Antipodean (2022-2023)

*Kiwi-born, graduated high school in Australia

*Worked two jobs during college

*Currently working as a paralegal for a midsize commercial litigation firm. Unusually involved for paralegal work.

12/18/2008 - All Applications finally sent. Time to see what happens.

1/26/2009 - In at Columbia and Michigan! Whoa! What a way to end that interminable wait for the first decisions to arrive...

1/30/2009 - Another pleasant surprise - a Dean's Scholarship offer just arrived from Michigan, constituting $18000 per year for three years for a total of 54000. I had thought I'd be looking primarily at need-based aid; I guess I was wrong.

2/9/2009 - It was a long day at the office, but I came home tonight to a big blue envelope of acceptance from NYU. That's one powerful pick-me-up.

2/12/2009 - The good news just keeps on coming. A polite email from Northwestern notified me this afternoon that my decision was available to view online, where I found a lovely PDF letter telling me that I'd been accepted!

2/21/2009 - My very first rejection, Yale University. The fact that I completely expected it does take away some of the sting. I also received a nice binder from Northwestern containing lots of admissions information. Very professional.

2/23/2009 - While at lunch I received a phonecall from the University of Chicago, congratulating me on being accepted to their Law School. My reaction drew some odd looks from nearby diners, I must say.

2/24/2009 - I decided to check the online status checkers for my remaining schools, only to discover a polite message from Berkeley telling me that my application had been declined. Alas. This Chicago winter had made me pine for a warm climate...

2/27/2009 - A polite email arrived this evening telling me that I had been waitlisted at the University of Virginia. My current inclination is to thank them and release my spot, but I'll think it over a few days before withdrawing.

3/2/2009 - Berkeley's rejection letter arrived today. I'm still pondering whether to withdraw from Virginia. I'll make a call on that later this week.

3/10/2009 - After spending time at Columbia and NYU last week, I can't really see myself picking Virginia without money on the table. I dropped a brief letter of withdrawal in the mailbox today.

4/2/2009 - At long last, the rejection email from Harvard. It was almost inevitable, given my numbers.

4/6/2009 - My financial aid award arrived tonight from Columbia - a 25000 grant, divided over 3 years. Large enough to hold some sway, without being large enough to end the decision process utterly. Confound it.

4/7/2009 - Trying to figure out why UCLA is taking so long, I sent an email to Robert Schwartz. He got back pretty promptly, offering to see if he could expedite the process. Hopefully that's a good thing.

4/13/2009 - I withdrew from NYU today (by email and letter), since I just can't see myself picking it over Columbia. Also, Robert Schwartz called from UCLA - I'm in! Depending on money, that could shake things up a bit.

4/14/2009 - And the UCLA email arrived today offering a 20000 per year scholarship, for a total of 60000. When they start moving, they move fast.

4/17/2009 - Chicago just offered 30000, which puts them firmly back in the game. I wonder if Columbia will match?

4/22/2009 - Northwestern just let me know that they are out of scholarship money. I can't see myself paying full sticker there over my other options, so I've decided to withdraw.

4/23/2009 - After long and hard reflection, I have decided to withdraw from two more schools, UCLA and Chicago. This was hard, because I liked both of them a lot, but when it came down to it, I could not see myself attending either of them over my two lead choices: Columbia and Michigan. What makes this slightly bizarre is that Columbia and Michigan were the first two schools to accept me, literally on the same day. Perhaps they knew I was a natural fit?

4/24/2009 - I received an email last night from Columbia, offering me an additional 25000 in the form of a "moral obligation scholarship" on top of the 25000 they already offered, for a total of 50000 in financial aid. I'd been leaning towards Columbia practically since the beginning, so this clinches it - I'm going to Columbia!

--- Cycle over ---