Fee Waivers

kmarie7

I took the September lsat and now my inbox is exploding with law schools waiving their application fees. Do they do this for everyone or are they actually looking at my GPA/score? I'm just curious if I should take these emails serious, or if it's just a marketing ploy.

Jessica_Kuba

Once you are registered with the CAS, law schools obtain your information and based on that they send you fee waivers (correct me if I'm wrong). I hope this helps.

Sprinkles

They send out mass emails to whoever signs up to receive emails. I remember I got a waiver in my inbox just for attending the school's open house.

Sprinkles

Unless of course the email specifies, "because of your GPA/LSAT score we're giving you this waiver." but I highly doubt that's the case.

Alex

@kmarie7 said:
I took the September lsat and now my inbox is exploding with law schools waiving their application fees. Do they do this for everyone or are they actually looking at my GPA/score? I'm just curious if I should take these emails serious, or if it's just a marketing ploy.

Probably a combination of both. Many schools give fee waivers if your LSAT/GPA are good and others just give them to people who signed up for their emails like @montaha.rizeq says.

Micaela_OVO

I can't speak for anyone else, but a lot of the schools that have sent me fee waivers are pretty specific on why they're sending it. They'll mention my GPA, LSAT score, diversity, or all of the above.

Many schools do send out mass emails if you're on the CAS list, but it seems the higher ranked schools are more selective with their fee waivers and will actually mention the reasons why you're an attractive candidate.

KevinSage

I received a fee waiver via email from UVA, but with no specifically stated reason, it just says "We'd like to learn more about you."
Also received a fee waiver from Cornell via email saying that they received my name through the LSAC's Candidate Referral Service and "after taking a quick look at your academic credentials, we want to encourage you to submit an application"

I found Cornell's request odd since my LSAT was not good at all albeit coupled with a very high GPA

Micaela_OVO

@KevinSage I received the fee waiver from UVA that mentioned my academic credentials as well. I don't think it was just a mass email because some of my friends with higher LSATs did not receive a fee waiver, and they're signed up on CAS. So it seems like they're taking more into consideration? I don't like these games haha.

KevinSage

@"Micaela_OVO" said:
So it seems like they're taking more into consideration? I don't like these games haha.

Forgot to note that I also got a waiver from UPenn..

I like to think that three T14 schools actually want me, but...yea, no lol

Accounts Playable

You can also solicit fee waivers, too. I had auto waivers from the T14 except HYS and Columbia (these don't give out fee waivers at all). I didn't get an auto waiver from NW, Cornell, Michigan, or Berkeley. I emailed all of them and they all gave me one, except Berkeley.

Berkeley for some reason doesn't have anyone manning their phones nor responding to emails (I sent one email a month ago, requested one through the Berkeley Law website last week, and sent a follow up email on Monday after still no email response). Berkeley is literally the only school I have not applied to yet because of this issue; I'll still try and call over the next few weeks. If they don't get back to me by Thanksgiving, I might just not apply.

Micaela_OVO

@"Accounts Playable" said:
(these don't give out fee waivers at all)

Hey David! I actually did receive a fee waiver from Columbia. I don't have a stellar LSAT on file, which made me question why I received one.

Accounts Playable

@Micaela_OVO

I think HYS and C offer needs based waivers; do you qualify for one via LSAC? I got a pretty bitchy email from Columbia pretty much telling me to gtfo with the merit based waiver request:

"Thank you for your interest in Columbia Law School. For equity reasons, Columbia, itself, does not process requests for fee waivers."

Accounts Playable

I will say, though, at least it's a response. Berkeley on the other hand...smh lol

Micaela_OVO

@"Accounts Playable" I'm not sure- I haven't applied for need based waivers on LSAC. Columbia explicitly mentioned my LSAT score, so I thought they were trolling. So strange.

Sprinkles

@"Accounts Playable" said:
"Thank you for your interest in Columbia Law School. For equity reasons, Columbia, itself, does not process requests for fee waivers."

Oh yeah, you got bitch slapped lol.

LSATisland

I received the following response when I emailed Columbia for a fee waiver in 2014. I was never notified of a fee waiver, but when I submitted my Columbia application via LSAC I saw that my application had been waived by Columbia (I didn't request an general LSAC fee waiver).

"Thank you for your interest in Columbia Law School.

Should you satisfy the requirements for a merit-based fee waiver, you will be contacted by us directly via email.

Additionally, we provide application fee waivers to those prospective applicants who have received a fee waiver through LSAC. To learn more about LSAC fee waivers, please visit http://www.lsac.org/jd/lsat/fee-waivers.asp

We hope to review your application in the coming months."

kmoody

I just got a fee waiver from Columbia in my inbox a few days ago. Definitely not a need-based thing for me.

EmmaWI88

It's in schools' interest to have high applicant numbers. I'm not saying any of you are just numbers only, but they want to give competitive applicants incentives to apply. This will either a. make their admissions rate appear more selective based on applicant numbers or b. give them easier access to competitive candidates who then may apply over another school who maybe didn't offer that fee waiver. This is the inclusive "or" by the way. I got fee waivers at some decently ranked schools and some not so great with my measly 158 from last time. A lot of schools are struggling with application rates dropping. Harvard is fine and always probably will be, but for your lower ranked schools, it's tougher to stay open and keep application rates up and admission rates up. And on top of that, fewer legal jobs. For a lot of us though, I don't think the numbers game is exclusive to the schools really wanting you. It's all probably a combination and depending on your background or scores, they may think you're an ideal candidate. But it's also strategic on their part.