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I have been offered a rather large scholarship to Loyola LAw in L.A. The only problem is that I lose it if I don't stay in the top 30% of my class. I have been offered scholarships from much better schools, but I really like Loyola. However, no other school has this requirement for the scholarship, and it is really making me not want to go there. Is there any way to get this stipulation removed?

eschilli wrote:I have been offered a rather large scholarship to Loyola LAw in L.A. The only problem is that I lose it if I don't stay in the top 30% of my class. I have been offered scholarships from much better schools, but I really like Loyola. However, no other school has this requirement for the scholarship, and it is really making me not want to go there. Is there any way to get this stipulation removed?

Ask.

D. H2Oman wrote:

eschilli wrote:I have been offered a rather large scholarship to Loyola LAw in L.A. The only problem is that I lose it if I don't stay in the top 30% of my class. I have been offered scholarships from much better schools, but I really like Loyola. However, no other school has this requirement for the scholarship, and it is really making me not want to go there. Is there any way to get this stipulation removed?

Ask.

+1. However, if they say no, be wary of this.. Honestly, there's NO guarantee where you'll end up in the class no matter how hard you work. If you couldn't see yourself paying the sticker price for 2L and 3L, then don't go there. Loyola has gotten some flack for some iffy rules in previous years (last year I remember something about not letting students who had applied to transfer out participate in OCI, even if they ultimately decided to stay at the school)

You might also want to ask what percentage of students are given a similar offer, what percentage of students keep their scholarship offer after the first year, and/or whether scholarship students are put in the same section or spread evenly across the class. If they give scholarships like this to a large portion of the class, or put all of the scholarship kids together, that should be a warning sign - as it's inevitable that not everyone can be in the top 30%. The school should have some data on this, and I would think that if they refuse to give it to you, that should send up a red flag.

Proceed with caution

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With that kind of class rank stipulation, I'd be shocked if they weren't section stacking their scholarship kids. Besides, you go to Loyola and the best possible outcome is ending up like this guy:
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I believe about 25% get scholarships. Mine was the next biggest to a full ride ($84,000), which not a ton of people get. I am several points above their 75th percentile LSAT and GPA, so statistically I should have a decent shot at being in the top 30% of my class. However, those numbers really mean nothing and it is impossible to tell how well I will do in law school. I have offers from much higher ranked schools, but I really want to practice in LA (and I did not get into USC or UCLA). I am a little worried about staying in the top 30% of my class, because if I do not then I am stuck with a lot of debt.

I'm in exactly the same boat I'm afraid. $84K is great and the west coast sunshine is a big draw but the top 30% stipulation is really making me think twice.

Scholarship stipulations are pure evil.

I am way skeptical of the LLS scholarship stipulation. I also got $84K for the incoming year. I have friends going there and they are by no means idiots yet struggling to maintain top grades.

Anyone have any success stories about getting the stipulation removed from these LLS scholarships. I would definitely try to negotiate with them.

eschilli wrote:I am several points above their 75th percentile LSAT and GPA, so statistically I should have a decent shot at being in the top 30% of my class.

AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH

eschilli wrote:However, those numbers really mean nothing and it is impossible to tell how well I will do in law school.

Exactly.

disco_barred wrote:

eschilli wrote:I am several points above their 75th percentile LSAT and GPA, so statistically I should have a decent shot at being in the top 30% of my class.

AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH

eschilli wrote:However, those numbers really mean nothing and it is impossible to tell how well I will do in law school.

Exactly.

There is no need to be condescending. I realize that my numbers mean nothing in terms of suggesting how well I will do in law school. The top 30% requirement is really scary to me. I really like the school but if I lose my scholarship then I am in a lot of trouble.

savesthedayajb wrote:Anyone have any success stories about getting the stipulation removed from these LLS scholarships. I would definitely try to negotiate with them.

I asked them. They will not remove it for anyone. Sorry.

They told me that they offer scholarships to a smaller percentage of students compared to other schools. They also said that they evenly distribute the people with scholarships throughout the classes for the sake of fairness. Still, the whole thing worries me.

itzjulz wrote:

D. H2Oman wrote:

eschilli wrote:I have been offered a rather large scholarship to Loyola LAw in L.A. The only problem is that I lose it if I don't stay in the top 30% of my class. I have been offered scholarships from much better schools, but I really like Loyola. However, no other school has this requirement for the scholarship, and it is really making me not want to go there. Is there any way to get this stipulation removed?

Ask.

+1. However, if they say no, be wary of this.. Honestly, there's NO guarantee where you'll end up in the class no matter how hard you work. If you couldn't see yourself paying the sticker price for 2L and 3L, then don't go there. Loyola has gotten some flack for some iffy rules in previous years (last year I remember something about not letting students who had applied to transfer out participate in OCI, even if they ultimately decided to stay at the school)

You might also want to ask what percentage of students are given a similar offer, what percentage of students keep their scholarship offer after the first year, and/or whether scholarship students are put in the same section or spread evenly across the class. If they give scholarships like this to a large portion of the class, or put all of the scholarship kids together, that should be a warning sign - as it's inevitable that not everyone can be in the top 30%. The school should have some data on this, and I would think that if they refuse to give it to you, that should send up a red flag.

Proceed with caution

I have always wondered how many of the top 1L's try to transfer to UCLA, USC, or any of the other top California schools. I have heard that many ultimately decide to stay at Loyola.

itzjulz wrote:

D. H2Oman wrote:

eschilli wrote:I have been offered a rather large scholarship to Loyola LAw in L.A. The only problem is that I lose it if I don't stay in the top 30% of my class. I have been offered scholarships from much better schools, but I really like Loyola. However, no other school has this requirement for the scholarship, and it is really making me not want to go there. Is there any way to get this stipulation removed?

Ask.

+1. However, if they say no, be wary of this.. Honestly, there's NO guarantee where you'll end up in the class no matter how hard you work. If you couldn't see yourself paying the sticker price for 2L and 3L, then don't go there. Loyola has gotten some flack for some iffy rules in previous years (last year I remember something about not letting students who had applied to transfer out participate in OCI, even if they ultimately decided to stay at the school)

You might also want to ask what percentage of students are given a similar offer, what percentage of students keep their scholarship offer after the first year, and/or whether scholarship students are put in the same section or spread evenly across the class. If they give scholarships like this to a large portion of the class, or put all of the scholarship kids together, that should be a warning sign - as it's inevitable that not everyone can be in the top 30%. The school should have some data on this, and I would think that if they refuse to give it to you, that should send up a red flag.

Proceed with caution

Even if you could make it, do you realize how stressful that would be...
I'd be crapping my pants with worry every nite.

Oh and how would you like it at exam time... In addition to future job possibilities, thousands and thousands of dollars are also on the line.

No thank you.

In all likelihood, your section will be full of other people with big scholarships and stipulations. They will then weed certain people out of the scholarship pool, and there is a good chance you'll be one of them

Schools that offer scholarships with stipulations are downright unethical TTTs.

romothesavior wrote:In all likelihood, your section will be full of other people with big scholarships and stipulations. They will then weed certain people out of the scholarship pool, and there is a good chance you'll be one of them

Schools that offer scholarships with stipulations are downright unethical TTTs.

False. Depends on the stipulation.

A stipulation of staying in the top 2/3rds, and if you fall below that, you get to keep 1/2, is pretty legit to me?

I also think, a 50% stip is pretty legit, if you know what you're getting in to.

Accepting a scholarship with a stipulation is a gamble. If you realize this, and you would still be happy playing the game, then go for it.

FYI, in one recent year, more than 28% of Loyola students received scholarships. http://officialguide.lsac.org/SearchRes ... BA4403.pdf

At umiami, 82% of the 1L scholarship students ranked in the top 3rd. Since the primary determinant of scholly students is the gpa/LSAT function, that means that those metrics do mean something. I still would avoid these types of scholarships. The lower my rank, the more I need a scholarship, not less!

romothesavior wrote:In all likelihood, your section will be full of other people with big scholarships and stipulations. They will then weed certain people out of the scholarship pool, and there is a good chance you'll be one of them

Schools that offer scholarships with stipulations are downright unethical TTTs.

That is incorrect. Scholarship students are spread out evenly throughout the sections.

i have no opinion about scholarship stipulations. I have, however, found the admiral ackbar references to be like 99th percentile LOL

What is the "best" school you have gotten into?

Accept scholarship, if you lose the scholarship, drop out. Anyone who isn't in the top [strike]30%[/strike] 10% at Loyola is absolutely fucked for employment prospects anyway.

Edit to add: What are the "other schools"? Because it's really impossible to know whether you "really like" Loyola, and law schools in general are awfully fungible. My experience as a transfer has largely been "meh, law school is law school, I'm just paying for a fancier diploma and the quarter system."

miamiman wrote:i have no opinion about scholarship stipulations. I have, however, found the admiral ackbar references to be like 99th percentile LOL

+1

Southwestern's stipulation is always 2.5. Loyola is kinda sleazy for requiring top 30 percent, IMO. They should just give fewer scholarships at entry and just reward good performance more after 1L.