Penn Students Taking Questions Forum

[thelawyler]

I know that Penn is relatively stingy with merit aid until you get to a certain level, but how is the need-based aid / grants at Penn? My economic situation is pretty poor, but I know some law schools just don't care. Does anybody here get any need-based aid? Do you know any friends who do? And if you do, what are their stats?

I have a 3.4/173 and I am wondering if I can even expect a 20k need-based grant or something if I ED.

[Veyron]

I know that Penn is relatively stingy with merit aid until you get to a certain level, but how is the need-based aid / grants at Penn? My economic situation is pretty poor, but I know some law schools just don't care. Does anybody here get any need-based aid? Do you know any friends who do? And if you do, what are their stats?

I have a 3.4/173 and I am wondering if I can even expect a 20k need-based grant or something if I ED.

Real need based aid does not exist outside of HYS. Sorry bro. You might get 10k a year or something with those numbers, but probably not if you ED.

[Georgiana]

I know that Penn is relatively stingy with merit aid until you get to a certain level, but how is the need-based aid / grants at Penn? My economic situation is pretty poor, but I know some law schools just don't care. Does anybody here get any need-based aid? Do you know any friends who do? And if you do, what are their stats?

I have a 3.4/173 and I am wondering if I can even expect a 20k need-based grant or something if I ED.

Real need based aid does not exist outside of HYS. Sorry bro. You might get 10k a year or something with those numbers, but probably not if you ED.

I got need based aid (maybe it was fake?) which took almost a year off my cost. even woth that i feel like im swimming in debt. I cant imagine having full sticker in loans. In theory you would still get need based with ED but unless youre willing to risk sticker i wouldnt do it.

[Veyron]

I know that Penn is relatively stingy with merit aid until you get to a certain level, but how is the need-based aid / grants at Penn? My economic situation is pretty poor, but I know some law schools just don't care. Does anybody here get any need-based aid? Do you know any friends who do? And if you do, what are their stats?

I have a 3.4/173 and I am wondering if I can even expect a 20k need-based grant or something if I ED.

Real need based aid does not exist outside of HYS. Sorry bro. You might get 10k a year or something with those numbers, but probably not if you ED.

I got need based aid (maybe it was fake?) which took almost a year off my cost. even woth that i feel like im swimming in debt. I cant imagine having full sticker in loans. In theory you would still get need based with ED but unless youre willing to risk sticker i wouldnt do it.

My level of envy is extreme. I was basically told to screw myself on the need based front and I made shit before law school. I got some other aid so I guess its alright.

[johnnyutah]

I know that Penn is relatively stingy with merit aid until you get to a certain level, but how is the need-based aid / grants at Penn? My economic situation is pretty poor, but I know some law schools just don't care. Does anybody here get any need-based aid? Do you know any friends who do? And if you do, what are their stats?

I have a 3.4/173 and I am wondering if I can even expect a 20k need-based grant or something if I ED.

Real need based aid does not exist outside of HYS. Sorry bro. You might get 10k a year or something with those numbers, but probably not if you ED.

I got need based aid (maybe it was fake?) which took almost a year off my cost. even woth that i feel like im swimming in debt. I cant imagine having full sticker in loans. In theory you would still get need based with ED but unless youre willing to risk sticker i wouldnt do it.

My level of envy is extreme. I was basically told to screw myself on the need based front and I made shit before law school. I got some other aid so I guess its alright.

I also got a bunch of need-based aid. The problem is that they take in to account your parents' income, from what I understand, so even if you're broke, you won't get anything if your parents have some money.

[riccardo426]

I also got a years worth of need-based aid, but I imagine my parent's income is in the bottom 2% of accepted students. All in all Penn will cost me about $130k so I'm pretty happy.

[Veyron]

*Shakes head*

One fucked up system. All right, ignore my comments about Penn aid then.

[thelawyler]

Thanks for the fast responses everyone.

I also got a years worth of need-based aid, but I imagine my parent's income is in the bottom 2% of accepted students. All in all Penn will cost me about $130k so I'm pretty happy.

Hmm that's positive to hear as I know in undergrad I was told I was told my parents made in the bottom 5% in the school and I got a lot of aid. It sounds like you got some merit aid as well. I guess I have this suspicion that the grants are only given to people who also get merit aid... Do you mind sharing your numbers (even through PM).

Gosh I know this isn't the thread or section to ask these questions but given that this info was not available en-mass at LSN, I thought I'd come here for some anecdotal data. But it looks like ED data is impossible to come by...

[HeavenWood]

Real need based aid does not exist outside of HYS. Sorry bro. You might get 10k a year or something with those numbers, but probably not if you ED.

I got need based aid (maybe it was fake?) which took almost a year off my cost. even woth that i feel like im swimming in debt. I cant imagine having full sticker in loans. In theory you would still get need based with ED but unless youre willing to risk sticker i wouldnt do it.

My level of envy is extreme. I was basically told to screw myself on the need based front and I made shit before law school. I got some other aid so I guess its alright.

I also got a bunch of need-based aid. The problem is that they take in to account your parents' income, from what I understand, so even if you're broke, you won't get anything if your parents have some money.

Even if you're no longer a dependent? That's some fucked up shit right there.

[Tiago Splitter]

Even if you're no longer a dependent? That's some fucked up shit right there.

Yeah but no one going to law school is a dependent, and almost no one going to law school has any money.

Also tagging this thread. Thanks to all the students who have posted info over the years.

[Georgiana]

Even if you're no longer a dependent? That's some fucked up shit right there.

Yeah but no one going to law school is a dependent, and almost no one going to law school has any money.

Also tagging this thread. Thanks to all the students who have posted info over the years.

Bolded is really what Penn is probably thinking. A lot of parents will step in if their child is unemployed and can't pay their rent much less their student loans... but if your parents don't have the money to help in any way, you don't have any sort of safety net. Obviously there are parents who won't do that even if they have the ability, but its hard to figure out who would and wouldn't so they try their best to consider fairly objective criteria. It'll never be a perfect system, but there are definitely people going to law school coming from lower/lower-middle class backgrounds, especially with single parents.

Anyway... yay to a brand new cycle and good luck to all new applicants! I don't start work until the 17th so I'll be around until then, but I have a feeling life/wedding planning/life planning will take over my time after that

[Veyron]

Even if you're no longer a dependent? That's some fucked up shit right there.

Yeah but no one going to law school is a dependent, and almost no one going to law school has any money.

Also tagging this thread. Thanks to all the students who have posted info over the years.

Bolded is really what Penn is probably thinking. A lot of parents will step in if their child is unemployed and can't pay their rent much less their student loans... but if your parents don't have the money to help in any way, you don't have any sort of safety net. Obviously there are parents who won't do that even if they have the ability, but its hard to figure out who would and wouldn't so they try their best to consider fairly objective criteria. It'll never be a perfect system, but there are definitely people going to law school coming from lower/lower-middle class backgrounds, especially with single parents.

Anyway... yay to a brand new cycle and good luck to all new applicants! I don't start work until the 17th so I'll be around until then, but I have a feeling life/wedding planning/life planning will take over my time after that

Getting married? Congrats!

[Georgiana]

Getting married? Congrats!

Yes! Thank you!!

We'll have cute little Penn Law legacy babies... eventually (who will hopefully go to medical school haha).

[HeavenWood]

Even if you're no longer a dependent? That's some fucked up shit right there.

Yeah but no one going to law school is a dependent, and almost no one going to law school has any money.

Also tagging this thread. Thanks to all the students who have posted info over the years.

You can be a dependent up to age 24 if you're a full-time student. This includes a lot of people straight out of undergrad. My point is that it's silly to assume parents are going to pay (or even chip in for) their children's education. But it saves Penn money, and I guess that's what matters.

[Veyron]

Getting married? Congrats!

Yes! Thank you!!

We'll have cute little Penn Law legacy babies... eventually (who will hopefully go to medical school haha).

180.

[r6_philly]

Even if you're no longer a dependent? That's some fucked up shit right there.

Yeah but no one going to law school is a dependent, and almost no one going to law school has any money.

Also tagging this thread. Thanks to all the students who have posted info over the years.

That is a faulty assumption. Very much so.

[r6_philly]

You can be a dependent up to age 24 if you're a full-time student. This includes a lot of people straight out of undergrad. My point is that it's silly to assume parents are going to pay (or even chip in for) their children's education. But it saves Penn money, and I guess that's what matters.

To be fair for Penn, a lot of them are paying.

[iusedtolurk]

I know this is really early, but how likely is it to get into your top choice 1L elective? Do people ever have to take their alternate courses?

[johnnyutah]

I know this is really early, but how likely is it to get into your top choice 1L elective? Do people ever have to take their alternate courses?

It is fairly likely, but people do often have to take alternates. Depends on how popular your choice is.

[r6_philly]

I know this is really early, but how likely is it to get into your top choice 1L elective? Do people ever have to take their alternate courses?

It is fairly likely, but people do often have to take alternates. Depends on how popular your choice is.

What are the most popular ones?

[thebigspoon]

just had a real quick questioin. is the detkin IP and tech center open yet or is it still being planned?

[r6_philly]

just had a real quick questioin. is the detkin IP and tech center open yet or is it still being planned?

Not yet. I think the clinic is supposed to be active next year just in time for us.

[Schang1]

This question probably has been answered... But could i ask one last time? I currently have 2 addendas for gpa and lsat but would love to submit a diversity statement and the 5 year essay too. That gives me 4 in total and i dont know if that would overwhelm them... Any help would be great.. I have everything ready to send in as ED but i just dont know which documents i should really submit my numbers are low 3.4/169 but im willing to give a shot because penn is the only school i want to really attend.

[HeavenWood]

This question probably has been answered... But could i ask one last time? I currently have 2 addendas for gpa and lsat but would love to submit a diversity statement and the 5 year essay too. That gives me 4 in total and i dont know if that would overwhelm them... Any help would be great.. I have everything ready to send in as ED but i just dont know which documents i should really submit my numbers are low 3.4/169 but im willing to give a shot because penn is the only school i want to really attend.

Are you at least a semi-URM? Not to dash your hopes and dreams, but barring minority status or amazing softs, you're better off ED'ing elsewhere. Perhaps Michigan?

Then again, if you're amenable to a retake, you'd have an infinitely better shot if you literally scored one point higher on the LSAT.

[Schang1]

This question probably has been answered... But could i ask one last time? I currently have 2 addendas for gpa and lsat but would love to submit a diversity statement and the 5 year essay too. That gives me 4 in total and i dont know if that would overwhelm them... Any help would be great.. I have everything ready to send in as ED but i just dont know which documents i should really submit my numbers are low 3.4/169 but im willing to give a shot because penn is the only school i want to really attend.

Are you at least a semi-URM? Not to dash your hopes and dreams, but barring minority status or amazing softs, you're better off ED'ing elsewhere. Perhaps Michigan?

Then again, if you're amenable to a retake, you'd have an infinitely better shot if you literally scored one point higher on the LSAT.

What is a semi-URM? I'm an Asian female...