Is Early Decision bad?

Comments

• Alex Alum Member ⭐

  December 2016 edited December 2016 23929 karma

  @julsnet2 said:
  
  1) Early decision increases your chance to get into that law school, correct?
  
  2) A big decision on which law school to go to is scholarships. If I wanted to go to Harvard hypothetically, and did early decision there and I got in, but they offered me no scholarship, while I at the same time got into Standford and they offered me 50% tuition scholarships, I would for the most part go to Standford. Would I still be binded to go to Harvard even though I got no scholarship? Or would I be able to say something like hey Harvard I got 50% scholarship at Stanford so if you dont match that I do not have to go to your school?
  

  I'm not really sure anyone can quantify if ED increases your chances and by how much. It does seem to help a bit, especially if your numbers are right on the verge of a school's 50%-tile. From what I know, most experts would tell you that ED'ing tends to only work against students because they can easily admit you with a binding agreement and NOT offer you a scholarship.
  
  Harvard and Stanford Law school only give need-based aid which isn't affected by E.D. However, let's us NYU Law vs. UVA. When you apply ED every school basically has you agree to a unique set of circumstances. Generally, they say if we admit you, it is binding. So you won't have much in the way of scholarship negotiations. So definitely be sure to read the school's specific policy.
  
  In sum, if scholarship considerations are important to you (and i imagine they are to almost everyone) than I would not ED.
• lawschoolstuff16 Alum Member

  December 2016 328 karma

  Georgetown specifically states on their site that if you apply E.D. you better be okay with not getting any money. Be careful where you decide to apply E.D. most schools it won't really help (NYU I believe already said that it doesn't quite make a difference to them). But if you apply E.D. to NU or GW for example, that E.D. gives you a hefty scholarship, if admitted.
• MrSamIam Inactive ⭐

  December 2016 2086 karma

  1) As a general rule of thumb, yes ED does increase your chances of getting in. By how much? No one can tell you. At the end of the day, law schools worry about whether or not applicants will actually attend (hence why some will reject overqualified applicants).
  
  2) Not entirely sure. Technically, you are obligated to attend whichever school you were ED accepted to. However, you might be able to use your scholarship offer from another school as a bargaining chip to get more money. Though, I wouldn't bank on it. That's one of the tradeoffs that comes with ED - you lose leverage in regard to requesting a higher scholarship.
• David Busis Member Moderator

  December 2016 7375 karma

  Helpful analysis of ED using LSN data: http://admissionsbythenumbers.com/
• bbutler Inactive ⭐

  December 2016 401 karma

  1) Early decision definitely impacts your chances to get in but like everyone else has reiterated it is entirely dependent on the school and the school's program. For some schools (t-14) it will make it easier to get into but definitely isn't the end all be all for these schools. Admissions consulars will tell you that if they can make someone's dream come true by admitting them in they will, and it's true but most of those schools will be extremely hesitant to offer scholarship money afterwards. For other schools (NU) I actually think ED makes it harder because they are in consideration for a full-ride scholarship so obviously they can't offer that to everyone and have to be more competitive. For the 2nd-3rd-4th tier law schools it it's more yield protection than anything.
  
  2) For all intensive purposes just assume that if you ED you won't get any scholarships. I know that this isn't the case but you've given any and all leverage away from a certain school to offer you scholarships by saying no matter what I'm coming.
  
  ED is great if you're reaching for a dream school and you have a way financially of making it work out in the end. However, be extremely careful and do your due diligence before signing that doted line because yes it is binding, if the school says yes most will want you to withdraw all of your other apps and have legal cause to keep you from going to another school. I'm not sure if that has ever happened but a lawsuit probably won't be the best thing on your resume to start going into law school.
• Tina Cho Free Trial Member

  December 2016 442 karma

  Hi sorry to jump in and ask a question but...
  I thought ED actually help to get scholarship more, no?
  I heard someone said if you apply late the chance you get scholarship actually decreases...
  Why this sounds contradict what you said? What's the difference??
  Thank you
• MrSamIam Inactive ⭐

  December 2016 edited December 2016 2086 karma

  @"Tina Cho" It can go both ways. ED can help with scholarship money, since you are applying early. However, keep in mind that schools know that you are obligated to attend, if they admit you. Why offer you money, when they can use that same scholarship money to attract another applicant who is not obligated to attend?
  That said, ED certainly doesn't preclude the possibility that you'll be offered a scholarship.
• Sprinkles Alum Member ⭐

  December 2016 edited December 2016 11542 karma

  @"Alex Divine" said:
  I'm not really sure anyone can quantify if ED increases your chances and by how much. It does seem to help a bit, especially if your numbers are right on the verge of a school's 50%-tile. From what I know, most experts would tell you that ED'ing tends to only work against students because they can easily admit you with a binding agreement and NOT offer you a scholarship.
  
  Harvard and Stanford Law school only give need-based aid which isn't affected by E.D. However, let's us NYU Law vs. UVA. When you apply ED every school basically has you agree to a unique set of circumstances. Generally, they say if we admit you, it is binding. So you won't have much in the way of scholarship negotiations. So definitely be sure to read the school's specific policy.
  
  In sum, if scholarship considerations are important to you (and i imagine they are to almost everyone) than I would not ED.
  

  Exactly this. Also, once you're admitted somewhere with ED it's obligatory to reject all other schools you may have applied to.