Columbia fee waiver - wtf? Forum

Troianii · Post by **Troianii** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 4:29 pm

So I didn't do what is TLS par on the LSAT - I got a 158, no real studying. That was on the June LSAT, and I just got a an unsolicited Columbia fee waiver based on my performance on the LSAT.... wtf? Really, does anyone with a 158 regardless of GPA even have a chance at Columbia? I mean I don't have a strong gpa, but I'm just looking at this wondering why the hell I got a fee waiver

I mean I'll probably still apply since it's free, but I give myself a 1 in 1000 chance of getting in - I don't have a strong gpa, and am bewildered that Columbia would even give me an LSAT based fee waiver. Whay is this, an attempt to lower their acceptance rate?

Mack.Hambleton · Post by **Mack.Hambleton** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 4:39 pm

They send these out so they can reject people which increases their selectivity and helps them with rankings

Also it's not free, lsac fee is still 25 bucks or whatever they've raised it to now

ihenry · Post by **ihenry** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 4:46 pm

Mack.Hambleton wrote:They send these out so they can reject people which increases their selectivity and helps them with rankings

Also it's not free, lsac fee is still 25 bucks or whatever they've raised it to now

LSAC is the biggest winner

seashell.economy · Post by **seashell.economy** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 4:48 pm

Troianii · Post by **Troianii** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 5:19 pm

seashell.economy wrote:ugh fuck Columbia. Playing on people's heartstrings

I don't even care about the heartstrings, I know my chances (somewhere between "A tiny hair over none" and "none"), I'm just feeling like I'm being used by then to boost their selectivity.

BrazilBandit · Post by **BrazilBandit** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 5:27 pm

look on the positive side - Free application when you retake.

Troianii · Post by **Troianii** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 5:29 pm

seashell.economy wrote:ugh fuck Columbia. Playing on people's heartstrings

I don't even care about the heartstrings, I know my chances (somewhere between "A tiny hair over none" and "none"), I'm just feeling like I'm being used by then to boost their selectivity.

somethingElse · Post by **somethingElse** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 5:31 pm

Post removed...

Troianii · Post by **Troianii** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 5:31 pm

BrazilBandit wrote:look on the positive side - Free application when you retake.

Haha, that's a great positive way to look at it! Unfortunately, I will probably retake but it may well be too late - February. I have a busy schedule the next two months that wouldn't give me time to adequately prep for December.

Mack.Hambleton · Post by **Mack.Hambleton** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 8:08 pm

seashell.economy wrote:ugh fuck Columbia. Playing on people's heartstrings

Lots of schools do this HYS send out emails like this too (minus the waiver)

siesek · Post by **siesek** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 5:24 pm

holy smokes

Do they do this across the board? I got one of these, but I scored in the 170s...

Mack.Hambleton · Post by **Mack.Hambleton** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 5:25 pm

siesek wrote:holy smokes

Do they do this across the board? I got one of these, but I scored in the 170s...

Yes

siesek · Post by **siesek** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 5:28 pm

for fucks sake

do they bottom out at any score?

tvu · Post by **tvu** » Sun Nov 01, 2015 7:27 pm

Post removed...

Tiny123 · Post by **Tiny123** » Sun Nov 01, 2015 10:03 pm

Mack.Hambleton wrote:They send these out so they can reject people which increases their selectivity and helps them with rankings

Also it's not free, lsac fee is still 25 bucks or whatever they've raised it to now

I think is 30 year year, Lsat is making way too much

Troianii · Post by **Troianii** » Mon Nov 02, 2015 4:19 am

tvu wrote:
Troianii wrote:So I didn't do what is TLS par on the LSAT - I got a 158, no real studying. That was on the June LSAT, and I just got a an unsolicited Columbia fee waiver based on my performance on the LSAT.... wtf? Really, does anyone with a 158 regardless of GPA even have a chance at Columbia? I mean I don't have a strong gpa, but I'm just looking at this wondering why the hell I got a fee waiver

I mean I'll probably still apply since it's free, but I give myself a 1 in 1000 chance of getting in - I don't have a strong gpa, and am bewildered that Columbia would even give me an LSAT based fee waiver. Whay is this, an attempt to lower their acceptance rate?

Are you a URM?

"mixed"

tvu · Post by **tvu** » Mon Nov 02, 2015 9:31 am

Post removed...

Troianii · Post by **Troianii** » Mon Nov 02, 2015 11:43 am

tvu wrote:
Troianii wrote:
tvu wrote:
Troianii wrote:So I didn't do what is TLS par on the LSAT - I got a 158, no real studying. That was on the June LSAT, and I just got a an unsolicited Columbia fee waiver based on my performance on the LSAT.... wtf? Really, does anyone with a 158 regardless of GPA even have a chance at Columbia? I mean I don't have a strong gpa, but I'm just looking at this wondering why the hell I got a fee waiver

I mean I'll probably still apply since it's free, but I give myself a 1 in 1000 chance of getting in - I don't have a strong gpa, and am bewildered that Columbia would even give me an LSAT based fee waiver. Whay is this, an attempt to lower their acceptance rate?

Are you a URM?
"mixed"
Then, I don't think you are definitely gearing up for a rejection (especially if you're mixed with black which = full black). Columbia is known to really like minorities, just as anecdotal evidence (so take it with 2 grains of salt), two of my (black) friends got in last year with a 159 and the other with a 161. They both had relatively strong GPAs (3.8, 3.9 respectively) and work experience. So Columbia just probably has an LSAT cutoff, might be lower for minorities and then they just look at the whole application in order to make a decisions. Don't get your hopes up, but you never know. Are you retaking the LSATs? (A few points would make a huge difference.)

Yeah, mixed NA/white, so basically "white" as far as most adcoms are concerned, at least based on what I've heard. I've read that NA actually gives the biggest boost (I've even heard it's about the equivalent of a 10pt LSAT boost, but I expect that's exaggerated), but since I'm not enrolled (and not elligible for enrollment) I think most adcoms will be somewhat dismissive of it.

I plan on retaking the LSAT, but in February. I just don't have the time to study for the December LSAT for it to even make sense taking the time to retake, and I know that the February LSAT will probably not be any help, so it'll basically be a backup in case I decide to re-apply in a year.