over-enrolled e-mail asking me to defer

[asuhelms]

Well...I received an e-mail today from University of Pittsburgh Law School.  I will be attending this fall.  Anyway, the e-mail said they were overenrolled and asked if I would be willing to defer a year.  They would give me $1,000 scholarship and give me my $500 deposit back.  I have already received an $8,000 scholarship from UPitt.  There are several reasons to not defer.  1. I am 23 (almost 24) and want to get on with my life.  2. I already moved to Pittsburgh and wouldn't have moved so soon if I didn't plan on attending school at UPitt.  3.  $1,000 isn't very much money to waste a year of my life.  4.  I would have to start paying back my undergraduate loans because the grace period would have expired.

Is there any way that the school can force me to defer?

Is there any reason to defer that I am not seeing...any advice?

Thanks.

[MaroonOut2005]

No, there is no way they can make you defer and no, there is no reason to defer.  In the long run, a thousand dollars is nothing compared to a year less of law school.  That is one more year of a lawyers salary.  One less year to become partner.  There are other schools doing the same thing, but they are offering much better packages.  One person on this board was offered a full ride if he would defer!  If that were the case, then yes defer.  However, for a thousand dollars, there is no reason to even give defering a second thought.

Thanks and Gig 'Em,
Jason

[CourtJester]

I wonder if this is like an airline being overbooked where they start with a low benefit and then as the time gets closer to take-off they up the ante and pretty soon you have a hotel room, free first class flight, $500 in cash and more!

Definitely do not defer if you want to go this year. Whether they can force you to defer would be a "small print" question - I would doubt it but read everything you have that you signed and as well as all policies to which your signed statements refer.

Let someone else defer - those who didn't receive any scholarship money are most likely to take the bait if offered. So be a nice person and give these non-scholarship winners a chance to get some money...next year!!!
 

 

[CaliforniaLaw]

Turn down the offer.  Tell them you appreciate the offer, but have already committed yourself to the program by moving to Pittsburg.  The $1000 is meaningless in the long run.

Several people I know were offerred full scholarships ($30K/year) for all three years if they deferred at Loyola because of over-enrollment.  That is a great deal.  Going from zero in money to $90K for waiting a year is pretty easy to do.  One has to consider that interest could run another $30K-90K over the life of the loans.  If you could get a deal like this, then defer.

[superiorlobe]

1. You are not too old, so don't worry about that.  Seriously.

2. Write back and tell them you will defer if they will give you a check for $4,000.  Then take the $4,000, and see if you can live in hostels in Eastern Europe for an entire year on just that much money.

3. If you don't get at least $4,000, don't defer.

[CourtJester]

Eastern European hostels??? Yuck! Hook up with a language school in Spain and live there a year and really have fun in quality surroundings...while learning a second language that will help on the job! Lots of fun, a bit more organized than floating around Europe so you are guaranteed making connections - quality people too not just euro-trash and loser Americans trying for easy scores with eastern european women.

[superiorlobe]

I'm sorry.  I had taken complete celibacy during the year in Eastern Europe for granted.  Whatever you do, live large.

[headmachine]

Well...I received an e-mail today from University of Pittsburgh Law School.  I will be attending this fall.  Anyway, the e-mail said they were overenrolled and asked if I would be willing to defer a year.  They would give me $1,000 scholarship and give me my $500 deposit back.  I have already received an $8,000 scholarship from UPitt.  There are several reasons to not defer.  1. I am 23 (almost 24) and want to get on with my life.  2. I already moved to Pittsburgh and wouldn't have moved so soon if I didn't plan on attending school at UPitt.  3.  $1,000 isn't very much money to waste a year of my life.  4.  I would have to start paying back my undergraduate loans because the grace period would have expired.

Is there any way that the school can force me to defer?

Is there any reason to defer that I am not seeing...any advice?

Thanks.

dont defer if u know ur ready for school because ur counting peanuts, relatively 

[arasay01]

I attend Pitt.  I don't see any reason for you to defer - especially given the reasons you've stated.  I would e-mail them back explaining your situation.  I'm a joint-degree student (which presents its own administrative challenges since my other degree program is with another university) and I found both the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid fairly easy to communicate with whenever I had a question or issue.