A few questions

[kusazumir]

So, I am considering applying to law school for the start of the next fall semester ('11).  And of course I have a few questions....

What are the factors that most determine if you receive scholarship money?  Does your location, income, history affect it at all?

If you apply at a school and are awarded scholarship money, then withdraw the application, would it have any future affect on future applications/scholarship awards to that same school?
Maybe I should clarify...I am thinking about just applying to Washburn U. for their Spring Start semester.  I am wondering if I apply there and don't get the scholarship I need/want and withdraw the application, retake the LSAT and re-apply for the next fall cycle, will the original appliacation have any affect on the new application (In terms of acceptance and scholarship)?

What exactly makes an applicant 'under-represented'?  Is it only race, or can it have to do with sex, veteran status, having a child, etc.?

Thanks for your time!

[Cicero]

What are the factors that most determine if you receive scholarship money?  LSAT & GPA

Does your location, income, history affect it at all? no, unless you're a movie star or something--then it's possible it determine whether they offer one

Maybe I should clarify...I am thinking about just applying to Washburn U. for their Spring Start semester.  I am wondering if I apply there and don't get the scholarship I need/want and withdraw the application, retake the LSAT and re-apply for the next fall cycle, will the original appliacation have any affect on the new application (In terms of acceptance and scholarship)?

They'll still have your old application on file when you reapply, and they will ask you if you have applied before. It would likely effect whether they accept you a second time, but I don't know from 1st hand experience. You could call the admissions office and find out.

What exactly makes an applicant 'under-represented'?  Is it only race, or can it have to do with sex, veteran status, having a child, etc.?
pretty much race, though there may be some exceptions

Good luck!

[Morten Lund]

What are the factors that most determine if you receive scholarship money?  LSAT & GPA

Does your location, income, history affect it at all? no, unless you're a movie star or something--then it's possible it determine whether they offer one

Yes and no - it depends on the school.  Financial aid based on "merit" - LSAT/GPA - is more common the further down the law school ranks you go, and inversely, financial aid based on diversity/need is more common the further up the law school ranks you go.

This goes all the way to the extremes - I am not aware that Yale/Harvard/Stanford offer any merit-based aid at all, but they have significant need-based aid, and the very low-ranked schools offer only merit-based aid.