3.99/170 - BU ED or Try for Harvard? Forum

[josephrobinette]

Due to some non-negotiable personal reasons, I'm 100% going to be in Boston for law school and long-term, so I am looking exclusively at Harvard, BU, BC, and Northeastern. My plan was to apply ED at BU since I didn't imagine being even remotely competitive at Harvard. After getting my score, I still don't really think I'm super competitive for a spot (especially w/ any $), but it at the same time I'm a little worried it's stupid to (potentially) give up a spot at HLS for full ride at BU. Thoughts?

[jstanhope14]

Are you KJD? URM? Your chances at HLS will be slim with that LSAT score but that GPA looks real nice. I'd recommend apply to HLS, if you don't get in then retake, if you get 172+ then apply again next cycle, if you don't get 172+ then ED at BU next cycle. A word of caution: I spoke with a BU admission counselor in person last week and she said they generally accept just 7-10 students ED binding.

[cavalier1138]

Depends on what your work goals are.

If you're really stuck in Boston (and every reason is negotiable, so you're really creating this problem for yourself), then you're severely limiting your choices. I think you'll get good money at BU either way, but Harvard is unlikely with a 170. You should not be considering Northeastern at all, and with your numbers, there's no reason to consider BC either.

[jstanhope14]

Depends on what your work goals are.

If you're really stuck in Boston (and every reason is negotiable, so you're really creating this problem for yourself), then you're severely limiting your choices. I think you'll get good money at BU either way, but Harvard is unlikely with a 170. You should not be considering Northeastern at all, and with your numbers, there's no reason to consider BC either.

BC and BU have almost identical employment stats. In facts, BC actually places into biglaw and fed clerkships a little better.

[cavalier1138]

Depends on what your work goals are.

If you're really stuck in Boston (and every reason is negotiable, so you're really creating this problem for yourself), then you're severely limiting your choices. I think you'll get good money at BU either way, but Harvard is unlikely with a 170. You should not be considering Northeastern at all, and with your numbers, there's no reason to consider BC either.

BC and BU have almost identical employment stats. In facts, BC actually places into biglaw and fed clerkships a little better.

Hrm... maybe I got my wires crossed on the Boston market. I thought BC's numbers were noticeably lower than BU's for some reason...

At any rate, never Northeastern.

[poptart123]

With this narrow range it shows better than a coin flip at H. However, if you're stuck in Boston, law school debt free at a local school isn't a bad option either.

If you apply RD I wonder how much BU would generally give you. If it's full or close to it, it may be worth the risk. Either way you will get some good money from them.

http://mylsn.info/6ef4e1/

[josephrobinette]

Thanks guys! I think I'm gonna aim for ED at BU and if it doesn't pan out, I still feel pretty confident I'll get some good money from BU or BC.

[btruj777]

Thanks guys! I think I'm gonna aim for ED at BU and if it doesn't pan out, I still feel pretty confident I'll get some good money from BU or BC.

Quick question, this applies very much so in my situation so.


But if you apply ED to BU or any school, does it remove leverage for scholarship? and does it give incentive to a school to give you low funds?

In short, if you are looking for $$$ out of BU would it be better to apply RD or ED?


Thanks a million!

[josephrobinette]

I would probably never apply ED unless the school guaranteed money w an ED acceptance for that very reason, but BU gives you full tuition with an ED acceptance.

[btruj777]

I would probably never apply ED unless the school guaranteed money w an ED acceptance for that very reason, but BU gives you full tuition with an ED acceptance.

Perfect, now this makes sense. Is it okay if I share my dilemma with you and see what you would advise and others?

[josephrobinette]

Sure, you are welcome to PM me or whatever - there might be some other posters with more researched opinions than me, but happy to provide my two cents.

[jstanhope14]

Make sure you apply to the distinguished scholar ED program, not just the binding ED program. Also, make sure to apply to BC as well. In the event that BU defers you to regular decision and accepts you that way, they probably won't give you as much $$ as they would have otherwise, because your ED app indicates that you're set on going there. In that case, you'd have to use your BC scholarship offer to leverage a better offer at BU. And you'll probably be able to do that as they are essentially peer schools, but in terms of USNWR BU is ranked higher.

[btruj777]

Thank you, I appreciate that. I hope it is okay if I copied and pasted this, I asked it before but got no love. I basically ask if it would be wise for be to change from ED to RD for UChicago?


I hope this is the appropriate forum to do this in.

LSAT:
June '16: 163
Sept '16: 167



LSAC GPA: 3.95
FIU - Honors College
URM: Yes, Hispanic Male

Worked all of Undergrad in various law firms full time
President of Philosophy Honor Society @ FIU


I applied early to all of the law schools I wanted to go to - The day apps opened.


I applied ED to UChicago, because that is my dream school. However, am I losing any hope of getting merit based aid because of this?

Would it be wise to switch it to a regular application? (assuming they accept me) before they have time to accept me? I include a list of the schools I applied to below, any way to see how it looks for those schools? Thank you all for your time and help!



Chicago - ED
Harvard
Stanford
NYU
Penn
UC - Berk
Northwestern
Cornell
Duke
Notre Dame

[josephrobinette]

Make sure you apply to the distinguished scholar ED program, not just the binding ED program. Also, make sure to apply to BC as well. In the event that BU defers you to regular decision and accepts you that way, they probably won't give you as much $$ as they would have otherwise, because your ED app indicates that you're set on going there. In that case, you'd have to use your BC scholarship offer to leverage a better offer at BU. And you'll probably be able to do that as they are essentially peer schools, but in terms of USNWR BU is ranked higher.

Yep! That is my exact plan. Glad to hear it's the right one haha.

[ashrice13]

That's a tough call. I think there is a possibility for Harvard but not the best one ever. Potentially passing on the chance to go to Harvard is a tough choice to make. I kind of agree with the poster above - try for Harvard and BU RD. If you get accepted at Harvard or near a full ride at BU (totally possibly with those stats) and want to apply this cycle, great. Otherwise, you can always retake and try next cycle to make your decision. If I had those stats I'd probably give it one more go.

That being said, if you really are okay with staying in Boston long term and want to apply ED now, BU is a good option. Just make sure you do want to be there and wont change your mind in a few years.

[josephrobinette]

btruj777 - LSN shows someone with your stats/URM status likely getting more money if you go RD over ED. I'd probably go RD if I were you personally.

ED for URM: http://mylsn.info/m4f28n/

RD for URM: http://mylsn.info/ohmcpx/

[Clemenceau]

That's a tough call. I think there is a possibility for Harvard but not the best one ever. Potentially passing on the chance to go to Harvard is a tough choice to make. I kind of agree with the poster above - try for Harvard and BU RD. If you get accepted at Harvard or near a full ride at BU (totally possibly with those stats) and want to apply this cycle, great. Otherwise, you can always retake and try next cycle to make your decision. If I had those stats I'd probably give it one more go.

Agree. Those are huge numbers for BU; I'm sure they will give you good money RD. I don't see the point in foreclosing the opportunity of going to H.

[btruj777]

Thanks for this! Do you think that UChicago will take "offense" to me sending an email asking for them to please switch my application from ED to RD?

[Clemenceau]

Thanks for this! Do you think that UChicago will take "offense" to me sending an email asking for them to please switch my application from ED to RD?

No. They have thousands of applicants. They know it's a big commitment to go ED and that people can change their minds.

[Joscellin]

I didn't imagine being even remotely competitive at Harvard. After getting my score, I still don't really think I'm super competitive for a spot (especially w/ any $)

Other advice has covered this well, but I just wanted to point out that H doesn't do any merit based aid anyway. Their aid is purely need based, so the question is really just whether you have a shot at a spot.

In your shoes, I think I'd take the shot - a coinflip's chance at HLS is nothing to sneeze at. Yes, the full tuition ED programs are compelling, but (being unfamiliar with BC/BU in particular) is there any reason to expect that you wouldn't get a ton of $$ just through RD?

I would add that it might be worth applying to say, Columbia and NYU to try and get an admission that you can leverage against BC/BU for scholarship money, if you don't go the ED route.

[Pomeranian]

I would be hesitant about sending a ED application. As others have pointed out, you won't have the opportunity to weigh scholarship offers. There's also a chance BU might lowball you with merit aid if you ED since you would be forced to attend.

[cavalier1138]

I would be hesitant about sending a ED application. As others have pointed out, you won't have the opportunity to weigh scholarship offers. There's also a chance BU might lowball you with merit aid if you ED since you would be forced to attend.

BU gives full rides to people admitted ED.