Asking For Fee Waivers

[Legally Brown "Sugah"]

Sooo, received my (subpar) score today and received word that my fee waiver was denied.   

Those of you who have had success in simply asking schools for fee waivers, how did you go about it and which schools were you able to obtain waivers from?

This feels like ugrad financial aid all over again...too much money to get the freebies and not enough to actually pay 

If you don't feel comfortable posting the schools in this thread, please send me a PM.  Thanks!

[Startin Up Soon!]

I had no success asking for waivers last year and I have no idea why I didn't get very many waivers at all.  Most places wouldn't release their criteria for fee waivers and would just vaguely imply that I must have not met their cutoffs, then there was Columbia which told me that my LSAT must have "not met their cutoff" and I really didn't know what to say.  I'd say just go for it, it doesn't hurt to ask and as long as you're not rude it can't hurt and who knows, you just might save $80.  If I recall correctly, Michigan is very flexible wrt to waivers but thats about all I remember.

[Legally Brown "Sugah"]

I sent emails to a few schools so far.  Some flat out said that they don't give waivers if its not through an LSAC waiver (even though one of those schools contradicted themselves in their application instructions... ).

A few others sent me fee waiver apps (some of which require wayyyy too much) or told me to submit the app, print the certification letter and include my monthly budget and/or financial aid letter with it when I mail it in.

Only one school so far has taken me at my word and given me a waiver...cementing it further as my number one choice...stupid LSAT score 

[JeNeSaisLaw]

Vanderbilt, Michigan, UVA, and Washington University all honored my request for a fee waiver.

UVA dude was no effort, and it was at a law school fair. Michigan woman was talking me into applying at the same fair, and said that to prove that I really had a shot that she'd waive my fee so I knew it wasn't just to get more applications. WashU was via email request. Vanderbilt was from my conversation with Mike Spivey (now at WashU) at the same law school fair. He wrote down my name and told me to email him with a reminder request.

[Legally Brown "Sugah"]

I have one of these already...going to try for the other

[*devo*]

I had little luck getting fee waivers at my law school fair.  I only got 3 fee waivers from T1 schools, and these were all state schools.  Needless to say, I was very disappointed.

[DWIGHT SCHRUTE]

I would ask a friend to help you out.  Even if a few friends contributed for each application.  Thats the easiest way to get the money situation taken care of - imo. believe me, once you graduate law school you will be able to pay them back + interest no prob bob.   

[heartbreaker]

I would ask a friend to help you out.  Even if a few friends contributed for each application.  Thats the easiest way to get the money situation taken care of - imo. believe me, once you graduate law school you will be able to pay them back + interest no prob bob.   

WTF are you talking about?

[Kantian]

do law schools give out fee waiver before getting our lsat scores?

[Legally Brown "Sugah"]

I would ask a friend to help you out.  Even if a few friends contributed for each application.  Thats the easiest way to get the money situation taken care of - imo. believe me, once you graduate law school you will be able to pay them back + interest no prob bob.   

WTF are you talking about?

Thanks heartbreaker....thankfully I didn't see this until now