winterlily (2022-2023)

I didn't do the Yale 250. In retrospect, I probably would have gotten WL'd if I had.

The other WLs don't have strong programs in my other field. I'm not sure if that factored into the decision via yield protection, though.

*********************Extracurriculars*********************

Nothing spectacular for law school admissions purposes: the normal work-study library job, a couple of student clubs, etc. My essay was fairly unusual, and I did get a few things published, but I think that only mattered for the Ph.D. and MPH part of the joint degree. My advising was done through my department, not a pre-law advisor. Excellent for Ph.D. selection, not so much for JD selection.

*********************Financial Aid Notes*********************

Scholarship numbers are three year totals.

With the exception of G'Town and Cornell, which don't clearly separate what funds are need-based and what funds are merit, all money listed in the boxes is merit-based. Any additional need-based aid is listed in this section.

Also, after comparing my financial aid awards to my sibling's, I have come to the conclusion that need-based grants are really nothing more than socially-conscious 1L merit scholarships. After all, since have identical "need" but different numbers, shouldn't we have gotten identical need-based aid? (I use "need" in quotation marks because I get the impression the only people without "need" are those with eight-figure trust funds.)

Need Access screwed up my application at a at a bunch of schools, so I wasn't able to send out negotiation letters until April. When I sent out negotiation letters, I didn't have Georgetown's scholarship. After I got that, the only schools I asked a second time were NYU and Michigan.

GEORGETOWN: It's a scholarship/grant mix. But guaranteed for three years, which is why I went with it.

MICHIGAN: Sent negotiation letter; a woman from the admissions office called saying that they don't have scholarships between 54,000 and the full-tuition Darrow. I did not know that. ($14,000 need-based.)

NYU: Said they'd be willing to reconsider my offer after May 5, but that they generally don't match other schools' offers. (No need-based aid.)

CHICAGO: Won't match my offers. He cited the fact that attendance at admitted students weekends were 30% above normal, and somehow I got the impression he was pointing out that I didn't go to one. (I would have loved to, but I can only take so many Fridays off.)

DUKE: Won't match Cornell's offer. I'm wondering if they match the $105,000 scholarship people. (No need-based.)

UVA: Financial aid guy called and said they don't match scholarships. (No need-based aid.)

CORNELL: Cornell's letter said that it was due partly on the basis of need, and that it would be reconsidered entirely if my "financial situation improves dramatically." I'm not entirely sure what it means, but my hunch is that it means the money will go away if I get a well-paid summer associate position.

*********************Acceptance Info*********************

Decision dates are the ones printed on the letter.

Received dates are e-mails/snail mails sent by the school. If none were sent, I went with the LSAC received date.

Georgetown: small, 8X11 cream envelope. (Postmarked 11-29; Received 12-01.)

UVA: small, 8x11 cream envelope. (Postmarked 12-19; Received 12-22-05.)

Cornell: e-mail, then medium-sized white envelope. (Postmarked 12/07; received 12/09.)

W&M: Large USPS package. (Received 12-10.)

W&L: small, 8x11 white envelope; clearly stuffed with multiple papers. (Postmarked 12-26-05; Received 12-19.)

NYU: Large, brown manilla envelope. (Postmarked 12/23; Received 12/26.)

Michigan: Large USPS package (Cannot read postmark; received 12/26.)

UNC: Small 8.5X11'' envelope. (Postmarked 12/19; Received 1/3.)

Northwestern: Status Check Update.

Harvard: Small white envelope (Postmarked 02/06/06; Received 02/09/06.) Withdrew mid-to-end of April once I read the G'Town scholarship's fine print. However, I still got a waitlist notification a few weeks later in small white envelope. (Postmarked 05/02/06; Received 05/22/06. Moving and mail forwarding is a bitch.)

Chicago: Telephone call from Ann Perry (around 5-5:30 p.m., EST)

Boalt: 8.5X11'' white, windowless envelope (Postmarked 02/28/06; Received 03/06/06.)

Duke: E-mail (11:15 a.m.)

Yale: 8.5 X 11'' cream envelope (Postmarked 04/13/06; Received 04/15/06.) I'm surprised it took so long; I knew I'd either be waitlisted or rejected, so I didn't bother whittling my essay down to 250 words.

Stanford: E-mail on 5/16/06 saying that since I hadn't replied to the snail mail that they would remove my name from the waitlist. I never received said snail mail, so I don't know what the real decision date was. (Update: Just got the snail mail. Decision 04/26/06; Postmarked 04/26/06. And people wonder why I refuse to use USPS.)