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Comments
Cornell just sent out waivers FYI
U Chicago fee waiver via email!
Does anyone feel like it's a bit odd that I got a merit-based fee waiver from Chicago but not Cornell? Might be slightly salty :P but also wondering if I should hold out a little longer for Cornell?
@mew41195 I also didn't get it from Cornell/Georgetown and Berkeley took away the waiver they gave me so I am a bit salty too lol
@eRetaker Yes! First waiver from T6 haha @mew41195 I got waiver from Chicago/Cornell/Michigan but didn’t get one for UVA so I guess it’s kinda random
Sorry if this was covered already, but how have people made fee waiver requests before? What did you say?
Yes, it's very simple. Keep it short and polite. Below is a sample email from TLS.
I always recommend changing the wording to make it your own though, and avoid looking like you copied and pasted
. I used something similar but in my own words.
To: admissions@lawschool.edu (check each school’s website for the address)
Re: Application Fee Waiver
Hello,
I have a quick question – I was wondering if School X offered merit-based application fee waivers, and if I would qualify for one. My information is:
LSDAS GPA: x.xx
LSAT SCORE: xxx
LSAC ACCOUNT NUMBER: Lxxxxxxxx
Thank you for your time,
Hopeful Law Student
Thanks! I like this email. What about if you go to a law school fair? And what if you don't have an LSAT yet?
I don't have much experience with fairs. I only went to one last year and it was late, past the prime time to ask for waivers. You can still ask for one without an LSAT, it just might be more unlikely that they grant it. I took the December LSAT last year, and shortly after scores came out there was a round of fee waivers that I received. So, you could also wait for that. Wouldn't hurt to ask in advance without it though. Just might get turned down if you don't have an LSAT score yet.
Let me know if you'd be looking for need-based fee waivers and I can send you a similar template but emphasis on the financials vs. merit!
Can any school send you a fee waiver? Or is it only schools that are on your list in LSAC?
For people requesting fee waivers with a public service background, I asked and received service-based fee waivers for the following schools:
-University of Chicago
-UC Berkeley
-Northwestern
-USC
-Boston College
I'm waiting to hear back from UCLA. Boston University said they only grant service-based fee waivers for current participants of Americorps programs.
Great; thanks for all the info. Just trying to save some money given all the other fees we're going to be paying.
Any schools, so long as you as signed up for CRS. I get plenty from schools I would never go to, and never even knew existed lol.
And for everyone, I would also recommend you always search the school's website first to make sure that they do give fee waivers and for which reasons. Schools like Northwestern give them to everyone and there's a form on their site to fill out, so there's no need to email them. Berkeley won't give solicited merit waivers, but supposedly they do grant some unsolicited. It's not as common though. But if you ask them, they will say they don't give merit waivers. They do give financial ones, and I believe there's a form on their website for it. So, it's always good to look at the site first to see if they have a policy posted.
Thanks!
@lsatplaylist
Yeesh... tell me about it. I'm just about ready to send my first 10 apps and only have fee waivers to 4 of them which means they will cost me about $1k. I'd love to see the rationale for these fees beyond "we know they'll pay for it".
Damn you’re already ready to go!! Props to you. Did you write Why Xs for all 10 of those?
Check your NYU apps, saw hidden waiver come through today
@eRetaker you mean waivers that don’t show up until you check out?
Can confirm! Thanks for the heads up. Had my fingers crossed for NYU since they don't accept waiver requests.
@sx23 I saw it when I opened the app, but I did not receive an email about it.
@"Michaela.Pratt1" Yeahh more money saved!
Actually nvm saw my waiver. But essentially I got a waiver without an email. Did your waiver show at the very end? @"Michaela.Pratt1"
When you start the application for that school, the application homepage lists step one, two, and three in the middle column. Under step three 'Pay fees and submit' the application fee will say 'waived' instead of the actual amount.
Yup that's what I got, thanks!
@"surfy surf"
I crammed all day Saturday and Sunday this past weekend! I'm mentally exhausted but I did complete all the standard questions (and double checked them all) and completed first drafts of additional essays/addenda for each school. Hopefully hitting "send" on this batch by Friday!
@eRetaker
YES!! WOOH! That's huge for me and my first easter egg!
Just now got NYU waiver via email
Got a U Mich waiver via email and mail!
@"surfy surf"
Congrats!
I got a Penn waiver this morning but I'm not sure if it's CRS or need-based. They have a formal need-based application which I submitted yesterday and the email I received today doesn't say if it's in response to that app or not.
By the way, Michigan's fee waiver email was super informal lol. A nice change of pace.
@NotMyName Congrats! Do you send them thank you emails after you get waivers from like UVA? I said thanks in the original email but am just wondering:)
Agh so curious. Does anyone have any idea what requirements these schools are giving CRS to process fee waivers (esp hidden ones)? I need need need to know if it’s a good sign or not haha (even though my bank account is happy either way).
I’m curious about this too like will it be marked in your file that you are polite lol
@sx23 My personal rule has been to say "thank you" if I think there is a chance that a human sent me the email. In this case, the email itself definitely seems automated but if it's in response to my need-based app (not clear) then appearances lie. I'll send one because, why not?
That's part of what drew me to Michigan last year. Their communications are all top notch. A nice, friendly, casual tone. And when I got waitlisted, they made me actually feel better about it. It was the kindest waitlist email you can hope to get haha.
@NotMyName Good point! Hope they didn't mind I waited a day.
@sx23 @"surfy surf"
Well, lol, based on their response, I'm quite certain a human will not be reading my gratitude.
"This is an auto-response to your recent inquiry, which was delivered to a mailbox that is not monitored."
@NotMyName Haha it's funny why do they include this line? I think my email was answered by a real person but now I'm feeling stupid for saying just "Thank you for the waiver"!
@sx23 Nah your'e fine. While all of our communication probably does get tagged in a master adcom file, they're not going to be scrutinizing your response beyond "was this a professional response without errors?" You're good!
I think this is a dumb question but the fee waivers don't cover the CAS report fees right? $45 for report is outrageous.
You're correct.
Yep. Ugh. Those fees can only be waived by LSAC. They do give need-based waivers, but I think their standards are pretty strict.
@"Leah M B" Yeah LSAC seemed to have rejected people with incomes below $30k for fee waivers.
Bonkers
@eRetaker
You're looking at one of those people.
@NotMyName yeah that's super strict....
FYI guys Penn just sent out fee waivers
@sx23 lol beat me to the post.
This means that the previous waiver I received was need-based. If anyone wants some help in that process, feel free to PM me.
Lol I’ve gotten so many emails from “Penn State” recently that I instinctively deleted that U Penn fee waiver lol
Harvard just accepted my need-based application for a waiver. If anyone has questions about that process let me know.