousY]

I sent out two emails yesterday. No response. Bad sign?

[GreekOmega12]

Just got Texas

[RZ5646]

I sent out two emails yesterday. No response. Bad sign?

AFAIK, there are only a few T14s that actually give waivers on request. Most use CRS only and will or will not send you some standard message to that effect.