Marlowe11 '23–'24 app cycle Class of 2027 class year

wrote diversity statement (LGBTQ, mentioned URM identity) for all schools, wrote why Xs for chicago, penn (core strengths), duke, UVA, berkeley, and michigan and integrated why X into PS for columbia and georgetown. STEM background and work experience in STEM field, had a pretty specific PS topic and clear goals, interested in environmental PI/gov work and probably clerking.

rejected from toll (penn) and PI scholarship (berkeley), didn’t apply for RTK. levy alternate at penn (38k/year), was told it could increase to 43k/year but didn’t ask for said increase. denied reconsideration at chicago and UVA, didn’t ask for recon elsewhere.

advice:
if you’re PI, look very closely at LRAPs–very few will actually ensure that your loans will be paid off at the end of 10 years, and most will require you to enter an IDR plan. my ug loans are in an IDR, and i now owe more than i did at graduation (the save plan helps with this, but it’s basically adding and erasing interest every month–i haven’t touched the principal balance). some that might have a higher income cap (NYU, UVA, for example), won’t actually guarantee that your balance is $0 at the end of the program. (YLS does!)
don’t be afraid to talk to financial aid offices and tell them what you need, especially if you’re applying for need-based aid.
only apply to schools you’re genuinely interested in attending. i applied to some schools i was not at all interested in because i didn’t want to get in nowhere, but wasted a lot of money and time, and did not get significant scholarships from those schools because i think that was evident in my why Xs.