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Breaking Binding Early Decision Acceptance

michelle901michelle901 Alum Member
edited December 2017 in Law School Admissions 64 karma

Hypothetically speaking, what happens if you break a binding early decision acceptance? I know ethically it's not a good idea but are there any actual repercussions? (Besides a guilty conscience)

I took the september LSAT and got a low score so decided to retake in december.
I went ahead and sent apps to a few schools including one early decision (binding) because I thought with my low LSAT score I would need the advantage of submitting early. I also thought these schools would wait to make their decision until after my december score was released but surprisingly enough the early decision school accepted me one week after I submitted my application with just my september score.
I just got my December score back and did way better than I expected. I know with my new score I now have the possiblity to apply to much higher ranked schools.
So what should I do now?
Do I have to attend this coming fall because I was already accepted?
Or can I still submit new applications even though that breaks the binding early decision?
Should I just wait until next cycle to apply to different law schools?
If I defer and apply to different schools next cycle, is it still binding?

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated!

Comments

  • TheMikeyTheMikey Alum Member
    edited December 2017 4196 karma

    If you break your ED contract then you can't go to any other school for the Fall 2018. You either go to that school or you don't go to school at all.

    You can wait until next cycle to reapply though.

    If you were, however, to decline the ED school and submit apps, the school will notify other schools of this and you will kind of be like "blacklisted" from all schools for this current cycle.

    also, about deferring your acceptance to next cycle and whether it is still binding, that I'm not too sure of, though.

  • michelle901michelle901 Alum Member
    64 karma

    @TheMikey thank you for the info!

  • TheMikeyTheMikey Alum Member
    4196 karma

    @michelle901 said:
    @TheMikey thank you for the info!

    Np! If you do decide not to attend your ED school, I highly recommend sitting out this cycle. You don't want to cause any issues to arise that may come back and screw you later on!

  • michelle901michelle901 Alum Member
    edited December 2017 64 karma

    @TheMikey yes after reading your comments I'm definitely going with my original plan and will attend the ED school! Especially since they saw potential in me from the very beginning :) Also like you said don't want the bad karma and to tarnish my name before even starting law school.

    Hopefully I can use the better score to ask if I can now be considered for a merit scholarship, although do you think I have a good shot at scholarship money since I don't have any other offers to use as leverage? (The binding ED made me withdraw all other law apps).

  • westcoastbestcoastwestcoastbestcoast Alum Member
    3788 karma

    Out of curiosity which school is this? Just wondering which school is giving you some pause about attending ED

  • Seeking PerfectionSeeking Perfection Alum Member
    edited December 2017 4428 karma

    @michelle901 said:
    @TheMikey yes after reading your comments I'm definitely going with my original plan and will attend the ED school! Especially since they saw potential in me from the very beginning :) Also like you said don't want the bad karma and to tarnish my name before even starting law school.

    Hopefully I can use the better score to ask if I can now be considered for a merit scholarship, although do you think I have a good shot at scholarship money since I don't have any other offers to use as leverage? (The binding ED made me withdraw all other law apps).

    You can ask, but your only leverage is the threat of pulling out and waiting a cycle. That is a lot less leverage than you would have in a new cycle and consequently you may get a lot less money.

  • calcal101calcal101 Alum Member
    582 karma

    Don’t break a binding ED

  • TheMikeyTheMikey Alum Member
    4196 karma

    @michelle901 said:
    @TheMikey yes after reading your comments I'm definitely going with my original plan and will attend the ED school! Especially since they saw potential in me from the very beginning :) Also like you said don't want the bad karma and to tarnish my name before even starting law school.

    Hopefully I can use the better score to ask if I can now be considered for a merit scholarship, although do you think I have a good shot at scholarship money since I don't have any other offers to use as leverage? (The binding ED made me withdraw all other law apps).

    I mean, you could email them and ask if there's a chance for any aid for you based on your score increase. Chances are they will say no (but I think it is school-dependent) since they don't need to pull you with $ to attend their school. Which school was it?

  • LindseyDCLindseyDC Core Member
    190 karma

    thanks so much for this! I was pregnant when i started studying. You have really helped me get my energy back for it!!

  • michelle901michelle901 Alum Member
    64 karma

    @westcoastbestcoast @TheMikey
    University of Georgia

    I did send them an email about the score increase asking if it would make me eligible for any scholarship

  • westcoastbestcoastwestcoastbestcoast Alum Member
    3788 karma

    @michelle901 . Good luck let us know how that goes :smile:

  • TheMikeyTheMikey Alum Member
    4196 karma

    @michelle901 said:
    @westcoastbestcoast @TheMikey
    University of Georgia

    I did send them an email about the score increase asking if it would make me eligible for any scholarship

    Ahh ok. Yeah, I'm not too sure about U of Georgia and their ED stuff, but I know some schools (for example NYU) process aid completely separate from admissions, so the people who give out aid (supposedly) don't know you are an ED applicant.

    Hopefully you get something in aid though! :) good luck!

  • michelle901michelle901 Alum Member
    64 karma

    Thanks guys!! I'll let you know if I do get something, fingers crossed!

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