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So I'm relatively new to the game (took LSAT no-prep in Sept on a whim...scored 164, retaking in December, currently PTing between 169-173) - and I'm wondering about fee waivers.

I plan on submitting apps to most of the T14 in January (assuming December score comes back in my PT range), and I am wondering if I should just wait and see if I get sent more waivers after December scores come out, or if I should be emailing admissions at schools I'm particularly interested in about getting waivers ahead of time (ideally I'd submit all my apps the day or two after scores come out to get them on the top of the pile for the December/January wave).

I ask because I already got a non-solicited waiver from Michigan, but I'm more interested in UVA/Duke/Stanford/Berkeley/Columbia (and I definitely don't qualify for need-based waiver at Harvard).

So, would it look bad to send emails to some of those admissions groups with my current LSAT, GPA (>75% for all T14), and LSAC# stating that I'm retaking in December and asking if they have merit-based waivers/how I could apply for one?

Yeah, just e-mail them and ask. Don't mention you are retaking, though, because it leaves the door open for them to tell you to see if you get one after. I e-mail 4 schools (lsat>75, gpa<25) and UVA/Mich gave me one, Cornell/GULC told me to kick sand.

mrgstephe wrote:So I'm relatively new to the game (took LSAT no-prep in Sept on a whim...scored 164, retaking in December, currently PTing between 169-173) - and I'm wondering about fee waivers.

I plan on submitting apps to most of the T14 in January (assuming December score comes back in my PT range), and I am wondering if I should just wait and see if I get sent more waivers after December scores come out, or if I should be emailing admissions at schools I'm particularly interested in about getting waivers ahead of time (ideally I'd submit all my apps the day or two after scores come out to get them on the top of the pile for the December/January wave).

I ask because I already got a non-solicited waiver from Michigan, but I'm more interested in UVA/Duke/Stanford/Berkeley/Columbia (and I definitely don't qualify for need-based waiver at Harvard).

So, would it look bad to send emails to some of those admissions groups with my current LSAT, GPA (>75% for all T14), and LSAC# stating that I'm retaking in December and asking if they have merit-based waivers/how I could apply for one?

There's really no harm in asking for fee waivers, so I'd go ahead and do it. Even in the case that they say no, they might still send you one afterwards. That happened to me with a few T14 schools, including NYU and Columbia.