Yale Law School Class of 2012 Forum

[Anonymous0L]

Will the COL in Palo Alto offset that 8k easily?

PA is pretty expensive. The town is separated into two portions: The Ghetto/ The Affluent. When I visited, I got the feel that the COL at PA is pretty high (this is esp the case for off-campus housing).

[watch4hook]

I know Yale doesn't take into account scholarship offers from other schools, but do they take into account competing packages from SLS or HLS. My offer from Stanford is way more generous than my offer from Yale... so much so it might make it hard for me to choose yale.

And how is my expected summer contribution well over half of what I will make after taxes this summer (which is already not that much)?

[dueprocess14]

Hmm. When I visited Yale a couple of weeks ago and Stanford a few months ago, the cost of living seemed pretty similar for both (costs of eating out, gas, etc.). In some ways, Yale seemed worse, cause it's harder to get to a cheaper grocery store, to a Costco/Target, and to airports. The small, local places around New Haven were HELLA expensive! Given what my friends pay at New Haven and at Stanford, they seem pretty comparable for housing too.

[SparkyLives]

I know Yale doesn't take into account scholarship offers from other schools, but do they take into account competing packages from SLS or HLS. My offer from Stanford is way more generous than my offer from Yale... so much so it might make it hard for me to choose yale.

And how is my expected summer contribution well over half of what I will make after taxes this summer (which is already not that much)?

I think they may actually. It'll be worth an email to Ms. Barnes, either way. Worst case she says no.

Stanford isn't an option for me So my mind has pretty much been made barring some catastrophe at the ASW.

[rabbit9198]

I didn't apply to SLS, but I remember rabbit saying that SLS was more generous with financial aid than HLS/YLS.

At least for this year, SLS had a different base loan amount (the amount that they expect everyone to take out in loans, before any financial aid is given: for SLS, it was about $26.5k, for YLS it was about $33k - so not an insignificant difference), which amounted to most of the difference in "generosity" for me. Outside of that difference, both schools met my full calculated "need" with grants (and, in fact, YLS had a slightly smaller EFC than SLS did for me, which made the net difference for me about $3k in SLS's favor).

I know Yale doesn't take into account scholarship offers from other schools, but do they take into account competing packages from SLS or HLS. My offer from Stanford is way more generous than my offer from Yale... so much so it might make it hard for me to choose yale.

I'm not sure if the base loan amount is what's affecting everyone's awards as reported here...but if so, I'm not sure how much wiggle room they'll give you. When I tried to negotiate with P. Barnes last year, she told me since the difference was based on the base loan amount, there wasn't anything she could do. That said, I'd still recommend you talk to her...she's super-nice, and is really understanding of individual circumstances.

[dueprocess14]

I didn't apply to SLS, but I remember rabbit saying that SLS was more generous with financial aid than HLS/YLS.

At least for this year, SLS had a different base loan amount (the amount that they expect everyone to take out in loans, before any financial aid is given: for SLS, it was about $26.5k, for YLS it was about $33k - so not an insignificant difference), which amounted to most of the difference in "generosity" for me. Outside of that difference, both schools met my full calculated "need" with grants (and, in fact, YLS had a slightly smaller EFC than SLS did for me, which made the net difference for me about $3k in SLS's favor).

I know Yale doesn't take into account scholarship offers from other schools, but do they take into account competing packages from SLS or HLS. My offer from Stanford is way more generous than my offer from Yale... so much so it might make it hard for me to choose yale.

I'm not sure if the base loan amount is what's affecting everyone's awards as reported here...but if so, I'm not sure how much wiggle room they'll give you. When I tried to negotiate with P. Barnes last year, she told me since the difference was based on the base loan amount, there wasn't anything she could do. That said, I'd still recommend you talk to her...she's super-nice, and is really understanding of individual circumstances.

+1. She told me she would look at mine again given the difference in the offer and get back to me later this week if there's anything she can do to bridge the gap. Incredibly helpful!

[ndnlawdc]

+1. She told me she would look at mine again given the difference in the offer and get back to me later this week if there's anything she can do to bridge the gap. Incredibly helpful!

Random non-Yale admit breaking in here: Has anyone had similar luck at HLS (vs. SLS)?

[legends159]

I love this thread. It's a complete humbling experience.

[Anonymous0L]

I know Yale doesn't take into account scholarship offers from other schools, but do they take into account competing packages from SLS or HLS. My offer from Stanford is way more generous than my offer from Yale... so much so it might make it hard for me to choose yale.

And how is my expected summer contribution well over half of what I will make after taxes this summer (which is already not that much)?

I think they may actually. It'll be worth an email to Ms. Barnes, either way. Worst case she says no.

Stanford isn't an option for me So my mind has pretty much been made barring some catastrophe at the ASW.

Yale is already pretty generous in its offers, I wouldn't be surprised if they say no.

[iagolives]

I love this thread. It's a complete humbling experience.

+1

[skeletor]

Just got mine as well. Has anyone gotten their SLS award yet? Mine was about $8k better per year than Yale, and I'm surprised the difference would be so huge...

When people are talking about different packages being "X"k better per year than another school, what exactly are you referring to (loans, grants...?). I got my package from Stanford, and it said "We don't expect you to pay anything!" which immediately made me

Then it said "Take on a bunch of debt!" Which made me

Not that I didn't expect it, but seeing it on paper was another matter entirely. So if you don't mind me asking (generally, I'm not trying to single you out, zabagabe), is everyone referring to massive amounts of (essentially) free money?

[Cartwright4]

I just got my award letter from Yale.

I strongly doubt any other school will be able to match it.. I'm ecstatic right now!!!

Not to beat a dead horse.... but my Yale fin aid offer was almost FIVE times my Harvard fin aid offer. Pretty impressive on Yale's part.

[dueprocess14]

In my case, I'm just talking about grant/scholarship money, not loans. Although wowsa - I'm shocked YLS is SO much more generous than HLS!

[Cartwright4]

Yup, I'm talking about grants as well. HLS gave less than 4k, YLS gave close to 19k. I kid you not.

[franfair]

.

[carlitos]

I still haven't... :-/

[franfair]

.

[jubileeez]

Hmm, well, maybe they are going in the order that they received our stuff. Even though I submitted everything back in February, I wasn't admitted until March 1, so I'm probably near the end of the list.

i also haven't received an offer. i was admitted earlier, but didn't submit my materials until the first week of march or so. anyway, she said she's planning on getting all letters out by the end of the week. they're a little behind because there was a glitch in the database or something.

[masterpinky0509]

I literally submitted all materials on March 15, so I wonder when I'm going to get mine...

[westbayguy]

Just received YLS "Award" - all loans and Parental contribution, $0 grants.

Parents paid all 160000 for undergrad and aren't really interested in footing LS bill. No, they are not "rich", are nearing retirement, and took big hits in market crash.

Waiting on HLS and SLS awards.

Anybody else in a similar situation?

The reports of "generous" YLS awards certainly make me wonder what's going on.

Anyone have a sense of what is driving these decisions?

Also, anyone actually talked to Ms. Barnes about whether they will consider competing full ride offers (I know others have mentioned the idea) from CLS, Michigan, NYU (Hamilton, Darrow, RTK)?

[SparkyLives]

The reports of "generous" YLS awards certainly make me wonder what's going on.

Anyone have a sense of what is driving these decisions?

It's need based. I don't think there is anything else driving the decisions...they've just assessed your need differently.

FWIW, although my Yale award was better than my Harvard award, they both had roughly similar assessments as far as parental contribution goes. I wouldn't expect much more from Harvard at least.

[carlitos]

A lot of times these need-based assessments can be really unfair, though. I sympathize with you, Sparky. I haven't gotten my award letter yet, but I am pretty nervous about it due to what happened to my family with my undergrad finaid. Though my parents together make less than 100k/year, we were given no financial aid at all for my Harvard undergrad. From what I can tell, this is because my parents have always been very good about saving lots of money (they started a college fund for me--and for my three younger siblings--as soon as they found out they were pregnant with me, for example) and because their side business involves buying old houses, fixing them up, and renting them out (so they have a lot of property--but also a lot of debt!). Meanwhile, my boyfriend, whose parents make slightly more than mine, is on almost full financial aid.

I'm afraid financial aid is not always fair... :-/

[skeletor]

Thanks for clarifying everyone. I guess, as was just mentioned, financial aid offers can be frustrating, especially with parents who are unable to contribute anything (but presumably look just comfortable enough so as to prompt the schools to assume some contribution on their part). Frustrating, but expected.

Anyway, it's been fun following this thread. I hope to see some of you in April at Stanford's ASW, and maybe, just maybe, at Yale's.

[westbayguy]

I get it- that fin aid is somewhat arbitrary-

so let's just focus on the "what can I do" part.

Has anyone successfully leveraged an SLS, CLS NYU award for more $ at HLS or YLS?

[Anonymous0L]

I get it- that fin aid is somewhat arbitrary-

so let's just focus on the "what can I do" part.

Has anyone successfully leveraged an SLS, CLS NYU award for more $ at HLS or YLS?

All I can say is that YLS will not increase their award EVEN if you use the hamilton, mordecai, or the darrow against them. Truth be told I am sure pretty much everyone that got into YLS got offered one of those awards from Duke/Columbia/Michigan.