Declining Early Decision Forum

[jdmonkey]

My question is what happens if I decline a "binding" early decision admission offer? Please do not speculate. Can I pay the deposit and let them take somebody off the waiting list. Can I be sued for such an action? If there are proposed sanctions by LSAC, am I entitled to a hearing?

[IAFG]

My question is what happens if I decline a "binding" early decision admission offer? Please do not speculate. Can I pay the deposit and let them take somebody off the waiting list. Can I be sued for such an action? If there are proposed sanctions by LSAC, am I entitled to a hearing?

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[dingbat]

I'm fairly certain you can decline and withdraw, but you cannot apply/accept anywhere else this cycle.

[jdmonkey]

If I did accept at another law school what sanctions could the original school take? If the original law school is in a separate state, do you know what court could enforce this agreement and what the financial penalties could be?

[kalvano]

No court needed. They will rescind your acceptance. You're not the first 0L contracts genius to try and get around it.

And yes, schools do share who applied and was admitted binding ED.

[Ludo!]

No court needed. They will rescind your acceptance. You're not the first 0L contracts genius to try and get around it.

And yes, schools do share who applied and was admitted binding ED.

Yup.

[Ti Malice]

You're either going to your ED school this year or you're sitting out and reapplying next year. As others have said, schools share info through the LSAC. No other school will allow you to enroll this year.

You should have thought this over more carefully before making a binding commitment to attend your ED school if accepted. You can't game this. Better luck next year.

[Grazzhoppa]

You're either going to your ED school this year or you're sitting out and reapplying next year. As others have said, schools share info through the LSAC. No other school will allow you to enroll this year.

You should have thought this over more carefully before making a binding commitment to attend your ED school if accepted. You can't game this. Better luck next year.

credited.

[emkay625]

I have one friend who successfully did this. They had a very unfortunate situation though- their mother was diagnosed with cancer and they needed to withdraw from their ED school and attend their hometown school because they needed to be there to help with her care- they had no other family. The school was very understanding. Short of a situation like that, I don't think you can do this. And this isn't something you can fake either- they had to submit copies of medical paperwork.

[jdmonkey]

Thank you everybody for the candor. I like pushing the envelope, but I think this stunt would be going too far.

[Nickg415]

I've thought about this when I found I got my ED. I never planned on doing it since I am ecstatic about my acceptance but it was just fun to run through a few what if scenarios. The most probable I came around to was possibly deferring a year at the accepted school that you did not ED to and the withdraw from your ED school. You will want to do this as soon as possible obviously. I don't know if this would work but it was the most plausible way to go about it that I could think of. Personally I think you should have to go to your ED school since it is pretty dumb to take such a commitment lightly.

[Ti Malice]

The most probable I came around to was possibly deferring a year at the accepted school that you did not ED to and the withdraw from your ED school. You will want to do this as soon as possible obviously. I don't know if this would work but it was the most plausible way to go about it that I could think of.

Would not work. Once again, schools share info about ED applicants. This strategy is not so clever that schools have failed to anticipate it.

[jdmonkey]

We should be thinking about issues like this though. Any lawyer worth their salt can always find a loophole.

[NoodleyOne]

We should be thinking about issues like this though. Any lawyer worth their salt can always find a loophole.

(0L)

[dingbat]

We should be thinking about issues like this though. Any lawyer worth their salt can always find a loophole.

not true. Also, you're talking about trying to outsmart the guys who wrote the book on it

[jdmonkey]

Sorry I mean try to find a loophole. Of course sometimes one doesn't exit, which appears to be the case here.

[vanwinkle]

You're either going to your ED school this year or you're sitting out and reapplying next year.

This wouldn't necessarily work. I've known of at least one T14 ED applicant who tried to withdraw like this, and the school's responded with, "We are happy to defer your Early Decision acceptance to the [following] year."

If you ED and get accepted, you should expect to either attend that school or not attend anywhere anytime soon.

[Ti Malice]

You're either going to your ED school this year or you're sitting out and reapplying next year.

This wouldn't necessarily work. I've known of at least one T14 ED applicant who tried to withdraw like this, and the school's responded with, "We are happy to defer your Early Decision acceptance to the [following] year."

If you ED and get accepted, you should expect to either attend that school or not attend anywhere anytime soon.

Interesting. I suppose it's possible, but I don't know how your ED school could bind you in future years if you simply declared that you no longer had any interest in attending the school and wished to permanently withdraw your app.

[Teflon_Don]

What If you get reconstructive plastic surgery for a year and use a stolen identity to gain a year in law school of your choice. Then transfer to your dream school... Oh Nevermind, you're screwed regardless of what you do.

[sinfiery]

They can rescind acceptances right?

I mean, schools are allowed to share certain information but they can't share specific opinions on your character to other schools. If you want a way out, be an applicant with terrible character.

You may have to make a visit to the school and crack some racist jokes. Good luck.

[jdmonkey]

Hahahaha. That would be hilarious.

[suralin]

They can rescind acceptances right?

I mean, schools are allowed to share certain information but they can't share specific opinions on your character to other schools. If you want a way out, be an applicant with terrible character.

You may have to make a visit to the school and crack some racist jokes. Good luck.

180

[dingbat]

They can rescind acceptances right?

I mean, schools are allowed to share certain information but they can't share specific opinions on your character to other schools. If you want a way out, be an applicant with terrible character.

You may have to make a visit to the school and crack some racist jokes. Good luck.

Depending on the school, anything short of taking the dean hostage might not get them to give up a paying student

[vanwinkle]

Interesting. I suppose it's possible, but I don't know how your ED school could bind you in future years if you simply declared that you no longer had any interest in attending the school and wished to permanently withdraw your app.

The ED contract doesn't typically say "X agrees to attend Y Law School for the Class of 2016." It says "X agrees to attend Y Law School." It's not the ED school binding you in future years, you bound yourself when you agreed to those terms.

If you wish to permanently withdraw your app, that's fine, they can't compel you to attend their school. But they can keep you from attending other schools.

[Ti Malice]

Interesting. I suppose it's possible, but I don't know how your ED school could bind you in future years if you simply declared that you no longer had any interest in attending the school and wished to permanently withdraw your app.

The ED contract doesn't typically say "X agrees to attend Y Law School for the Class of 2016." It says "X agrees to attend Y Law School." It's not the ED school binding you in future years, you bound yourself when you agreed to those terms.

If you wish to permanently withdraw your app, that's fine, they can't compel you to attend their school. But they can keep you from attending other schools.

Ah, that makes sense. I wasn't aware that ED apps aren't usually year-specific.