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Faxing for Financial Aid
The key phrase for trying to get a law school to give you more money once you have other offers is "letter of reconsideration." That's what you need to send your preferred school to ask them to "reconsider" your financial aid offer to match or exceed an offer you've had from some other school. At least that's what the helpful woman at GW's financial aid office told me. So fax I did, and the final decision about where I will go to school this fall is postponed once again.
[begin navel-gazing:] I also sent a fax to American's financial aid office to apprise them of the aid offers they're competing against because, well, I really liked American. I know rankings are meaningful and everything, but I still can't figure out how much they're going to matter to someone who would rather cut his fingers off one-by-one with a rusty knife than work for some BigLaw firm. (Ok, yes, I'm exaggerating, but I just can't see ever wanting to work at a firm.) I know the non-profits and government agencies I'd prefer to work for probably care about rankings, too, but ... how much? I know there's no good answer to that question, (see the great ongoing discussion about rankings at who stole the tarts and all the other places Alice helpfully links to) so my approach is to follow the money. If American comes through with a sweet package, I'll seriously consider it. Otherwise, I'll go with GW's rank and reputation and that will be just fine, too. [end navel-gazing]
Posted April 10, 2003 10:26 PM | law school
one other benefit of GW, even if you do want to do public interest: they kept harping on the fact that GW was the only school in DC that was generous with giving credit for outside placement and internships. I think this is a huge thing, as it allows you to get great internships during the school year, giving you amazing connections after law school. And since all these have to be nonpaid, you could definately get an internship at someplace you want to work (judge, advocacy group, environmental group, whatever you want to do) and basically be set for a job after school, which, in my mind, would be great. But hey, I'm a little partial to GW now, so who knows.
Posted by: matt at April 11, 2003 12:25 PM
