UVA "Full Scholarship" - What does this mean? Forum

[samcortina]

Hello all,

I have received an offer for a "full-scholarship" from UVA via e-mail today. I am wondering if anybody here would know if that implies either a full-ride or the cost of tuition alone? Either way I am fairly ecstatic about the offer, but just looking for some more information and not wanting to wait until Monday when the UVA office opens back up.

Also, I know this has been asked a million times on TLS, but what would you do if given the option between a full-ride at UVA and a Harvard acceptance (still waiting to hear back from YLS and SLS)? I am also trying to think about the implications of this offer with Berkeley, NYU, or Columbia. I know Berkeley has a "Matching Scholarship" program, and it would also be an attractive alternative to Harvard if I were able to parlay the UVA offer into a matched offer from Berkeley... your thoughts? Any information you have on CLS or NYU matching scholarships? Thanks!

[5ky]

Hello all,

I have received an offer for a "full-scholarship" from UVA via e-mail today. I am wondering if anybody here would know if that implies either a full-ride or the cost of tuition alone? Either way I am fairly ecstatic about the offer, but just looking for some more information and not wanting to wait until Monday when the UVA office opens back up.

Also, I know this has been asked a million times on TLS, but what would you do if given the option between a full-ride at UVA and a Harvard acceptance (still waiting to hear back from YLS and SLS)? I am also trying to think about the implications of this offer with Berkeley, NYU, or Columbia. I know Berkeley has a "Matching Scholarship" program, and it would also be an attractive alternative to Harvard if I were able to parlay the UVA offer into a matched offer from Berkeley... your thoughts? Any information you have on CLS or NYU matching scholarships? Thanks!

I THINK it's just tuition (somewhere around 120k)...unless I'm mistaken, I don't believe UVA gives out true "full scholarships" -- ones that include tuition and COL. But please, somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

[vanwinkle]

It should be a full-tuition scholarship. This is the way most scholarships work; very few schools offer anything above and beyond full tuition, and those that do typically refer to it as a "stipend".

Also, telling you which school to take is impossible without knowing your goals. If you want academia or clerking for sure, go to HLS. If you just want BigLaw or PI, you might consider UVA and the much lower debt you'll graduate with.

[samcortina]

It should be a full-tuition scholarship. This is the way most scholarships work; very few schools offer anything above and beyond full tuition, and those that do typically refer to it as a "stipend".

Also, telling you which school to take is impossible without knowing your goals. If you want academia or clerking for sure, go to HLS. If you just want BigLaw or PI, you might consider UVA and the much lower debt you'll graduate with.

Thank you very much for the reply. I am definitely not asking TLSers to tell me what to personally do, but I would like to get insight into what other people would do given the financial situation and their own specific goals/ambitions so that I can see if my interests align at all and what points they emphasize in their own decision making process.

[Chelios]

If you have the $$, go Harvard. If money is a legit issue, then you just hit the jackpot with your full ride from UVA.

[thickfreakness]

I'd take UVA. But I'm kind of leaning towards biglaw, but in a more secondary market (no aspirations for NYC, DC, or the like), but I want to have academia as an option if I don't like practice as much, and I'd like to have a decent shot at a good clerkship. Harvard would give better clerkship and academia options, but I think having a minimal debt load would be much more preferable than these benefits.

[sandy10]

It should be a full-tuition scholarship. This is the way most scholarships work; very few schools offer anything above and beyond full tuition, and those that do typically refer to it as a "stipend".

Also, telling you which school to take is impossible without knowing your goals. If you want academia or clerking for sure, go to HLS. If you just want BigLaw or PI, you might consider UVA and the much lower debt you'll graduate with.

Thank you very much for the reply. I am definitely not asking TLSers to tell me what to personally do, but I would like to get insight into what other people would do given the financial situation and their own specific goals/ambitions so that I can see if my interests align at all and what points they emphasize in their own decision making process.

For me making a lot of money is a big priority. Think about the fact that if you go to UVA you will actually be making 100K plus as soon as you graduate (well most likely you will). If you attend HLS you will have to make massive monthly loan payments which will end up causing you to work (if you choose firm work) 70K a year or something like that while working the sort of hours and with the intensity of a law firm job--not pleasant.

[Kohinoor]

Hello all,

I have received an offer for a "full-scholarship" from UVA via e-mail today. I am wondering if anybody here would know if that implies either a full-ride or the cost of tuition alone? Either way I am fairly ecstatic about the offer, but just looking for some more information and not wanting to wait until Monday when the UVA office opens back up.

Also, I know this has been asked a million times on TLS, but what would you do if given the option between a full-ride at UVA and a Harvard acceptance (still waiting to hear back from YLS and SLS)? I am also trying to think about the implications of this offer with Berkeley, NYU, or Columbia. I know Berkeley has a "Matching Scholarship" program, and it would also be an attractive alternative to Harvard if I were able to parlay the UVA offer into a matched offer from Berkeley... your thoughts? Any information you have on CLS or NYU matching scholarships? Thanks!

Berkeley didn't match mine. Even if they match yours, keep in mind that Berkeley tuition is increasing and a matched UVA full ride would not be a Berkeley full ride. I'd say Berk v. UVA comes down to fit and target market.

[vanwinkle]

Hello all,

I have received an offer for a "full-scholarship" from UVA via e-mail today. I am wondering if anybody here would know if that implies either a full-ride or the cost of tuition alone? Either way I am fairly ecstatic about the offer, but just looking for some more information and not wanting to wait until Monday when the UVA office opens back up.

Also, I know this has been asked a million times on TLS, but what would you do if given the option between a full-ride at UVA and a Harvard acceptance (still waiting to hear back from YLS and SLS)? I am also trying to think about the implications of this offer with Berkeley, NYU, or Columbia. I know Berkeley has a "Matching Scholarship" program, and it would also be an attractive alternative to Harvard if I were able to parlay the UVA offer into a matched offer from Berkeley... your thoughts? Any information you have on CLS or NYU matching scholarships? Thanks!

Berkeley didn't match mine. Even if they match yours, keep in mind that Berkeley tuition is increasing and a matched UVA full ride would not be a Berkeley full ride. I'd say Berk v. UVA comes down to fit and target market.

[samcortina]

Hello all,

I have received an offer for a "full-scholarship" from UVA via e-mail today. I am wondering if anybody here would know if that implies either a full-ride or the cost of tuition alone? Either way I am fairly ecstatic about the offer, but just looking for some more information and not wanting to wait until Monday when the UVA office opens back up.

Also, I know this has been asked a million times on TLS, but what would you do if given the option between a full-ride at UVA and a Harvard acceptance (still waiting to hear back from YLS and SLS)? I am also trying to think about the implications of this offer with Berkeley, NYU, or Columbia. I know Berkeley has a "Matching Scholarship" program, and it would also be an attractive alternative to Harvard if I were able to parlay the UVA offer into a matched offer from Berkeley... your thoughts? Any information you have on CLS or NYU matching scholarships? Thanks!

Berkeley didn't match mine. Even if they match yours, keep in mind that Berkeley tuition is increasing and a matched UVA full ride would not be a Berkeley full ride. I'd say Berk v. UVA comes down to fit and target market.

That's actually really interesting, and something I was wondering about. Would you mind disclosing what scholarship you presented to Berkeley for matching, and how much they ended up offering you in return? I am almost positive I want to stay in California to practice law and pursue my career, so Berkeley would be more attractive than UVA.

[Kohinoor]

Hello all,

I have received an offer for a "full-scholarship" from UVA via e-mail today. I am wondering if anybody here would know if that implies either a full-ride or the cost of tuition alone? Either way I am fairly ecstatic about the offer, but just looking for some more information and not wanting to wait until Monday when the UVA office opens back up.

Also, I know this has been asked a million times on TLS, but what would you do if given the option between a full-ride at UVA and a Harvard acceptance (still waiting to hear back from YLS and SLS)? I am also trying to think about the implications of this offer with Berkeley, NYU, or Columbia. I know Berkeley has a "Matching Scholarship" program, and it would also be an attractive alternative to Harvard if I were able to parlay the UVA offer into a matched offer from Berkeley... your thoughts? Any information you have on CLS or NYU matching scholarships? Thanks!

Berkeley didn't match mine. Even if they match yours, keep in mind that Berkeley tuition is increasing and a matched UVA full ride would not be a Berkeley full ride. I'd say Berk v. UVA comes down to fit and target market.

That's actually really interesting, and something I was wondering about. Would you mind disclosing what scholarship you presented to Berkeley for matching, and how much they ended up offering you in return? I am almost positive I want to stay in California to practice law and pursue my career, so Berkeley would be more attractive than UVA.

Likely one substantially similar to the one you described and they simply declined to match any fraction of it. The Matching Scholarship is not guaranteed.