Take binding scholly @ state school OR hold out for WL Forum

[onecallthats all]

Okay guys, I seriously need some help here. And I know that there will be many out there who will suggest to retake and re-apply next cycle, trust me I am playing that scenario over and over in my head. So that is definitely an option, if you feel I should take that route, let me know.

I am non-URM, male, veteran, with a 161/3.6. Worked at law firm for the past 18 months, have a congressional internship, paralegal in the army, so my softs are decent (but so are everybody elses). Also, I would love to continue living in Utah after graduating.

I was waaaayy too ambitious this cycle and applied to a bunch of schools I had no business applying to. I wasted a ton of money and am unfortunately on 8 WL currently. This is my current predicament.

I am from Utah and have received a 60-80% scholly at my local state school (U of U). They place very well in Utah, but is definitely not the school to go to if you have BigLaw aspirations. Their scholarship unfortunately is binding. So if I put down a seat deposit, then I am required as part of the contract to withdraw from all other schools and all other waitlists. I am currently on some WL that I would really reeeeeeally like to get off of. PWL at GULC, WL at NDLS, WL at Emory and WL at my the other Utah LS, BYU. Here is the killer part.... the seat deposit deadline for the Utah Schooly is April 7th. They will not push the deposti deadline back, I spoke to the Dean of Admissions in person and they will not budge.

So the question is... do I fully commit and deposit at Utah and give up on all other WL? Or do I forgo the Utah scholly, and hold out with a hope and prayer that I get off the WL at these schools that I would MUCH rather go to.

Please... help me out here! I need an objective opinion.

[Mikey]

you said U of Utah isn't the best place to go if you have biglaw aspirations. Is biglaw what you want?

[guynourmin]

you said U of Utah isn't the best place to go if you have biglaw aspirations. Is biglaw what you want?

also said wanted to stay in Utah, so confused about this: is there much biglaw in Utah?

[Mikey]

you said U of Utah isn't the best place to go if you have biglaw aspirations. Is biglaw what you want?

also said wanted to stay in Utah, so confused about this: is there much biglaw in Utah?

not really sure. that's why I'm kinda confused as well

[Specter1389]

As a veteran do you have 100% of the Post 9-11 GI Bill? If so, you don't really need that scholarship anyway.

[onecallthats all]

you said U of Utah isn't the best place to go if you have biglaw aspirations. Is biglaw what you want?

also said wanted to stay in Utah, so confused about this: is there much biglaw in Utah?

There is BigLaw per se, and then there is "Utah BigLaw" (or as big as law gets in a state of 3 million people), similar to how many consider Raleigh to have a "Raleigh BigLaw" market.

[onecallthats all]

As a veteran do you have 100% of the Post 9-11 GI Bill? If so, you don't really need that scholarship anyway.

I am a Reservist (have not deployed yet) and only qualify for Montgomery Reserve GI Bill which only gives a meager monthly payment. I wish I was former active duty or had been deployed and could have qualified for more $$$!

[floatie]

If you're on waitlists, that means if you get in, you're getting in (most likely) with no money, and NONE of those schools you're waiting at are worth sticker price. If the overall COA at Utah is worth it (as in, not six digits) then take the money. Otherwise, retake and apply again next cycle.

[degreeplease]

Dude!! I'm in the exact same boat. I got a 60% scholly at The U, which is in state for me. It was my fall back, but they got back to me sooner and stronger than my other schools. The deadline is 4 days away, and the decision isn't getting easier. For me, it comes down to how much debt I'm willing to take on. I also am waiting for my SO's admission letter, and I don't feel comfortable accepting if he doesn't get in. I don't see why they are being so pushy. I'm leaning toward holding my admission seat, but declining the offer and entering the second round of offers. I expect to get a scholarship in the second round too. I haven't considered waiting for the next round, though. I'm ready to start law school now.

[NonTradiontalFool]

Fellow veteran here.
Just looking at the numbers (GPA, LSAT), that offer from Utah is actually pretty decent. As stated, you're probably looking at sticker for any wait list admits. I'd take the money. As for post graduation, you're not your typical mid 20s law school graduate, so a lot of the "median" talk simply will not apply to you. Those "softs" you talk of may not weigh a whole lot in the law school admissions game, but future employers tend to see them a lot differently. Granted, Law School choice tends to carry a lot of weight with most Biglaw hiring managers but 1) Utah isn't Cooley and 2) while going to a top school at sticker will essentially make you "Biglaw or bust" due to debt, going at a discount may allow you a lot more post graduation flexibility to pursue clerkships, get PD/SA experience, etc. - which can, in turn, even get you into a Biglaw job without the massive debt load.

[onecallthats all]

Dude!! I'm in the exact same boat. I got a 60% scholly at The U, which is in state for me. It was my fall back, but they got back to me sooner and stronger than my other schools. The deadline is 4 days away, and the decision isn't getting easier. For me, it comes down to how much debt I'm willing to take on. I also am waiting for my SO's admission letter, and I don't feel comfortable accepting if he doesn't get in. I don't see why they are being so pushy. I'm leaning toward holding my admission seat, but declining the offer and entering the second round of offers. I expect to get a scholarship in the second round too. I haven't considered waiting for the next round, though. I'm ready to start law school now.

Sooooo.... What did you do?? I kept my seat and am waiting for the second round of shollys. That gives us until april 28th.

[onecallthats all]

Fellow veteran here.
Just looking at the numbers (GPA, LSAT), that offer from Utah is actually pretty decent. As stated, you're probably looking at sticker for any wait list admits. I'd take the money. As for post graduation, you're not your typical mid 20s law school graduate, so a lot of the "median" talk simply will not apply to you. Those "softs" you talk of may not weigh a whole lot in the law school admissions game, but future employers tend to see them a lot differently. Granted, Law School choice tends to carry a lot of weight with most Biglaw hiring managers but 1) Utah isn't Cooley and 2) while going to a top school at sticker will essentially make you "Biglaw or bust" due to debt, going at a discount may allow you a lot more post graduation flexibility to pursue clerkships, get PD/SA experience, etc. - which can, in turn, even get you into a Biglaw job without the massive debt load.

What if I want BigLaw or to go out of state? With BYU, their Biglaw arent amazing, but they are infinitely better than Utah's. If I got to Utah, even if I finish in the top 5% of the class (which you have to do to go into wither Biglaw or Utah biglaw", there is not a realistic chance at leaving the state. With BYU, their out of state placement is much better. You might ask, "Why not go out of state for law school?" Well... I have two years left in the Utah ARNG and my wife has a year left at BYU.

Thank you for replying btw, your input has absolutely invaluable and needed. THANK YOU!

[whatislife]

I realize that this reply is probably too late, but it's actually illegal for schools to require you to withdraw from waitlists as a condition of accepting a scholarship. More specifically:

new rule promulgated by the Law School Admission Council, which specifically states that law schools may not require applicants to withdraw from schools from which they have not yet received a decision as a condition of accepting a scholarship or any other type of offer.

I don't know how much this will help you now, but if you're still in the process of talking it out with the school perhaps you could bring this up to renegotiate the terms? I'm quoting Dean Asha from Yale; her full advice on the topic can be found here: https://law.yale.edu/admissions/jd-admi ... hool-scams