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Hey there, guys. Early warning: Sorry for the long post. This is my first time on the board, so I want to be thorough.

I'm currently applying to NYU for the Fall 2019, but I had a couple of questions prior to starting my application. For starters, yes, I am retaking the LSAT this November in the hopes of getting a 170+. My question lies mainly on qualification for the scholarship.

My family was decently well off despite neither of my parents being college graduates. My dad got lucky and landed a comfy IT job and, after he lost his job during the recession, found an equally comfortable one after a short job searching session. However, I have a very strained relationship with my parents. (I don't want to go too into it, but it was very abusive and difficult to get out of).

I still have contact with them despite that, albeit very limited, since they have ownership over my only vehicle. However, I currently pay for all my things (rent, food, phone, car insurance) in order to remove as much financial dependence as possible. I work full time on top of going to school full time to support this. Unfortunately, I will likely have to put their tax information on my application since I am not yet considered an independent, and I know I cannot pay for law school alone without taking massive debt to pay for both my education and living expenses.

I'm worried that AnBryce will see that my dad makes a bit of money and won't extend the scholarship out to me. How do I go about explaining my situation without making it seem like I'm lying or being cliché?

Thanks to all who respond!

bump

I'm not a former or current AnBryce'r. But I think the correct advice is (as always) to simply be candid. AnBryce isn't restricted to those who qualify for need-based aid; rather, it's intended for "incoming NYU Law students who are among the first in their immediate family to pursue a graduate or professional degree and have proven themselves to be leaders in the face of challenging social and economic circumstances." From your post above, it certainly sounds like you have a shot.

To apply for AnBryce, you're required to write a "one-page essay (500-750 words) that describes how you have embodied the attributes of an AnBryce Scholar in overcoming personal obstacles, and how a legal education will enable you to promote the program’s ideals in your career. (AnBryce Scholars are committed to giving back to society and making a positive impact on the world. They are determined to live with honor, act with intelligence, and lead with integrity.)" This essay is where you'd discuss (very briefly) your obstacles (notably your need to work full-time on top of going to school full-time, due to your difficult relationship with your non-college-educated parents) and how you've succeeded despite this extra burden. And don't forget to also discuss the other prong of the prompt: how you intend to use your J.D. to give back to society. You don't necessarily have to dedicate equal space to each prong; for example, if you intend to help advocate for other students who need to work full-time while going to school, that'd be fairly self-explanatory and you probably wouldn't need to devote too much space to explaining why you want to advocate in that area.

Also note that the essay asks you to talk about how you overcame your personal obstacles. Don't use it as a space to justify or excuse any weaknesses in your candidate profile, such as poor grades, low LSAT, lack of extracurriculars or whatnot, although, if applicable, you could discuss how you were able to turn around and overcome an initially rocky start in high school or college.

Finally, note that the essay is super short. So don't include any extraneous information. For example, you don't need to mention how your Dad lucked out into a comfy IT job, or how your Dad survived the Great Recession - that's totally irrelevant to the obstacles you've faced.

Hope this helps and best of luck!