Top Law Schools

Sadly, I am paying sticker at my TT ranked in the 70s. I've been accepted at Vandy, GW, and am likely to gain acceptances at WUSTL and Notre Dame in the near future-- granted nothing is certain. I know these schools are not in the T14, but I'm hoping these acceptances will give me some negotiating power with my current school. None of these schools directly compete with my school, however.

I think it'd only be worth it to stay if I was offered somewhere around half+ tuition scholly. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I think I deserve at least that considering I'm top 15%.

Does anyone have any experience negotiating scholarships after gaining a couple acceptances?

What's the best way to go about it? I'm considering emailing the dean of financial aid or student affairs or whatever to meet with them. I guess the other option is to write a letter, but I think this comes off kind of douchey or may sound like I'm giving an ultimatum. Correct me if I'm wrong.

When should I make contact with them? I don't want to wait too long because the acceptances will lapse after tuition deposit dates, and I don't want to have to pay all of the seat deposits. But I know some people say don't do anything like this until second semester grades are already out.

What kind of offer can I expect? Is over half tuition too much to expect? I just think at this point if I were only going to save ~40k, it'd be worth it to transfer.

Thanks for your advice everyone.

If you're getting into Vandy, you should be getting a full-ride at a TT. Paying sticker at Vandy >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> paying sticker at a TT.

If they try to lowball you, just leave. It would be idiotic to continue paying money to any TT when you have those kind of options paying the same money you were perfectly happy putting down at your TT a year ago.

eyeofvigilence wrote:Sadly, I am paying sticker at my TT ranked in the 70s. I've been accepted at Vandy, GW, and am likely to gain acceptances at WUSTL and Notre Dame in the near future-- granted nothing is certain. I know these schools are not in the T14, but I'm hoping these acceptances will give me some negotiating power with my current school. None of these schools directly compete with my school, however.

I think it'd only be worth it to stay if I was offered somewhere around half+ tuition scholly. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I think I deserve at least that considering I'm top 15%.

Does anyone have any experience negotiating scholarships after gaining a couple acceptances?

What's the best way to go about it? I'm considering emailing the dean of financial aid or student affairs or whatever to meet with them. I guess the other option is to write a letter, but I think this comes off kind of douchey or may sound like I'm giving an ultimatum. Correct me if I'm wrong.

When should I make contact with them? I don't want to wait too long because the acceptances will lapse after tuition deposit dates, and I don't want to have to pay all of the seat deposits. But I know some people say don't do anything like this until second semester grades are already out.

What kind of offer can I expect? Is over half tuition too much to expect? I just think at this point if I were only going to save ~40k, it'd be worth it to transfer.

Thanks for your advice everyone.

Did you apply to GULC EA?

Nebby wrote:

eyeofvigilence wrote:Sadly, I am paying sticker at my TT ranked in the 70s. I've been accepted at Vandy, GW, and am likely to gain acceptances at WUSTL and Notre Dame in the near future-- granted nothing is certain. I know these schools are not in the T14, but I'm hoping these acceptances will give me some negotiating power with my current school. None of these schools directly compete with my school, however.

I think it'd only be worth it to stay if I was offered somewhere around half+ tuition scholly. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I think I deserve at least that considering I'm top 15%.

Does anyone have any experience negotiating scholarships after gaining a couple acceptances?

What's the best way to go about it? I'm considering emailing the dean of financial aid or student affairs or whatever to meet with them. I guess the other option is to write a letter, but I think this comes off kind of douchey or may sound like I'm giving an ultimatum. Correct me if I'm wrong.

When should I make contact with them? I don't want to wait too long because the acceptances will lapse after tuition deposit dates, and I don't want to have to pay all of the seat deposits. But I know some people say don't do anything like this until second semester grades are already out.

What kind of offer can I expect? Is over half tuition too much to expect? I just think at this point if I were only going to save ~40k, it'd be worth it to transfer.

Thanks for your advice everyone.

Did you apply to GULC EA?

Yes. Deferred. Pretty bummed about it.

My gf was at a TTT. Top 5-10%. She was getting barely any scholarship (she should have retaken lsat but this was before we found this website). Got into a bunch of top 20 schools as a transfer. Went to the dean of her TTT, said sup I need more money. They gave her a 10% increase, like 5k a year or something. She didn't even bother to give a reply.

grades?? wrote:My gf was at a TTT. Top 5-10%. She was getting barely any scholarship (she should have retaken lsat but this was before we found this website). Got into a bunch of top 20 schools as a transfer. Went to the dean of her TTT, said sup I need more money. They gave her a 10% increase, like 5k a year or something. She didn't even bother to give a reply.

That's pretty cold. What a POS TTT.

Anyone have any insight into how/when I should contact finiacial aid?

eyeofvigilence wrote:

grades?? wrote:My gf was at a TTT. Top 5-10%. She was getting barely any scholarship (she should have retaken lsat but this was before we found this website). Got into a bunch of top 20 schools as a transfer. Went to the dean of her TTT, said sup I need more money. They gave her a 10% increase, like 5k a year or something. She didn't even bother to give a reply.

That's pretty cold. What a POS TTT.

Why? They gave her an increase

Nebby wrote:

eyeofvigilence wrote:

grades?? wrote:My gf was at a TTT. Top 5-10%. She was getting barely any scholarship (she should have retaken lsat but this was before we found this website). Got into a bunch of top 20 schools as a transfer. Went to the dean of her TTT, said sup I need more money. They gave her a 10% increase, like 5k a year or something. She didn't even bother to give a reply.

That's pretty cold. What a POS TTT.

Why? They gave her an increase

I guess so, but they might as well not have if they only offered 5k/year.

eyeofvigilence wrote:

Nebby wrote:

eyeofvigilence wrote:

grades?? wrote:My gf was at a TTT. Top 5-10%. She was getting barely any scholarship (she should have retaken lsat but this was before we found this website). Got into a bunch of top 20 schools as a transfer. Went to the dean of her TTT, said sup I need more money. They gave her a 10% increase, like 5k a year or something. She didn't even bother to give a reply.

That's pretty cold. What a POS TTT.

Why? They gave her an increase

I guess so, but they might as well not have if they only offered 5k/year.

Sure they gave her an increase but she was pissed. Her friend/roommate there had a much better lsat and was on a full ride. She was bottom 20%. So my gf figured, hey well I'm literally in the top 10 kids in my class or so, and this other girl is on a full ride, so she was figuring she would get a generous scholarship boost. The dean was clearly not having it and then tried to hold her hostage by not releasing her transcripts. It required a call the ABA after my gf contacted them to force them to send the transcripts to the transfer schools. (Before you ask, she applied with her unofficial transcripts, but to enroll, she had to send the final, official transcripts from the school).


So yeah, her TTT was trying to fuck her at every bend. She likes to say the people there didn't want to do the work to be lawyers, they just liked to pretend they were gonna be lawyers (and it shows in the employment stats). She's much happier where she is now.

grades?? wrote:

eyeofvigilence wrote:

Nebby wrote:

eyeofvigilence wrote:

grades?? wrote:My gf was at a TTT. Top 5-10%. She was getting barely any scholarship (she should have retaken lsat but this was before we found this website). Got into a bunch of top 20 schools as a transfer. Went to the dean of her TTT, said sup I need more money. They gave her a 10% increase, like 5k a year or something. She didn't even bother to give a reply.

That's pretty cold. What a POS TTT.

Why? They gave her an increase

I guess so, but they might as well not have if they only offered 5k/year.

Sure they gave her an increase but she was pissed. Her friend/roommate there had a much better lsat and was on a full ride. She was bottom 20%. So my gf figured, hey well I'm literally in the top 10 kids in my class or so, and this other girl is on a full ride, so she was figuring she would get a generous scholarship boost. The dean was clearly not having it and then tried to hold her hostage by not releasing her transcripts. It required a call the ABA after my gf contacted them to force them to send the transcripts to the transfer schools. (Before you ask, she applied with her unofficial transcripts, but to enroll, she had to send the final, official transcripts from the school).


So yeah, her TTT was trying to fuck her at every bend. She likes to say the people there didn't want to do the work to be lawyers, they just liked to pretend they were gonna be lawyers (and it shows in the employment stats). She's much happier where she is now.

Well, it turns out that my school can't offer me anything to stay. I talked to the dean a couple days ago and she told me the school just doesn't have enough money to give anyone additional scholarships. I'm definitely peacing out of here.

Can't give any advice in terms of transferring, but I have successfully negotiated a scholarship at my current school.

Got into a few decent schools, but had no money to pay for them (TT wasn't worth sticker price IMO). Also got into a few local TTTTs. One gave my a pretty generous scholarship offer (a bit over 50%). Another gave me one that was a bit better (a bit over 70%). I contacted the first school and told them about the other scholarship and asked them if they would either match or increase it. They increased it and now I'm getting a near full-ride.

It doesn't hurt to ask at the end of the day. The worst thing they can say is no. I would suggest mentioning any financial burdens you may have as well as why you believe you would be a good investment in your email.

Asking for money prior to matriculating is pretty common. I think OP Is asking about asking for money at the end of a successful 1st year. From the school's perspective, the only thing you can really offer is to improve the bar passage rate for the school - but at a T2, typically all but the bottom students pass. You cannot offer a boost to undergrad GPA or LSAT. I think this is why schools are so reluctant to increase/grant scholarships for 1Ls. Either they lose you and your tuition dollars via you transferring or they lose at least a portion of your dollars by giving scholarship.