USC 2010! Forum

[bigchris1313]

I have a moderately interesting anecdote regarding the USC wait list:

I have a friend/blood brother/acquaintance. Let's call him John. John was my serious, workaholic college roommate who graduated with good softs, 3.8+ and a 165. John was waitlisted at USC (as well as UCLA and Berkeley). John ultimately puts down a seat deposit at William and Mary, his first choice among his offers of acceptance.

It is now mid-August. John receives a phone call from USC two days before 1L orientation. Admissions tells him something like this: "Congratulations! You made it in off the waitlist. Welcome to the Trojan Family. Unfortunately, you'll be paying sticker because we've given away all the financial aid for the Class of 2012; furthermore, you will never be eligible for it for the duration of your JD. If you are interested, you must notify us by 5PM PST today. Thank you."

After conferring with me and fighting with his parents, John calls back USC and accepts. He is told to be in Los Angeles in 36 hours for orientation. He is now a 1L and is presently ranked well--I think in the top 30%--but is fairly miserable.

What have we learned? That even if you're still on the wait list come August, you still have a snowball's chance in Hell of cracking the top 20 if you're willing to pay sticker and work in SoCal for the rest of your life.

[gobears09]

I have a moderately interesting anecdote regarding the USC wait list:

I have a friend/blood brother/acquaintance. Let's call him John. John was my serious, workaholic college roommate who graduated with good softs, 3.8+ and a 165. John was waitlisted at USC (as well as UCLA and Berkeley). John ultimately puts down a seat deposit at William and Mary, his first choice among his offers of acceptance.

It is now mid-August. John receives a phone call from USC two days before 1L orientation. Admissions tells him something like this: "Congratulations! You made it in off the waitlist. Welcome to the Trojan Family. Unfortunately, you'll be paying sticker because we've given away all the financial aid for the Class of 2012; furthermore, you will never be eligible for it for the duration of your JD. If you are interested, you must notify us by 5PM PST today. Thank you."

After conferring with me and fighting with his parents, John calls back USC and accepts. He is told to be in Los Angeles in 36 hours for orientation. He is now a 1L and is presently ranked well--I think in the top 30%--but is fairly miserable.

What have we learned? That even if you're still on the wait list come August, you still have a snowball's chance in Hell of cracking the top 20 if you're willing to pay sticker and work in SoCal for the rest of your life.

Why is he miserable?!??

I would have accepted on the phone.

[finalaspects]

Right, but given that it's almost the first of April, if I wait two more weeks to go under review, and then stay under review for 11 weeks like you have, that puts my decision into the middle of the summer, which I highly doubt they would do. So I'm not looking at the same time frame as you at all.

what are your numbers? it seems like the people who have been waiting a long time have "reject" numbers but are non-traditional.

I've been waiting a very long time. I'm a traditional applicant and I don't think I have "reject" numbers.

is your LSAT at 167 or higher? and GPA at 3.6 or higher? that means to be around the "accept" range, and everyone else below that is up in the air.

[unknownscholar]

So waitlist acceptances have zero opportunity for merit, even after 1L?

Is the general rule that after the initial award, if any, that's it for any merit aid over the course of 3 yrs?

[bigchris1313]

Why is he miserable?!??

I would have accepted on the phone.

I apologize if my statements were unclear. John was ecstatic when he got the phone call. He's fairly miserable now because he's a 1L.

[bigchris1313]

So waitlist acceptances have zero opportunity for merit, even after 1L?

Is the general rule that after the initial award, if any, that's it for any merit aid over the course of 3 yrs?

From the horse's mouth:

"The USC Law Admission and Financial Aid Committee awards tuition scholarships to approximately one-half of the students in each entering class. All scholarship offers are made in the incoming year and are guaranteed for all three years of law school. We do not reserve any funds for making new awards in the 2nd or 3rd year and so it is generally the case that the financial aid package will remain the same for all three years."

I'm unclear about all waitlist acceptances, but I somehow doubt that they keep funds in reserve for any August admits off the waitlist.

[gobears09]

Why is he miserable?!??

I would have accepted on the phone.

I apologize if my statements were unclear. John was ecstatic when he got the phone call. He's fairly miserable now because he's a 1L.

Hahaha okay, just regular 1L miserable, not miserable because he went to USC... that is good to know.

[redvelvetccake]

Finally in review today, hoping my ding comes by next week so I can get on with my life. Complete since 2/16

[unknownscholar]

So waitlist acceptances have zero opportunity for merit, even after 1L?

Is the general rule that after the initial award, if any, that's it for any merit aid over the course of 3 yrs?

From the horse's mouth:

"The USC Law Admission and Financial Aid Committee awards tuition scholarships to approximately one-half of the students in each entering class. All scholarship offers are made in the incoming year and are guaranteed for all three years of law school. We do not reserve any funds for making new awards in the 2nd or 3rd year and so it is generally the case that the financial aid package will remain the same for all three years."

I'm unclear about all waitlist acceptances, but I somehow doubt that they keep funds in reserve for any August admits off the waitlist.

appreciate it. I had wondered off looking for more info on this. that is indeed important information to know. seems like an implication that they are unwilling to invest in their top students, as opposed to their top applicants. Because there is likely significant overlap, this makes sense, but I'd be concerned if I had exceptional numbers and was placed on the waitlist. But then again, that's probably why is says "generally the case..." to control for this possibility and also the possibility that people without scholarship money do well enough to warrant merit aid.

[HerseyChris]

Finally in review today, hoping my ding comes by next week so I can get on with my life. Complete since 2/16

Same, Complete 1/29, Review today 3/26. 3.48 167, so probably an auto-WL.

[Stupendous_Man]

The financial aid package remaining the same has plusses and minuses. On the one hand, you probably won't get more than you were initially offered no matter how well you do. On the other, you definitely won't get less that you were initially offered no matter how badly you do. Security can be nice if you're planning for the future, and if you are WL it means you barely got in -- can you realistically expect MERIT aid over immediate accepts? I'd say "John" made his own cost benefit analysis and chose USC because it was worth sticker to him.

On another note, I visited by two top choices (UC Irvine and USC) and I'm happy to say it's USC!

[madhatter01]

Right, but given that it's almost the first of April, if I wait two more weeks to go under review, and then stay under review for 11 weeks like you have, that puts my decision into the middle of the summer, which I highly doubt they would do. So I'm not looking at the same time frame as you at all.

what are your numbers? it seems like the people who have been waiting a long time have "reject" numbers but are non-traditional.

I've been waiting a very long time. I'm a traditional applicant and I don't think I have "reject" numbers.

is your LSAT at 167 or higher? and GPA at 3.6 or higher? that means to be around the "accept" range, and everyone else below that is up in the air.

166, 3.7

I'm not saying that I'm an obvious acceptance. Just that my numbers aren't so unrealistic that my application deserves to be thrown into a reject pile that's barely glanced at during the 12th hour.. but that's reality

[jman77]

Finally in review today, hoping my ding comes by next week so I can get on with my life. Complete since 2/16

Same, Complete 1/29, Review today 3/26. 3.48 167, so probably an auto-WL.

Also went UR 3/26. Had been complete 3/9 previously.

[daniel5215]

finally went IR today after being complete since 1/7

[vkw104]

Complete 1/21, still complete 3/37 :\

Reverse splitter here - LSAT at 25th, GPA above 75th

[jstn1104]

I've been Complete since 10/22, haven't heard a word from them.

It's too late, I've already made my decision, don't care anymore. At this point I'm just curious to see if they'll accept me.

[ViP]

I've been Complete since 10/22, haven't heard a word from them.

It's too late, I've already made my decision, don't care anymore. At this point I'm just curious to see if they'll accept me.

Totally understand the curiosity. You deserve to hear a response.

.... but if you're feeling altruistic feel free to withdraw .

[kcg171]

I've been Complete since 10/22, haven't heard a word from them.

same. i really can't believe how long it has been. i remember reading something from them that said 8-10 weeks. umm, yeah.

[sibley]

I've been Complete since 10/22, haven't heard a word from them.

same. i really can't believe how long it has been. i remember reading something from them that said 8-10 weeks. umm, yeah.

wow. I thought my 1/21 was bad. UR EVER? I mean aren't deposits due soon?

[Mroberts3]

I got quite a bit of interest for my Bay Area -- LA carpool for April 16th Law Day. For those of you who PMed me check your inbox for a response. I'm making this new post because based on the response I got, I bet there are other people who are driving/thinking about going to Law Day. If anyone else is has a car and is planning to drive, feel free to post here -- I'm sure there are others looking for a ride too.

[jstn1104]

I've been Complete since 10/22, haven't heard a word from them.

It's too late, I've already made my decision, don't care anymore. At this point I'm just curious to see if they'll accept me.

Totally understand the curiosity. You deserve to hear a response.

.... but if you're feeling altruistic feel free to withdraw .

I'm assuming it's a no. But that's a crazy long time to tell me that!

[ViP]

I've been Complete since 10/22, haven't heard a word from them.

It's too late, I've already made my decision, don't care anymore. At this point I'm just curious to see if they'll accept me.

Totally understand the curiosity. You deserve to hear a response.

.... but if you're feeling altruistic feel free to withdraw .

I'm assuming it's a no. But that's a crazy long time to tell me that!

Haha I feel you. Complete 11/23, here.

[RhubarbPie]

Right, but given that it's almost the first of April, if I wait two more weeks to go under review, and then stay under review for 11 weeks like you have, that puts my decision into the middle of the summer, which I highly doubt they would do. So I'm not looking at the same time frame as you at all.

what are your numbers? it seems like the people who have been waiting a long time have "reject" numbers but are non-traditional.

I have been waiting a long time, but I don't have reject numbers. My GPA is above median and my LSAT is well-above 75th.

[fs_tills]

Just checked. Still "Complete" as of early Jan. Not near as bad as you November/October applicants, but still. It's like, almost April already.

[holidayfromreal]

just withdrew, good luck to everyone on the waitlist and those still waiting