Negotiating Increase in Merit-Based Aid Forum

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mwhite20

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Negotiating Increase in Merit-Based Aid

Post by mwhite20 » Tue May 13, 2014 6:53 pm

Is it possible to negotiate merit-based aid once already enrolled? I am about to be a rising 3L at a top 50 school, at the higher end of my class, on Moot and Law Review. I obviously lost my (only?) leverage to transfer when I did not last year. Are financial aid offices ever willing to re-negotiate with current students in my position? Thanks!

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SFrost

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Re: Negotiating Increase in Merit-Based Aid

Post by SFrost » Tue May 13, 2014 6:56 pm

mwhite20 wrote:Is it possible to negotiate merit-based aid once already enrolled? I am about to be a rising 3L at a top 50 school, at the higher end of my class, on Moot and Law Review. I obviously lost my (only?) leverage to transfer when I did not last year. Are financial aid offices ever willing to re-negotiate with current students in my position? Thanks!
Just curious, but what leverage do you think you'd have in a negotiation? In this case, anything other than finishing at current cost would hurt you more than the school.

mwhite20

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Re: Negotiating Increase in Merit-Based Aid

Post by mwhite20 » Tue May 13, 2014 7:02 pm

I don't have any leverage other than the fact I am a "good" "involved" student. That is why I am asking, has this been done? are schools open to it? any strategies to suggest? I am not sure I understand how this would "hurt me" at all...

RubyRod

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Re: Negotiating Increase in Merit-Based Aid

Post by RubyRod » Mon Mar 16, 2015 9:25 pm

I doubt if this will help but I appealed for more money every year at my undergrad as my grades were consistently above average and I wound up graduating summa cum laude. It helps to have someone in admissions/a dean or high ranking member of the college staff on your side for this. All administrative offices in my undergrad were very disjointed so the entire thing was a huge pain. Can there really be any harm in asking very, very gently? They may just point you to outside sources for scholarship, or say no, but if you're nice what's the worst that could actually happen?

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