Application (Fee Waiver) Etiquette

[DGriff]

After taking the LSAT this October, I've started to receive a lot of emails from law schools offering merit-based application fee waivers. Unfortunately, I'm not planning to apply to law schools this year. I'm thinking that I can probably reach out to schools next year to request fee waivers again based on my LSAT performance, but is there some kind of etiquette I should be following right now? Should I reply to these fee waiver offers to decline, but inform them I would be interested in applying next year? Or is this not necessary? I'm sure they're just mass-produced offers, but at the same time, they from good schools (like UCLA, Vanderbilt, etc.), so I don't want to come across as rude if this is something they would actually notice.

Thoughts?

[Dave Killoran]

Hey D,

There really is no etiquette here, primarily because most people are applying the same year. If they skip the waiver, it's because they aren't applying to that school, and thus they don't care if they offend anyone. Plus, they are indeed mass-produced and so no one really notices.

Your situation is a bit different since you are not applying this year. If you want to skip doing that, then go right ahead—no one will notice and certainly no one would hold it against you. However, this is an opportunity to reach out to the school and make some contact in a positive way. I don't see any downside in writing a short note (aside from your lost time). So, all things equal, I'd go ahead and do that. It could possibly leave a small but nice impression

Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

[kelseyrw]

Hi Dave,
I wrote the LSAT last December, and I received some fee waivers from T14 schools. I'm wondering a) when you think fee waivers from the T14 will come out for this coming admissions cycle, b) whether I can request waivers from those schools that offered them to me last year, and c) whether CRS sends all your LSAT scores/your top one/something else.
Thank you!

[Dave Killoran]

Hey Kelsey,

Thanks for the questions. I don't recall the exact dates that fee waivers come out, and of course they get sent at slightly different times for each school, but I know of some going in September in the past. You can request them, but I'd wait just a bit and see if you get one this time around. If you do request one, either you need to show that the school sent you one previously or you need to show need, of course.

All scores get sent, and average as well. this is standard practice and cannot be avoided.

Thanks!

[mattkim6]

Hey Dave,

I happened to recently receive a fee waiver from Boston University out of nowhere on Jan 1st, great thing about this is that BU happens to be my number one (!) choice. I'm not sure if writing a thank you response to the email is a norm of the "application (fee waiver) etiquette" world. I was thinking a short email thanking them for the fee waiver and expressing that I am extremely interested in attending BU. What do you all think about that? Thanks in advance.

[Dave Killoran]

Hey Matt,

Congrats on that, it's nice when schools save you money you planned on spending!

There's no harm at all in sending a short note that indicates your appreciation and that you had intended to apply anyway so this is quite welcome.

There's no standard etiquette, but saying "thanks" never hurts

[mattkim6]

Thanks Dave, you are the best!