Fee Waivers w/o LSAT

calcal101

Hi all,

I'm curious if anyone has received an application fee waiver from a top 30 or so school WITHOUT an LSAT score on file. I'm currently in undergrad and have a high LSAC GPA (3.97) but canceled my September score. Is getting a fee waiver unheard of without a score on file? I guess that'd make sense…?

Leah M B

Northwestern offers them to everyone, so long as you apply before December 15. I'm in the same boat as you, I have a high GPA but no LSAT score yet and I've received very few fee waivers, mostly from lower ranked schools.

I do know also that at the LSAC forums, many schools handed out fee waivers at their tables, but I didn't make it to one so I'm not sure if the top schools did that.

goingfor99th

@"Leah M B" said:
Northwestern offers them to everyone, so long as you apply before December 15. I'm in the same boat as you, I have a high GPA but no LSAT score yet and I've received very few fee waivers, mostly from lower ranked schools.

I do know also that at the LSAC forums, many schools handed out fee waivers at their tables, but I didn't make it to one so I'm not sure if the top schools did that.

Top schools did not do that at the forum. UCLA gave them away, but Northwestern was the only one to do it inside the T14.

Schools seem to think merit-based fee waivers mean something, I think.

calcal101

@"Leah M B" and @goingfor99th : Thank you both for your responses!

Leah M B

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:
Northwestern offers them to everyone, so long as you apply before December 15. I'm in the same boat as you, I have a high GPA but no LSAT score yet and I've received very few fee waivers, mostly from lower ranked schools.

I do know also that at the LSAC forums, many schools handed out fee waivers at their tables, but I didn't make it to one so I'm not sure if the top schools did that.

Top schools did not do that at the forum. UCLA gave them away, but Northwestern was the only one to do it inside the T14.

Schools seem to think merit-based fee waivers mean something, I think.

That's good to know, thanks for the forum tip. Man, it's a bummer though to not be able to get any merit waivers until after December LSAT score is reported. I mean, I know we should be applying earlier so that's on me haha. But still, a bummer.

goingfor99th

@"Leah M B" said:

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:
Northwestern offers them to everyone, so long as you apply before December 15. I'm in the same boat as you, I have a high GPA but no LSAT score yet and I've received very few fee waivers, mostly from lower ranked schools.

I do know also that at the LSAC forums, many schools handed out fee waivers at their tables, but I didn't make it to one so I'm not sure if the top schools did that.

Top schools did not do that at the forum. UCLA gave them away, but Northwestern was the only one to do it inside the T14.

Schools seem to think merit-based fee waivers mean something, I think.

That's good to know, thanks for the forum tip. Man, it's a bummer though to not be able to get any merit waivers until after December LSAT score is reported. I mean, I know we should be applying earlier so that's on me haha. But still, a bummer.

Yeah, fee waiver success depends on timing to some extent, I think. I received fee waivers from almost every school in the Top 20 from August to November, except the top 4 who only do need-based fee waivers. (I have an LSAC fee waiver, though, so the top 4 waived my application fee as well.) I think UT Austin is the only school in the Top 20 that didn't contact me or volunteer a fee waiver. Every single T14 school has made contact with me, though, even if they didn't offer up fee waivers.

I think Berkeley may be the most stubborn, actually! (That is funny to me. lol)

If you have any questions, I'll do my best to help! I may be able to tell you which schools are the most stubborn, and maybe you can decide on which schools you will try to solicit fee waivers from based on that? Just an idea.

Leah M B

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:
Northwestern offers them to everyone, so long as you apply before December 15. I'm in the same boat as you, I have a high GPA but no LSAT score yet and I've received very few fee waivers, mostly from lower ranked schools.

I do know also that at the LSAC forums, many schools handed out fee waivers at their tables, but I didn't make it to one so I'm not sure if the top schools did that.

Top schools did not do that at the forum. UCLA gave them away, but Northwestern was the only one to do it inside the T14.

Schools seem to think merit-based fee waivers mean something, I think.

That's good to know, thanks for the forum tip. Man, it's a bummer though to not be able to get any merit waivers until after December LSAT score is reported. I mean, I know we should be applying earlier so that's on me haha. But still, a bummer.

Yeah, fee waiver success depends on timing to some extent, I think. I received fee waivers from almost every school in the Top 20 from August to November, except the top 4 who only do need-based fee waivers. (I have an LSAC fee waiver, though, so the top 4 waived my application fee as well.) I think UT Austin is the only school in the Top 20 that didn't contact me or volunteer a fee waiver. Every single T14 school has made contact with me, though, even if they didn't offer up fee waivers.

I think Berkeley may be the most stubborn, actually! (That is funny to me. lol)

If you have any questions, I'll do my best to help! I may be able to tell you which schools are the most stubborn, and maybe you can decide on which schools you will try to solicit fee waivers from based on that? Just an idea.

So did you already have an LSAT score when they contacted you or no? Although I guess the LSAC waiver could also be in a factor in that.

goingfor99th

@"Leah M B" said:

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:
Northwestern offers them to everyone, so long as you apply before December 15. I'm in the same boat as you, I have a high GPA but no LSAT score yet and I've received very few fee waivers, mostly from lower ranked schools.

I do know also that at the LSAC forums, many schools handed out fee waivers at their tables, but I didn't make it to one so I'm not sure if the top schools did that.

Top schools did not do that at the forum. UCLA gave them away, but Northwestern was the only one to do it inside the T14.

Schools seem to think merit-based fee waivers mean something, I think.

That's good to know, thanks for the forum tip. Man, it's a bummer though to not be able to get any merit waivers until after December LSAT score is reported. I mean, I know we should be applying earlier so that's on me haha. But still, a bummer.

Yeah, fee waiver success depends on timing to some extent, I think. I received fee waivers from almost every school in the Top 20 from August to November, except the top 4 who only do need-based fee waivers. (I have an LSAC fee waiver, though, so the top 4 waived my application fee as well.) I think UT Austin is the only school in the Top 20 that didn't contact me or volunteer a fee waiver. Every single T14 school has made contact with me, though, even if they didn't offer up fee waivers.

I think Berkeley may be the most stubborn, actually! (That is funny to me. lol)

If you have any questions, I'll do my best to help! I may be able to tell you which schools are the most stubborn, and maybe you can decide on which schools you will try to solicit fee waivers from based on that? Just an idea.

So did you already have an LSAT score when they contacted you or no? Although I guess the LSAC waiver could also be in a factor in that.

I had my June score. I only received the LSAC fee waiver a few weeks ago. (This is why I think schools may be able to see more than we realize, i.e. maybe they see our transcripts if they are on the CAS. That, or they see certain things that we may not be explicitly told they have access to? I know the LSAC does an 'incomplete e-app waiver,' which allows schools to see certain parts of your application before it's complete/submitted.)

I'm not sure if schools can see it, but I had registered for the December and February exams before my June. I canceled my registration the night before both tests.

Leah M B

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:
Northwestern offers them to everyone, so long as you apply before December 15. I'm in the same boat as you, I have a high GPA but no LSAT score yet and I've received very few fee waivers, mostly from lower ranked schools.

I do know also that at the LSAC forums, many schools handed out fee waivers at their tables, but I didn't make it to one so I'm not sure if the top schools did that.

Top schools did not do that at the forum. UCLA gave them away, but Northwestern was the only one to do it inside the T14.

Schools seem to think merit-based fee waivers mean something, I think.

That's good to know, thanks for the forum tip. Man, it's a bummer though to not be able to get any merit waivers until after December LSAT score is reported. I mean, I know we should be applying earlier so that's on me haha. But still, a bummer.

Yeah, fee waiver success depends on timing to some extent, I think. I received fee waivers from almost every school in the Top 20 from August to November, except the top 4 who only do need-based fee waivers. (I have an LSAC fee waiver, though, so the top 4 waived my application fee as well.) I think UT Austin is the only school in the Top 20 that didn't contact me or volunteer a fee waiver. Every single T14 school has made contact with me, though, even if they didn't offer up fee waivers.

I think Berkeley may be the most stubborn, actually! (That is funny to me. lol)

If you have any questions, I'll do my best to help! I may be able to tell you which schools are the most stubborn, and maybe you can decide on which schools you will try to solicit fee waivers from based on that? Just an idea.

So did you already have an LSAT score when they contacted you or no? Although I guess the LSAC waiver could also be in a factor in that.

I had my June score. I only received the LSAC fee waiver a few weeks ago. (This is why I think schools may be able to see more than we realize, i.e. maybe our transcripts if they are on the CAS.)

I'm not sure if schools can see it, but I had registered for the December and February exams before my June. I canceled my registration the night before both tests.

Ah yes, that makes sense. For those of us with no LSAT score on record yet, there's not really a great way to get a merit waiver unfortunately.

goingfor99th

@"Leah M B" said:

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:

@goingfor99th said:

@"Leah M B" said:
Northwestern offers them to everyone, so long as you apply before December 15. I'm in the same boat as you, I have a high GPA but no LSAT score yet and I've received very few fee waivers, mostly from lower ranked schools.

I do know also that at the LSAC forums, many schools handed out fee waivers at their tables, but I didn't make it to one so I'm not sure if the top schools did that.

Top schools did not do that at the forum. UCLA gave them away, but Northwestern was the only one to do it inside the T14.

Schools seem to think merit-based fee waivers mean something, I think.

That's good to know, thanks for the forum tip. Man, it's a bummer though to not be able to get any merit waivers until after December LSAT score is reported. I mean, I know we should be applying earlier so that's on me haha. But still, a bummer.

Yeah, fee waiver success depends on timing to some extent, I think. I received fee waivers from almost every school in the Top 20 from August to November, except the top 4 who only do need-based fee waivers. (I have an LSAC fee waiver, though, so the top 4 waived my application fee as well.) I think UT Austin is the only school in the Top 20 that didn't contact me or volunteer a fee waiver. Every single T14 school has made contact with me, though, even if they didn't offer up fee waivers.

I think Berkeley may be the most stubborn, actually! (That is funny to me. lol)

If you have any questions, I'll do my best to help! I may be able to tell you which schools are the most stubborn, and maybe you can decide on which schools you will try to solicit fee waivers from based on that? Just an idea.

So did you already have an LSAT score when they contacted you or no? Although I guess the LSAC waiver could also be in a factor in that.

I had my June score. I only received the LSAC fee waiver a few weeks ago. (This is why I think schools may be able to see more than we realize, i.e. maybe our transcripts if they are on the CAS.)

I'm not sure if schools can see it, but I had registered for the December and February exams before my June. I canceled my registration the night before both tests.

Ah yes, that makes sense. For those of us with no LSAT score on record yet, there's not really a great way to get a merit waiver unfortunately.

Oh, I apologize. I thought you had your score at this point. I thought it was only OP who was without.