The # next to the law school corresponds to the most recent US News and World Report Ranking for that school during the cycle I had applied (in this case US News and World Report Law School Rankings "2014" - from March 2013).
UNC: Accepted promptly (via email). I was rather surprised to be accepted at all, much less so quickly. Their acceptance charts have historically been sketchy, apparently favoring in-state students heavily. I believe I was accepted because my personal statement indicated that North Carolina is the most desireable place in the entire country for my wife and I to live. I also took the time to write the personal statement within the restrictions given to me, and answered all the questions directly. As the admissions cycle wore on I was singularly unimpressed with their stingy scholarships, and self-entitled attitude. They may accept you, but unless you are Harvard material or in state, they don't act like they want you. UNC = $178,224 = NO WAY
UVA: Waitlisted Promply. They indicated in the waitlist letter (via email) that they begin accepting students from the waitlist in may. This obviously presents a difficulty since most other schools require a deposit and/or commitment in early April. I have a greater chance of getting struck by lightning than attending UVA under these circumstances. Total cost of attendance = $215,400
Indiana-Bloomington: Accepted via post-mail. Initially offered $120,000 (not quite a full tuition scholarship). After acceptance deadline (April 1, 2013), Dean Frank Motley called me asking me to attend and offering flat out full tuition ($140,211.) It has no obvious stipulations other than avoiding academic probation. I met with the admissions official that wrote my acceptance letter (Frank is his name) at the MINK law school fair in Kansas City. This may have influenced my acceptance and scholarship amount. I am attracted to this mid-western school because of the ranking, price, and beauty of the campus, however, singularly unimpressed with the recent employment statistics (see law school transparency - around 50%). It was my second choice behind UT. Total cost of attendance minus scholarship = $73,185
University of Minnesota: Accepted via telephone from dean. $48,000 scholarship offer via post-mail. I like the ranking, and compliment of a scholarship, but not the climate or employment stats. Total cost of living minus scholarship = $137,964
Wisconsin-Madison: Accepted via email. $36,000 scholarship. No stipulations - relatively stingy with scholarships, and not very competitive. The admissions staff is a pleasure to work with. Too cold, low ranked, and expensive to seriously consider. Total cost of attendance minus scholarship = $140,550
University of Iowa: Accepted promptly via email. $104,150 scholarship via post mail. This offer includes a research assistant opportunity that makes my last two academic years in-state for tuition purposes, rendering the offer a "full tuition" scholarship. There are no stipulations. Third choice behind UT and Indiana. Total cost of attendance minus scholarship = $56,943
Duke: Rejected via email. - out of state
George Washington: Waitlisted -accepted. I initially applied because of their strong intellectually property program, but as the cycle went on, I noticed how rediculously high the total cost of attendance would be. LAter in the cycle, I might have leveraged some scholarship out of them, but decided that no ammount could persuade me to attend GW over UT anyway. Total cost of attendance = $223,200
Boston College: Rejected via email. I have no idea why. - out of state
Arizona State: Accepted via email. Scholarship via post-mail for $30,000 for 1L, $20,000 for 2L, and $10,000 for 3L. This scholarship has no stipulations. It includes the possibility of in-state tuition for 2L and 3L, effectively making it a $90,000 scholarship if in-state can be accomplished. Contacted later with more scholarship if interested in committing. Their recent jump from #50 to #26, then #29 is rather disconcerting. Plus, I don't really like the idea of living in a desert. Finally, the Law school is named after justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who is not my favorite historical figure for her part in maintaining affirmative action policies. Total cost of attendance minus scholarship (assuming in state for 2L and 3L) = $97,513
Emory: Accepted via post - mail. $54,00 total scholarship without any stipulations. In practice they do not negotiate scholarship. They did not give me enough to consider them seriously. Total cost of attendance minus scholarship = $159,402
UT: Accepted via phone call late in the cycle! I filed for the scholarship matching program the next day, and received a call from Dean Ingram, offering $15,000 total. Their online status checker is never updated until after a decision is made, and never indicates where your application is in the process of being reviewed. Total cost of attendance minus merit scholarship = $181,968 - Attending
University of Alabama: I sent in my application the first day that LSAC would accept it. Seven months later, during decision time(in late March), they hadn't said or done anything. My online status checker perenially sated "Pending Final Commitee decision". I suspect that the first moment I would have shown interest they would have accepted. In fact, they had an alumni call me asking if I had any questions and telling me to contact them once I had any. I think had I replied (which I didn't), they would have accepted me. But I never did, and neither did they. I was not impressed at all. Do you want me? Well you had better act like it.
