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Application fee waiver stringency

tylerdschreur10tylerdschreur10 Alum Member
in Law School Admissions 1465 karma

I'm wondering how lenient/picky schools are when it comes to giving out app fee waivers. I plan to apply to many of the T14, Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, Chicago, UofM, Northwestern for sure, perhaps others. Paying $300+ just for apps is really going to hurt my budget. My background, I have about 25k debt from undergrad, but its not documented (loan from grandparents), im currently making about 40k yearly while paying off car loan, the aforementioned college loan, and of course daily expenses, rent etc. Also, is there any way to add an addendum to waiver applications? I would like to explain my undocumented debt etc but there's nowhere to do so in most forms I've seen.

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  • Cant Get RightCant Get Right Yearly + Live Member Sage ⭐ 🍌 7Sage Tutor
    27900 karma

    Most schools grant these based on your LSAC fee waiver status. Have/Did you apply for a fee waiver through LSAC? If you get that, most schools will extend you a fee waiver. If not, you will have to apply to each individually. Not sure how that normally would go, but LSAC is your best bet.

  • rebeccasunshinerebeccasunshine Member
    edited July 2017 41 karma

    Not all schools require financial difficulties for a fee waiver. For example, from Northwestern's website:

    "As an incentive for prospective applicants to apply early (between September 1 to December 1), we offer application fee waivers to any prospective JD applicant who simply fills out our registration form. This form can be found on our Apply page. A fee waiver code will be generated and emailed within 2-3 business days."

    Not sure what other schools do that but I would check the websites for every school you are applying to and see what they say. Good luck!

  • tylerdschreur10tylerdschreur10 Alum Member
    1465 karma

    @Can't Get Right I did not apply for an LSAT waiver.

  • tylerdschreur10tylerdschreur10 Alum Member
    1465 karma

    @rebeccasunshine Thank you! I was unaware of that, will certainly check for other schools that waive fees for early applicants. Even more incentive to get my ducks in a row sooner rather than later!

  • goingfor99thgoingfor99th Free Trial Member
    3072 karma

    I've received four emails from schools already, and every one of them has volunteered an application fee waiver. I think a lot of whether or not they're willing to waive the fee has to do with your competitiveness as an applicant.

  • Mellow_ZMellow_Z Alum Member
    1997 karma

    @tylerdschreur10 said:
    @rebeccasunshine Thank you! I was unaware of that, will certainly check for other schools that waive fees for early applicants. Even more incentive to get my ducks in a row sooner rather than later!

    You can also send emails out to the specific schools and ask for merit based fee waivers. If you have a high LSAT or high GPA (think >75 percentile) they will often give you a free app as well.

  • smseraj3smseraj3 Alum Member
    162 karma

    Register for CRS on LSAC and you should get some. I got some by visiting the schools. I'm also receiving waivers because I volunteered through Americorps. UNC will literally give you one if you ask.

  • tylerdschreur10tylerdschreur10 Alum Member
    1465 karma

    All excellent information, thanks guys, I appreciate the tips!!

  • AlexAlex Alum Member ⭐
    23929 karma

    @"Cant Get Right" said:
    Most schools grant these based on your LSAC fee waiver status. Have/Did you apply for a fee waiver through LSAC? If you get that, most schools will extend you a fee waiver. If not, you will have to apply to each individually. Not sure how that normally would go, but LSAC is your best bet.

    Yup. I'm poor, got a waiver, and as a result got free waivers to tons of schools. Being below the poverty level is the best! Just kidding, but at the time, i was pretty poor. Then I hit the dealership, put spinners on my Beemer, and flexed on everyone. Then I lost all my money and began leasing a Toyota Camry. Point of the story is, if you qualify for the LSAC waiver, you tend to get tons of application waivers as @"Cant Get Right" pointed out.

  • tylerdschreur10tylerdschreur10 Alum Member
    1465 karma

    @"Alex Divine" Ok, but same question for lsac waiver, how destitute must I be to qualify? Because I can gamble away my paychecks on lotto tickets if it will help me save money.

  • AlexAlex Alum Member ⭐
    23929 karma

    @tylerdschreur10 said:
    @"Alex Divine" Ok, but same question for lsac waiver, how destitute must I be to qualify? Because I can gamble away my paychecks on lotto tickets if it will help me save money.

    I tend to use my money card to buy Newports, Obama phones, and scratch offs. LOL.

    Don't sweat it! They seem to be pretty fair.....
    No, you don't have to be that destitute. I wasn't making that much money at my first job after college, but I certainly wasn't destitute when I applied, and they qualified me. The thing is, I am not sure if they include your parent's income. Neither of my parent's are living, and so my calculation was based solely on my own income.

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