All $$$ is a combination of merit and need based. Specifics are listed below in timeline as I received info.
General Timeline:
1/10/13: Started studying each day for the LSAT. AVG PT range leading up to test day was between 164-174.
6/10/13: Took LSAT.
7/1/13: Got LSAT score - 167 (94.5 Percentile), around my average, albeit on the lower end of it.
7/10/13: Started working on essays
7/15/13: Requested LORs and Evaluations
7/19/13: Requested Transcripts from all schools
8/1/13: Started working on all apps
9/27/13: Interview with Vanderbilt rep. It went extremely well.
9/28/13: LSAC Forum. I saw the Vandy rep. and he was extremely excited to see me. Very good vibes there.
10/25/13: Started sending in apps (see above for dates)
11/13/13: Vanderbilt status check: Decision Mailed
11/15/13: Vanderbilt acceptance package via snail mail
11/23/13: Georgetown acceptance letter via snail mail (sent 11/19/13). Got nervous when I saw the letter as it was in a tiny little envelope. FYI - Status checker says "Application Complete 11/18/13."
12/2/13: Done sending out all my apps! It took me so long because I personalized each app (except for the ones on and after yale as yale does not like "why yale" statement")
12/3/13: USC status check: In First Committee Review. // UPenn status check: In Review
12/4/13: In at UMich via status check! I love their littles notes. :)
12/5/13: FIU acceptance via snail mail (sent out on
12/3/13, just one day after I sent in my app!).
12/6/13: USC status check: Committee 2nd Review
12/13/13: In at Southwestern via email (plus full tuition merit scholarship!).
12/14/13: Northwestern off-campus interview with alum. He emailed me afterwards saying how well my interview went! He talked me up quite a bit towards the end of my interview due to my experience after undergrad. Very very nice guy.
12/17/13: NYU status update: Application Under Review
12/19/13: Duke status check: Under Review; Brooklyn status check: Under Review
12/23/13: Cornell status check: complete // USC status check: In Final Review (morning) // In at USC via email (end of day)
12/26/13: In at UMiami via snail mail (note I never received notice that my application was complete).
12/28/13: In at Brooklyn via status checker! I hope all these early acceptances are a good omen of things to come.
1/2/14: Chicago Status Check: In Review // Waitlisted at UVA via email.
1/3/14: Northwestern Status Check: In Review
1/6/14: UMiami snail mail: Dean's Merit Scholarship: 90,000 total if I remain in the top half of the class (3.0). // Vanderbilt Scholarship Applications were received via snail mail.
1/7/14: Cornel Status Check: In Reserve (not waitlist).
1/9/14: Waitlisted at UCLA via email. :( There goes the top entertainment law program (well, there's still hope though!)
1/10/14: Submitted FAFSA
1/13/14: Submitted Michigan's Lawyers Club Application
1/14/14: Assured a lease to Lawyers Club via email from UMIch.
1/15/14: Submitted NeedAccess
1/16:14: Brooklyn send me a snail mail letting me know I was accepted and that I am in the running for scholarships (and to apply for some fellowships).
1/17/14: Rejected at Harvard via email.
1/21/14: UPenn status update: under review.
1/24/14: Rejected at UC Berkeley via email. Not sure if it's typical, but the email said that "if I'm still interested in UC Berkeley, to apply as a transfer next year." // Rejected at UPenn via email (late at night). Sad day. :(
1/26/14: Southwestern email w/ Housing Scholarship (16k total).
1/29/14: UChicago Status Check: Under Review
1/31/14: Georgetown email notification that I'm being considered for scholarships.
2/3/14: Cornell email saying I'm reserved (already found out a month earlier via status checker).
2/6/14: Northwestern Status Checker: Decision Letter Sent: Placed on Hold until April where I'll hear back on a decision.
2/7/14: Sent Georgetown scholarship interest via email. Received confirmation of interest via email.
2/18/14: Very short LOCI sent to Cornell via email. // Duke Status Check: In Review.
2/21/14: UChicago Status Check: Application In Review.
2/24/14: Rejected at Duke via email.
2/25/14: Rejected at Yale via email. // FIU Need-Based Grant for 5k a year - came via snail mail. Still waiting on merit based scholarship though. // Waitlisted at UChicago via email!!!
2/26/14: Brooklyn Scholarship via email (Prince Scholarship - 30k each year if I maintain 3.0 = 80% class rank).
2/27/14: USC Scholarship via email ($30k per year, no condition - 1/3 of COA)
3/3/14: Vandy Dean's Scholarship via snail mail (send
2/25/14): 25k per year, no condition - 1/3 of COA)
3/4/14: Brooklyn Lark-Barranco extra merit scholarship of $9,735 - was notified via email. This makes Brooklyn's scholarship package a total about about $160k, or about 60% of COA.
3/10/14: Georgetown Scholarship Email: I am an "alternate" for a scholarship. They said I should hear back by the second week of April if I get something (ie someone else rejects the scholarship).
3/11/14: Sent USC a request for more $ (used Vandy's 75k and acceptances/waitlists as leverage).
3/18/14: Sent UChicago a LOCI and, per their request, a "Why UChicago" essay. // Denied USC scholarship increase via email. // Sent Vanderbilt request for more $ using all offers.
3/24/14: Held at Columbia via email!!!!!!!!!!!
3/25/14: Vanderbilt email basically denying the request for more $. They said they give their best offer upfront.
3/31/14: Emailed a LOCI to Columbia (they requested it as an optional add in their Hold letter) // Georgetown Miami Admitted Student Reception (met a lot of great alums and what not. I spoke quite a bit with some admissions people about $$).
4/1/14: Called Stanford and NYU to see if I could send in a LOCI // Sent LOCI to Stanford and NYU (I still haven't heard back at all from them). // Withdrew my application from UMiami (today was scholarship acceptance deadline). I had asked for more money on the phone and they basically said no.
4/3/14: Sent UVA a LOCI via email.
4/14/14: Called Georgetown about scholarship. It sounds like they never read my email confirming that I wanted to remain on the alternate list (I never got confirmation) and was passed up for the previous round of scholarships. They said I should hear back one way or another by their next round of scholarship offers on April 24. So in other words, someone over there messed up and screwed me over. :( I would follow up with them if you don't receive confirmation about something within a week. // Waitlisted at NYU via email!!!! fyi, their status checker was still listing their 12/17/13 review this afternoon until I got the email. // Withdrew my application from FIU, Brooklyn, Southwestern, and... USC (even with all that $$)!! :( These were extremely hard decisions, but in the end I wanted more flexibility in terms of national pull and career prospects.
4/15/14: Stanford status checker: decision letter sent. Looks like its a rejection based on other lsn profiles.
4/17/14: Georgetown followed up with me via email about scholarship. Lol. I guess I'm still in the running.
4/18/14: Rejected at Stanford via snail mail.
4/22/14: Waitlisted (placed on Reserve) at Columbia via email!!!!!
4/25/14: Georgetown email: I didn't get the merit scholarship. // E-mailed Georgetown with Vandy's offer to try and get at least a competing scholarship. // E-mailed UMichigan vandy's offer to try and get a competing scholarship.
4/28/14: UMichigan via: Dean's Scholar with $60,000 and no conditions! // Sent Georgetown Michigan's offer as well.
4/29/14: Georgetown finally came through with a scholarship via email... $30,000. Not enough to offset Michigan's offer. Michigan it is! // Rejected off of UVA's waitlist via email.
4/30/14: Withdrew from Vanderbilt and Georgetown, and placed my first seat deposit at UMichigan. I'll wait out my wait lists! Lets go Columbia/NYU/UChicago!!!
5/5/14: Let Columbia/NYU/UChicago know via email that I will be visiting the schools at the end of May.
5/15/14: Received an email from Northwestern saying I have a new decision waiting for me on their website. Got waitlisted. Note that I did not send any LOCI to them other than letting them know I wanted to remain on hold. I am more than interested in their school if they offer me scholarships.
Week of 5/19/14: Visited UChicago, Northwestern, Columbia, and NYU.
6/13/14: Placed on Columbia's second reserve group via email.
6/23/14: Waitlisted at Cornell via email. I'm hoping they (or Northwestern/UCLA) come through with a lot of $. Otherwise, it'll be UMich!
7/11/14: Third Reserve email from Columbia. Sent in a LOCI/update of the past few months (got a semi-promotion at work).
7/15/14: Send LOCI/update to NYU, UChicago, Northwestern, and Cornell. Told NU and Cornell I would need "significant financial aid" to go to their schools. || Received confirmation from all the schools within 48 hours.
7/31/14: Still no word. Requesting loans for UMich. now! Getting exciting!
Week of 8/4/14: Taking the Miami Law Preview. I got a scholarship to attend... why not.
8/16/14: Rejected at Columbia via snail mail (dated Aug. 13). They said I should apply as a transfer for my second year.
8/21/14: Rejected at NYU via email (status check said Waitlisted until they sent this email). Sad week.
8/22/14: Rejected at UCLA via email. Honestly, I never sent in any LOCI or anything since they wait listed me. I would have only gone if they gave me over a full ride, and that's just not realistic. // Looks like it's UMichigan! I'm still on the wait list for UChicago though...
8/27/14: Rejected at Cornell from waitlist via email.
9/3/14: Rejected at Northwestern from waitlist via email.
9/29/14: Rejected at UChicago from waitlist via email (first day of their classes was today).
Some bits of wisdom after I've finished my cycle... I refreshed my status checker everyday at least once or twice. However, all schools sent me an email of an update/decision. The only schools that I found out my decision somewhat earlier than email was UMichigan, Brooklyn, and Cornell. Other than those schools, I would only refresh the status checker once a week to make sure nothing is wrong with your app. (which I am sure you would be notified via email asap anyways). So in sum, don't bother with status checker updates - once you go complete, they really aren't that helpful.