Overall, I went into this cycle applying as broadly as possible. I am 100% set on public interest work, and due to family reasons had a preference for the midwest. My goal was to squeeze out any T14 full-ride that would allow me to graduate with minimal debt and avoid the financial pressure to do biglaw.
After receiving Michigan's 150k offer in December, I did not expect a higher offer from any other school with my GPA. Duke's offer shocked me since they were barely on my radar at that point in Jan/Feb (and I did not expect their offer to exceed Michigan's based on past data). Around then, I decided to abandon my long-delayed Yale application since I did not want to deal with that temptation if I was somehow accepted.
I was leaning Duke over Georgetown (both with full-tuition) heading into April, and then Penn's full-tuition offer blew everything wide open. Although I would have attended Penn over Duke/GULC, I immediately took Penn's offer to Michigan who offered to match it. I attempted to negotiate a stipend at Michigan, but they shot down that idea. I chose Michigan for its location in the midwest for family reasons.
Ultimately, I never imagined having a T14 full-ride, so I could not be happier with my cycle. Although it was hard to turn down Penn and the Toll, a full-tuition scholarship at Michigan was the ideal outcome for me.
Here is the breakdown by school...
Harvard:
JS1 interview on 2/19
Admitted via phone call
Withdrew before receiving financial aid information (expected to receive minimal aid based on parental income)
Stanford:
Wrote optional essay about a class I would teach
Denied via email (SLS stopped sending snail mail rejections in March due to COVID19)
UChicago:
UR1 on 10/21
Received interview invite on 11/18
Interview on 11/27
UR2 on 11/27
UR3 on 12/27
UR4 on 1/19
Admitted via email
Received scholarship award on 3/6
Columbia:
Did not interview. Received acceptance letter and Butler Fellowship (1/2 tuition) via email on 2/7
NYU:
Applied for Root-Tilden-Kern scholarship along with my general application. Did not write the optional RTK essay (probably my only major mistake of the cycle)
UR on 9/20
UR2 on 11/1
Admitted on 11/18 via Admitted Students Website (received a phone call later in the afternoon)
Rejected for RTK Scholarship on 3/4
Received 30k/year Dean's scholarship on 3/19
UPenn:
Wrote 'Core Strengths' optional essay
UCR1 on 11/18
UCR2 on 12/9
Admitted on 12/19 via phone call
Was not nominated for Levy or Dean's merit scholarships
Applied for Toll Public Interest Scholarship in late February
Named as a Toll Scholarship finalist in mid-March
Interviewed remotely on Zoom for Toll Scholarship on 3/27 (due to COVID19 pandemic)
OFFERED TOLL PI SCHOLARSHIP ON 4/7 VIA PHONE CALL (Full-tuition/fees for all 3 years plus guaranteed 8k/summer stipend for PI work)
UVA:
Wrote Why X optional essay
UR1 on 11/5
Admitted on 11/5 (did not interview as I had met Dean Faulk at an LSAC fair)
Received 30k/year Dean's scholarship on 3/5
Berkeley:
Applied in October because I was holding out on a fee waiver (they never responded to my request)
Wrote Why X optional essay
UR1 on 10/14
UR2 on 10/28
Admitted on 11/19 via email
Applied for "gift aid" (aka finaid/scholarships) in December and again in March. Withdrew in April after receiving a $5 Starbucks gift card but no scholarship information.
Northwestern:
Successfully solicited a merit-based fee waiver
No Why X essay as I planned to interview
In-person alumni interview on 9/26
Submitted scholarship application on the second day it was open
Received 50k/year scholarship on 2/21. Sent a reconsideration request in early March using Duke's offer as leverage. Withdrew in April before receiving a response.
Michigan:
Wrote Why X optional essay
Offered Dean's Scholarship for 50k/year on 12/20
Attempted to negotiate up to full-tuition (unsuccessfully) in February with Duke offer
Attempted to negotiate (unsuccessfully) in March with Harvard admittance
SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATED UP TO FULL-TUITION DEAN'S SCHOLARSHIP FOR ALL THREE YEARS on 4/7 using the Penn offer
Duke:
Admitted via Priority Track
Wrote Why X optional essay
Attended an informational event in my city prior to applying
Generic financial aid interview on 1/24
OFFERED MORDECAI FULL-TUITION SCHOLARSHIP VIA SNAIL-MAIL ON 2/1
Cornell:
No Why X essay
Attended an informational event in my city prior to applying
Interview invite on 11/7
Completed Kira interview on 11/12
Admitted via phone call on 12/4
Received 30k/year scholarship on 2/24
Georgetown:
Successfully solicited merit-based fee waiver
Invited for group interview on 10/28. Interviewed on 11/15. Admitted on 12/9 via snail-mail.
Scholarship feeler email on 2/7. Responded and mentioned Duke offer.
Invited for apply for Blume PI Scholarship (full-tuition) on 2/21
Invited to interview as a Blume finalist on 3/6
Interviewed remotely via Zoom on 3/18
OFFERED BLUME PI SCHOLARSHIP FOR FULL-TUITION FOR 3 YEARS ON 3/26
WashU:
Interviewed at an LSAC fair prior to applications opening through their early interview program
No Why X essay
Admitted via phone call
Offered 35k/year Scholar in Law scholarship on 12/26
