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usaorbust wrote:

PrezRand wrote:

mmart207 wrote:

Incrementalist wrote:Have you tried getting the fee waiver through LSAC themselves. They grant them according to income so you don't have to pay the application fee. Just suggesting it as another alternative to those who didn't try.

Yeah, a lot of schools give you fee waivers if you already have a fee waiver from LSAC. I plan on getting the rest from the LSAC forum in October and anything else, I'll just call the school, tell them I'm a URM with my GPA and LSAT and that I'm very interested and just ask for a waiver, I'm sure they won't say no.

How do you get one from the LSAC forum

On the LSAC website on the Apply tab on the bottom right hand corner you can apply for a waiver. They are strictly need based waivers.

Some1 on this forum said it's pretty difficult to get a need-based waiver. I can't remember the specifics but I think he/she mentioned that you basically have to be on welfare

usaorbust wrote:

PrezRand wrote:

mmart207 wrote:

Incrementalist wrote:Have you tried getting the fee waiver through LSAC themselves. They grant them according to income so you don't have to pay the application fee. Just suggesting it as another alternative to those who didn't try.

Yeah, a lot of schools give you fee waivers if you already have a fee waiver from LSAC. I plan on getting the rest from the LSAC forum in October and anything else, I'll just call the school, tell them I'm a URM with my GPA and LSAT and that I'm very interested and just ask for a waiver, I'm sure they won't say no.

How do you get one from the LSAC forum

On the LSAC website on the Apply tab on the bottom right hand corner you can apply for a waiver. They are strictly need based waivers.

+1 and you are going to have to submit your tax forms as well. If you are approved you will get 2 free test administrations and majority of the law schools honor the fee waiver except I think Yale, Stanford, UW Madison to name 3. But pretty much outside Yale, Stanford, and I want to say Texas in the T14 honor the LSAc fee waiver.

I don't think it's that hard to get approved for it. I work two jobs. Granted they are both part time and I am working on my second grad degree. Plus I was foster care. I was approved for it. But take that with a grain of salt. Because I don't know the actual specifics. But I don't think it hurts to try either. Anyway to save money is the best option.

PrezRand wrote:

usaorbust wrote:

PrezRand wrote:

mmart207 wrote:

Incrementalist wrote:Have you tried getting the fee waiver through LSAC themselves. They grant them according to income so you don't have to pay the application fee. Just suggesting it as another alternative to those who didn't try.

Yeah, a lot of schools give you fee waivers if you already have a fee waiver from LSAC. I plan on getting the rest from the LSAC forum in October and anything else, I'll just call the school, tell them I'm a URM with my GPA and LSAT and that I'm very interested and just ask for a waiver, I'm sure they won't say no.

How do you get one from the LSAC forum

On the LSAC website on the Apply tab on the bottom right hand corner you can apply for a waiver. They are strictly need based waivers.

Some1 on this forum said it's pretty difficult to get a need-based waiver. I can't remember the specifics but I think he/she mentioned that you basically have to be on welfare

You most definitely do not need to be on welfare. I get full FAFSA for undergrad so I guess that's why I was able to get the LSAC fee waiver as well.

mmart207 wrote:

PrezRand wrote:

usaorbust wrote:

PrezRand wrote:

mmart207 wrote:

Incrementalist wrote:Have you tried getting the fee waiver through LSAC themselves. They grant them according to income so you don't have to pay the application fee. Just suggesting it as another alternative to those who didn't try.

Yeah, a lot of schools give you fee waivers if you already have a fee waiver from LSAC. I plan on getting the rest from the LSAC forum in October and anything else, I'll just call the school, tell them I'm a URM with my GPA and LSAT and that I'm very interested and just ask for a waiver, I'm sure they won't say no.

How do you get one from the LSAC forum

On the LSAC website on the Apply tab on the bottom right hand corner you can apply for a waiver. They are strictly need based waivers.

Some1 on this forum said it's pretty difficult to get a need-based waiver. I can't remember the specifics but I think he/she mentioned that you basically have to be on welfare

You most definitely do not need to be on welfare. I get full FAFSA for undergrad so I guess that's why I was able to get the LSAC fee waiver as well.

I really regret not applying for it earlier. I was full FAFSA as well but I'm worried there's going to be a hold on my applications if I'm trying to get everything in by end of October latest. How long did it take you?

clueless801 wrote:

mmart207 wrote:

PrezRand wrote:

usaorbust wrote:

PrezRand wrote:

mmart207 wrote:

Incrementalist wrote:Have you tried getting the fee waiver through LSAC themselves. They grant them according to income so you don't have to pay the application fee. Just suggesting it as another alternative to those who didn't try.

Yeah, a lot of schools give you fee waivers if you already have a fee waiver from LSAC. I plan on getting the rest from the LSAC forum in October and anything else, I'll just call the school, tell them I'm a URM with my GPA and LSAT and that I'm very interested and just ask for a waiver, I'm sure they won't say no.

How do you get one from the LSAC forum

On the LSAC website on the Apply tab on the bottom right hand corner you can apply for a waiver. They are strictly need based waivers.

Some1 on this forum said it's pretty difficult to get a need-based waiver. I can't remember the specifics but I think he/she mentioned that you basically have to be on welfare

You most definitely do not need to be on welfare. I get full FAFSA for undergrad so I guess that's why I was able to get the LSAC fee waiver as well.

I really regret not applying for it earlier. I was full FAFSA as well but I'm worried there's going to be a hold on my applications if I'm trying to get everything in by end of October latest. How long did it take you?

If I remember correctly it only took them about a week to approve mine. But granted I around like early June for it. So I am not sure if the quick turn around was due to downtime during summer months. But you probably still have time to do so now.

Incrementalist wrote: If I remember correctly it only took them about a week to approve mine. But granted I around like early June for it. So I am not sure if the quick turn around was due to downtime during summer months. But you probably still have time to do so now.

Hmm, I'll give them a call Monday to ask. The other thing is that I got a full time job since I graduated last year, plus I already paid for the LSAT and the CAS (ew) though this would definitely still be helpful when it comes to waivers per school!

clueless801 wrote:

mmart207 wrote:

PrezRand wrote:

usaorbust wrote:

PrezRand wrote:

mmart207 wrote:

Incrementalist wrote:Have you tried getting the fee waiver through LSAC themselves. They grant them according to income so you don't have to pay the application fee. Just suggesting it as another alternative to those who didn't try.

Yeah, a lot of schools give you fee waivers if you already have a fee waiver from LSAC. I plan on getting the rest from the LSAC forum in October and anything else, I'll just call the school, tell them I'm a URM with my GPA and LSAT and that I'm very interested and just ask for a waiver, I'm sure they won't say no.

How do you get one from the LSAC forum

On the LSAC website on the Apply tab on the bottom right hand corner you can apply for a waiver. They are strictly need based waivers.

Some1 on this forum said it's pretty difficult to get a need-based waiver. I can't remember the specifics but I think he/she mentioned that you basically have to be on welfare

You most definitely do not need to be on welfare. I get full FAFSA for undergrad so I guess that's why I was able to get the LSAC fee waiver as well.

I really regret not applying for it earlier. I was full FAFSA as well but I'm worried there's going to be a hold on my applications if I'm trying to get everything in by end of October latest. How long did it take you?

It took me about a month but that's because I sent them the wrong tax forms at first. Once they received the correct tax forms I was accepted in about a week or two.

RSolano wrote:

YetSas81 wrote:

RSolano wrote:

principalagent wrote:Has anyone started requesting fee waivers? Is there any prevailing wisdom about sliding URM status into an email (with the understanding that, on the whole, our numbers are seen in a different light with that in consideration)?

No I haven't requested any but as a side note I've heard that many fee waivers are given out at the LSAC forums around the country. I am going to one partially for that reason!

This is true. I went to the forum last month and received fee waivers from all the schools that I plan to apply to outside of the T14s. Fee waivers are given out by top schools later but based on gpa/lsat (not sure about other factors). I only went for the fee waivers

Ah that's good to know, I thought T14s would be giving out waivers there too

Certain school do give them out. I know UVa did. I dont know if that'll continue though

Hi-So - ArshavinFan wrote:

RSolano wrote:

YetSas81 wrote:

RSolano wrote:

principalagent wrote:Has anyone started requesting fee waivers? Is there any prevailing wisdom about sliding URM status into an email (with the understanding that, on the whole, our numbers are seen in a different light with that in consideration)?

No I haven't requested any but as a side note I've heard that many fee waivers are given out at the LSAC forums around the country. I am going to one partially for that reason!

This is true. I went to the forum last month and received fee waivers from all the schools that I plan to apply to outside of the T14s. Fee waivers are given out by top schools later but based on gpa/lsat (not sure about other factors). I only went for the fee waivers

Ah that's good to know, I thought T14s would be giving out waivers there too

Certain school do give them out. I know UVa did. I dont know if that'll continue though

They could but I definitely didn’t receive one from UVA. (Fee waivers from UCLA down for me) It could depend on which forum people attend because I went to their first one of the year in July when apps aren’t open yet. Maybe people that go to the later forums will have better luck when the cycle is in full swing

YetSas81 wrote:

Hi-So - ArshavinFan wrote:

RSolano wrote:

YetSas81 wrote:

RSolano wrote:

principalagent wrote:Has anyone started requesting fee waivers? Is there any prevailing wisdom about sliding URM status into an email (with the understanding that, on the whole, our numbers are seen in a different light with that in consideration)?

No I haven't requested any but as a side note I've heard that many fee waivers are given out at the LSAC forums around the country. I am going to one partially for that reason!

This is true. I went to the forum last month and received fee waivers from all the schools that I plan to apply to outside of the T14s. Fee waivers are given out by top schools later but based on gpa/lsat (not sure about other factors). I only went for the fee waivers

Ah that's good to know, I thought T14s would be giving out waivers there too

Certain school do give them out. I know UVa did. I dont know if that'll continue though

They could but I definitely didn’t receive one from UVA. (Fee waivers from UCLA down for me) It could depend on which forum people attend because I went to their first one of the year in July when apps aren’t open yet. Maybe people that go to the later forums will have better luck when the cycle is in full swing

It was later in the cycle, you are definitely correct. I saw people asking for them.

To be quite honest, for URM ( at least AA/Black males - based off my experiences and others last cycle) it seems if you have a GPA above 3.0 or and lSAT of above 162, youll get a fee waiver from at least UCLA and Mich from CRM. ITs funny, i tried to solicit a fee waiver from Penn, and they flat out told me no. a week later, i got a CRM waiver from them lol. So the LSAT/GPA combo matters more for the upper ranked schools defo

Hi all --

Checking in

AA Male, ~3.8 GPA from ivy undergrad.

I will probably have to wait until next cycle to apply since I have just begun my prep.

For all my fellow URMs who scored above a 160 -- what LSAT books do you recommend? I did a 7Sage trial and although I plan on using them for LG explanations, I find that I absorb the information much better from books. I browsed the Powerscore bibles in Barnes and Noble and I feel like these books really click with me. Any one else use them? Any suggestions?

Diagnostic was in the high 150s and I'm looking to break the 168 mark so I have a good chance at HYS.

Good luck to everyone applying!

I used PowerScore for LR, which was my weakest section. It helped, but I didn't always find the book accessible. It was sometimes just a bit too granular and in the weeds. But I also used the LSAT trainer, which I thought was perfect and complimented PowerScore extremely well. The LSAT Trainer is very to the point for its explanations of topics, and I think was great for general overview for all sections.

Thank you for the insight Principalagent

I also ordered The LSAT Trainer as well!

Hey everyone!
Anyone here know how an african-american who studied abroad (UK) with a 170 lsat would do?
My sisters unreportable gpa is making her chances far more unpredictable than mine (though she's a better student) I had a 3.6gpa I think she has a 'superior' rating and/or first class honor something something from england. Any insight from y'all is welcome..we'll both be applying at the same time come first week of November!

AA Male. Went to Cornell. Going onto biglaw next month. Here to help if anyone has questions about the URM experience at Cornell or at law school in general. Can help a little with admissions as well, though it's been a minute lol

mt2165 wrote:AA Male. Went to Cornell. Going onto biglaw next month. Here to help if anyone has questions about the URM experience at Cornell or at law school in general. Can help a little with admissions as well, though it's been a minute lol

Stats when you applied? If you don't mind me asking. Also how would you say the experience for a URM is at Cornell? And the experience at the school overall? I don't know much about Cornell, first thing that comes to mind if Andy from The Office

mmart207 wrote:

mt2165 wrote:AA Male. Went to Cornell. Going onto biglaw next month. Here to help if anyone has questions about the URM experience at Cornell or at law school in general. Can help a little with admissions as well, though it's been a minute lol

Stats when you applied? If you don't mind me asking. Also how would you say the experience for a URM is at Cornell? And the experience at the school overall? I don't know much about Cornell, first thing that comes to mind if Andy from The Office

3.6 and 164. And it's solid, my year had a fairly small AA population (like 10 people) but that number has grown in recent years. Some parts about being a black person/URM at elite schools are monolithic - self-guessing, feeling alienated, etc., but Cornell did a good job of reaching our and trying to make people feel welcome. Not a huge fan of law school generally - the forced curves, the general first year curriculum, Socratic method and so on. But I met some really great people that I can't imagine not knowing. And I like the core aspect of litigating i.e. researching, fact analyzing, writing, and formulating arguments. The thing that makes or breaks Cornell for me in hindsight is the location - Ithaca isnt really for me, but to each his own. But barring extreme misfortune you WILL get a job from Cornell, and at the end of the day that's what it's about.

AA Female 3.52 GPA from notable private uni checking in. Good luck to everyone applying this year and hopefully we can support each other to stay sane through this process!!

mt2165 wrote:AA Male. Went to Cornell. Going onto biglaw next month. Here to help if anyone has questions about the URM experience at Cornell or at law school in general. Can help a little with admissions as well, though it's been a minute lol

Thanks for taking questions. Can you speak to the overall strength of the URM community during your time there? We're student affinity groups active or not so much?

How is the Latino community at Cornell?

Hi Everyone

AA female here
GPA - 3.7X
LSAT - 160
2 years work experience in corporate
Undergrad at top college (right outside of ivy)

Hoping for T14 + GW/BC/BU

para219 wrote:

mt2165 wrote:AA Male. Went to Cornell. Going onto biglaw next month. Here to help if anyone has questions about the URM experience at Cornell or at law school in general. Can help a little with admissions as well, though it's been a minute lol

Thanks for taking questions. Can you speak to the overall strength of the URM community during your time there? We're student affinity groups active or not so much?

How is the Latino community at Cornell?

I would say pretty strong. URM's (excluding asian groups) probably make up around 15-20% of the class (NA+AA+Latinx) and the class is small (200 people) so you're not looking a ton of URMs. That said, the URM community is pretty insular and people go out of their way to make you feel welcome and offer help if any kind. The affinity groups are very active and host (between the lot) at least a couple of events a month if not more and the members (especially e-boards) are generally very good friends.

Speaking to the Latino community at Cornell, I'm personally good friends with many members of the LALSA eboard my year and from everything I can tell the Latino community is great. They have more events (and members) than blsa and have some really great events and leadership. We've also tried in recent years to have more intersectional events and activities in recent years recognizing the diverse identities and struggles of all URMs/POC/LGBTQ/Women peeps. All in all, I think you'd be satisfied. Hope this helps.

mt2165 wrote:

para219 wrote:

mt2165 wrote:AA Male. Went to Cornell. Going onto biglaw next month. Here to help if anyone has questions about the URM experience at Cornell or at law school in general. Can help a little with admissions as well, though it's been a minute lol

Thanks for taking questions. Can you speak to the overall strength of the URM community during your time there? We're student affinity groups active or not so much?

How is the Latino community at Cornell?

I would say pretty strong. URM's (excluding asian groups) probably make up around 15-20% of the class (NA+AA+Latinx) and the class is small (200 people) so you're not looking a ton of URMs. That said, the URM community is pretty insular and people go out of their way to make you feel welcome and offer help if any kind. The affinity groups are very active and host (between the lot) at least a couple of events a month if not more and the members (especially e-boards) are generally very good friends.

Speaking to the Latino community at Cornell, I'm personally good friends with many members of the LALSA eboard my year and from everything I can tell the Latino community is great. They have more events (and members) than blsa and have some really great events and leadership. We've also tried in recent years to have more intersectional events and activities in recent years recognizing the diverse identities and struggles of all URMs/POC/LGBTQ/Women peeps. All in all, I think you'd be satisfied. Hope this helps.

How tough was it to get summer associate positions? What was the student atmosphere like? Were there a lot of gunners or was it more on the chill side? Any advice for future applicants? Is there anything you would have done differently during the application process? Is there anything you would have done differently in LS? Do you have any regrets going to Cornell? Is Cornell a decent choice for someone not considering working in NYC?

Good luck guys!

mt2165 wrote:

para219 wrote:

mt2165 wrote:AA Male. Went to Cornell. Going onto biglaw next month. Here to help if anyone has questions about the URM experience at Cornell or at law school in general. Can help a little with admissions as well, though it's been a minute lol

Thanks for taking questions. Can you speak to the overall strength of the URM community during your time there? We're student affinity groups active or not so much?

How is the Latino community at Cornell?

I would say pretty strong. URM's (excluding asian groups) probably make up around 15-20% of the class (NA+AA+Latinx) and the class is small (200 people) so you're not looking a ton of URMs. That said, the URM community is pretty insular and people go out of their way to make you feel welcome and offer help if any kind. The affinity groups are very active and host (between the lot) at least a couple of events a month if not more and the members (especially e-boards) are generally very good friends.

Speaking to the Latino community at Cornell, I'm personally good friends with many members of the LALSA eboard my year and from everything I can tell the Latino community is great. They have more events (and members) than blsa and have some really great events and leadership. We've also tried in recent years to have more intersectional events and activities in recent years recognizing the diverse identities and struggles of all URMs/POC/LGBTQ/Women peeps. All in all, I think you'd be satisfied. Hope this helps.

Thank you for the insight! Much appreciated.