How to to Successfully Negotiate Law School Scholarships

Law school is a business. Scholarships are a business decision. That means you have every right to advocate for yourself, especially when tens of thousands of dollars are on the line. Whether you’re deciding between Columbia Law, NYU Law, Penn Law, or UVA Law, the process of negotiating law school scholarships can significantly impact your final cost of attendance.

This guide breaks down exactly how to approach scholarship reconsideration in a way that maximizes your odds and protects your reputation.

Step 1 (optional): Express Genuine Interest

After admission, contact schools and ask to connect with current students in clinics or groups you’re interested in.

Purpose is to establish interest without a fiscal incentive.

You can also visit in person or on Zoom.

Step 2: Reconsideration Email

Note: Before sending a reconsideration email, it’s helpful to check the school’s website or ask the admissions office if it has a specific reconsideration process. Berkeley, for example, uses a reconsideration form.

Why did I say “don’t negotiate” before? Because it‘s crass.

You’re not buying a used car. Ask schools to “reconsider.”

Sounds much more respectful, right?

In the email, include the following:

1) Gratitude for admission and initial award

2) Reasons you want to attend

3) Why you are hesitating to deposit

4) Your other awards

5) Cost of attendance comparison

6) Reiteration of hesitation and reconsideration request

7) Gratitude for reconsideration

Gratitude for Admission and Initial Award

Why? Again, this goes to respect and attitude.

The school didn’t need to offer you anything, but they did.

Make it clear that you don’t feel entitled.

Sample:

I would like to reiterate how excited I am to be admitted to Emory Law School. I am also grateful for my scholarship award of $40,000/year.

Specific Reasons You Want to Attend

Schools don’t like to reconsider uninterested students.

That’s money they can’t offer to elsewhere while waiting.

What are good reasons? Maybe the location is perfect or they have classes or clinics you like. Is there a professor who has written on your area of focus? Is the culture a fit?

Think of this almost like a Why X essay.

Sample:

Duke Law is my top choice, for its many intellectual property opportunities and unmatched student culture.

Intellectual Property Opportunities – [go into detail]

Student Culture – [go into detail]

Why You Are Hesitating to Commit

Are you risk averse? Have other scholarships? Offers at better schools? No family financial help? Combination?

Keep it simple or be creative, but be respectful.

Don’t sound entitled!

Don’t tell Emory you got into NYU, a higher-ranked school, and therefore they must give you more money. Instead, say your decision to deposit is harder than anticipated because of an acceptance at NYU.

Be tact.

Sample:

Unfortunately, my decision to attend Emory Law is tougher than I originally expected due to a $45,000/year award from Alabama Law.

Your Other Scholarship Awards

This can often be combined with the prior step.

Make sure your other awards are competitive.

For example, don’t share an award from a low-tier school with a top-tier one. If you have nothing else, you can try, but don’t expect much.

T14 generally care about other T14. Regional schools usually care about similarly-ranked schools or lower-ranked ones in the same region. Schools offering guaranteed awards rarely care about conditional ones.

If you’re trying to use a lower-tiered school, use a bigger award than at the higher-tier one. You can also often use a smaller award (or none) at a higher school to negotiate with a lower one, like the NYU/Emory example.

Cost of Attendance Comparison

This includes tuition, cost of living, etc.

Only include if your competing awards lead to lower COA.

Let’s try negotiating Cornell and Northwestern.

Cornell offered you $40,000/year.

Northwestern offered you $45,000/year.

Those numbers alone don’t tell the story. Subtract your total awards from total COA (or at least first year) to make the cost difference clear.

Sample:

My estimated costs of attendance are as follows:

Cornell Law: $XXX,XXX ($XXX,XXX – 40,000)

Northwestern Law: $XXX,XXX ($XXX,XXX – 45,000)

Reiteration of Why You’re Hesitating and Respectful Request for Reconsideration

After sharing the numbers, reiterate why you’re hesitating.

Then, make the reconsideration ask, respectfully.

Sample:

While Cornell is my top choice and I would absolutely love to attend, the financial impact of such large loans is a concern for me. Is there any way you would be able to reconsider my award?

Gratitude for School’s Reconsideration

Back again to respect and attitude.

The worst thing you can do is come across disrespectful and/or entitled.

Sample:

Thank you for your consideration. Please contact me at [email] or [phone] if I can provide additional information.

If you get increased awards, you can use them to negotiate with other schools and potentially re-negotiate with the same schools.

Just don’t do this repeatedly. A good time to re-negotiate is if you get off a waitlist later. But again, be respectful and not entitled.

I hope this is helpful! If you have any questions, feel free to ask them.

Learn how to get admitted off a law school’s waitlist: https://sharperstatements.com/get-admitted-off-law-school-waitlist.