The costs associated with applying to law school can quickly add up to more than $1,000, before budgeting in test preparation or any travel costs.
First, there are standardized tests. Each time you take the LSAT costs $238, plus at least $45 if you use Score Preview. Alternatively, the GRE costs $220 (more in China) while JD-Next costs $349.
The Credential Assembly Service, the centralized clearinghouse for processing application materials, costs a flat fee of $207, plus $45 per school you apply to. Whole or partial fee waivers for the LSAT and Credential Assembly Service are available for applicants who demonstrate need with supporting documentation.
The institutions of higher learning that you have attended may charge a fee to transmit your transcript, as well.
[Read: How to Go to Law School for Free.]
Each law school you apply to typically charges a fee of around $75 to $85 to review your application. The average applicant applies to seven schools. I usually recommend that most applicants apply to at least a dozen schools for a good balance between reach and safer schools.
Fortunately, many law schools grant fee waivers to lessen this financial burden. These waivers may be granted automatically to all applicants, unsolicited to some applicants or by individual request.
Automatic Fee Waivers
Some law schools waive fees for all applicants to encourage a broad applicant pool. Others waive fees for those who apply early in the cycle.
Service members and veterans, as well as participants in Teach for America, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, the Fulbright program and Rhodes scholarship, may also receive automatic fee waivers from certain schools.
[Read: Advice for Veterans Applying to Law School]
Unsolicited Fee Waivers
Law schools invite select candidates to consider applying to their schools, based on basic factors like their GPA and standardized test scores. Often, this invitation comes with a fee waiver. If that sounds good to you, sign up for LSAC’s Candidate Referral Service. It’s free to register if you have an LSAC JD account.
If you score well on the LSAT, you may see many such emails from law schools nationwide. These may look like generic marketing emails, but read them carefully if you’re interested in applying. You may also receive such an email later in the cycle.
While flattering and cost-saving, an unsolicited fee waiver is not a signal that a school intends to admit you. Such waivers are based on preset criteria, not an individualized review of your profile.
[READ: 7 Deciding Factors in Law School Admissions]
Solicited Fee Waivers
If you haven’t received a fee waiver from a school you are seriously considering, you may request one. Some schools have a form or other process to do so. For example, many law schools waive fees for anyone who shows that they have received a need-based fee waiver from LSAC.
In other cases, you could try emailing the admissions office. You may also request a waiver at a law school forum, information session or visit to the admissions office.
When making a request, be respectful. An entitled or unprofessional attitude could hurt your chances of admission. Include your name, relevant test scores and GPAs, and your LSAC account number. It’s worth including a brief explanation of your specific interest in the school.
Be aware that some programs do not process application fee requests. Check the law school’s website for guidance. Some schools grant fee waivers infrequently to maintain a manageable volume of applicants.
If a school denies your request for a fee waiver, try to take it in stride. Remember that school application fees are only part of the cost of applying.
While applying to law school isn’t cheap, it pales in comparison to the cost of law school itself. Fortunately, this investment should pay great dividends in your legal career!
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Use Fee Waivers to Cut Law School Application Costs originally appeared on usnews.com
