What Reviewers Look For in the Law School — Scholarship Reconsideration Letter
This rubric evaluates whether your letter makes a clear, specific request, supports it with useful facts, and explains why additional aid would affect your ability to enroll. It also looks for a concrete reason this school fits your goals, a plain explanation of the financial obstacle, and a professional request that follows any school process you provide.
What We Check
Whether the letter states in one of its own sentences what it is asking the school to do.
The facts the letter offers in support of its request.
Whether the letter gives one thing about this school the applicant would use, joined to something of the applicant's own - the reason a larger award here would matter to this applicant.
Whether the letter says plainly what stands between the applicant and a deposit here, in the applicant's own terms and in proportion.
How the request is made and whether the letter fits the process the school itself publishes.
Mistakes We Flag
- Making a vague request
- Saying you would appreciate additional help does not tell the reader what you are asking for. State the amount, award to be matched, or financial gap you need addressed in your own words.
- Using unsupported or unclear numbers
- An award amount needs context, such as the school offering it, the time period, and the cost it relates to. If finances are the basis for your request, give a figure or date you already know rather than relying only on a general statement of concern.
- Giving a generic reason for the school
- A clinic, journal, faculty member, ranking, or broad statement of interest is not enough by itself. Explain what you would specifically do with an opportunity at that school and why it matters to you.
- Turning financial circumstances into a comparison or demand
- Avoid claiming that you are more deserving than other applicants or telling the school what it owes you. Describe your own situation and what the current award leaves unresolved.
- Making an ultimatum or bidding demand
- Do not frame enrollment elsewhere as a consequence the school must avoid, or ask the school to outbid another offer. You can state your deadline, finances, other award, or the amount you need without making a threat.
How this rubric reads your essay
- Built from published reader guidance — the sources are listed below.
- Scored per section against defined criteria, not general impressions.
- Calibrated for consistent scoring, so a better draft shows up in the score.
References
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a competing scholarship offer to write this letter?
No. A letter can rely on financial need and explain what the current award leaves unpaid. A competing award, its amount, or an attachment is not required.
Should I state a specific amount?
Yes. Your letter should clearly state what you are asking the school to do, such as a figure, an award you want matched, or the shortfall you need closed. Do not leave the reader to infer the request from attachments or background facts.
Do I need to explain why I want to attend this school?
Yes. Give one concrete feature of the school that you would use and connect it to your own plans or needs. A generic first-choice statement, ranking, or employment statistic alone does not show that connection.
What if the school has not provided instructions or a length limit?
That is an ordinary situation and is not a problem. No minimum length is required; a short letter is complete if it makes the request, provides the facts behind it, and gives a reason to enroll. If you paste a current school instruction, such as a form, channel, deadline, or request limit, your letter should fit that process.
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