Negotiating scholarships works!!!!! Forum

[Optimist Prime]

EDIT if you submit it to LSAC I'm not sure if they will send it. Once you complete the app they send everything you select and then it's done.

Probably best for you to have a copy and then you can just send it to whoever you want.

[Stella77]

I emailed the financial aid office at school where my numbers are very competitive two weeks ago about a scholly bump and I haven't heard anything back. Should I wait another week or email/call to confirm they received the email?

[Optimist Prime]

No, you should wait until later in the cycle when they will have a better idea of how much money they have and the shape of their class.

Their not responding may have been a not so subtle hint to wait: http://spiveyconsulting.com/blog/timing ... nd-timing/

"2. Do not start talking about scholarship money. I have spoken with deans of admission who say it has already started and they are pretty peeved about it. "

[Iroh]

Umm this is probably a dumb question but can you negotiate financial aid at HYS, where all aid is need-based and no aid is merit-based? Let's say they give me 20k/year in grants, could I come back and ask them for more? Or is the consensus that need-based aid is a final offer?

I'm interested in this as well. Not that I would likely choose S/H over Yale, but the only way I could consider doing so would be if they used the same aid calculation formula as Yale (assuming by some miracle I got into both S/H and Yale). Otherwise I couldn't even begin to entertain going there - Stanford uses your most recent gross income to determine minimum contribution (puts me over $50k commitment right there) and Harvard considers your retirement accounts and primary home equity so forget that. Yale OTOH, I pay down my mortgage and enter with no assets and full grant aid.

Anyone have any info on this??? I'm very grateful to have been admitted to one of HYS, but if I end up getting admitted to another, I'd like to be able to bring the cost down as much as possible.

[Otunga]

How helpful are the mid-low t14 in negotiation when putting a sticker acceptance from them against the offer of a T20/T30? It looks like full rides from the latter can get a smidgeon of $ from the mid-low t14, but does sticker from the mid-low t14 have any chance of increasing an offer from the T20/T30? Is at least a modest scholarship offer from the mid-low t14 necessary to get an increase, and sticker doesn't cut it?

[slayer47]

Hi all! I'm hoping for some thoughts on my situation. I have been admitted to UMD, Northeastern, Howard, CUNY, and American. I received the following offers:

UMD: TBD
Howard: $22,250 per year
Northeastern: $20,000 per year and $2,000 stipend
CUNY: potential graduate fellowship for in-state tuition and $10,000 stipend
American: $10,000

I really am interested in Howard, but to go to a school that's not top 100, I really would want a scholarship that covered close to, if not, full tuition. How can I go about negotiating for more money when that's my biggest offer? If I had a full ride, I would almost definitely go there. Thoughts?

[Learn_Live_Hope]

Umm this is probably a dumb question but can you negotiate financial aid at HYS, where all aid is need-based and no aid is merit-based? Let's say they give me 20k/year in grants, could I come back and ask them for more? Or is the consensus that need-based aid is a final offer?

I'm interested in this as well. Not that I would likely choose S/H over Yale, but the only way I could consider doing so would be if they used the same aid calculation formula as Yale (assuming by some miracle I got into both S/H and Yale). Otherwise I couldn't even begin to entertain going there - Stanford uses your most recent gross income to determine minimum contribution (puts me over $50k commitment right there) and Harvard considers your retirement accounts and primary home equity so forget that. Yale OTOH, I pay down my mortgage and enter with no assets and full grant aid.

Anyone have any info on this??? I'm very grateful to have been admitted to one of HYS, but if I end up getting admitted to another, I'd like to be able to bring the cost down as much as possible.

No! Just kidding…i wouldn't know, but its a good question.

[Marquis]

No, you should wait until later in the cycle when they will have a better idea of how much money they have and the shape of their class.

Their not responding may have been a not so subtle hint to wait: http://spiveyconsulting.com/blog/timing ... nd-timing/

"2. Do not start talking about scholarship money. I have spoken with deans of admission who say it has already started and they are pretty peeved about it. "

I've read this as well. But "later in the cycle" in pretty vague. So, general consensus: when is an appropriate time to start talking about scholarship money?

[chargers]

Was offered a scholarship from UK College of Law the other day and they said I had to either accept it or deny it by April 1st. They are the first school I've seen with such a hardline date. Is this common? And how should this impact my negotiations? I have some larger offers from higher-ranked schools but I am from Lexington so I have genuine interest in UK. I was hoping to begin negotiating with UK as late as possible so that I could maximize leverage and present them with the highest possible offers from other schools. In order to do that I would probably need to begin negotiating now, which many people have been saying not to do.
Any advice?

[slayer47]

Was offered a scholarship from UK College of Law the other day and they said I had to either accept it or deny it by April 1st. They are the first school I've seen with such a hardline date. Is this common? And how should this impact my negotiations? I have some larger offers from higher-ranked schools but I am from Lexington and UK is my first choice. I was hoping to begin negotiating with UK as late as possible so that I could maximize leverage and present them with the highest possible offers from other schools. In order to do that I would probably need to begin negotiating now, which many people have been saying not to do. Any advice?

American U is doing the same, and it's really frustrating. My understanding is that if you don't take the money, they can then offer it to other people who weren't offered a scholarship or give it waitlisted people, etc. It they're really your top choice, I would reach out to them and see what can be done.

[chargers]

Was offered a scholarship from UK College of Law the other day and they said I had to either accept it or deny it by April 1st. They are the first school I've seen with such a hardline date. Is this common? And how should this impact my negotiations? I have some larger offers from higher-ranked schools but I am from Lexington and UK is my first choice. I was hoping to begin negotiating with UK as late as possible so that I could maximize leverage and present them with the highest possible offers from other schools. In order to do that I would probably need to begin negotiating now, which many people have been saying not to do. Any advice?

American U is doing the same, and it's really frustrating. My understanding is that if you don't take the money, they can then offer it to other people who weren't offered a scholarship or give it waitlisted people, etc. It they're really your top choice, I would reach out to them and see what can be done.

Definitely frustrating. I understand the reasoning I guess, but it seems a little unfair to force applicants given initial scholarships to rush their decision. Anyway YP is a factor here? I know at UK very few people have been given scholarship offers yet. Could they be giving scholarship decisions before April primarily to select candidates that they view as unlikely to attend?

[vuthy]

Was offered a scholarship from UK College of Law the other day and they said I had to either accept it or deny it by April 1st. They are the first school I've seen with such a hardline date. Is this common? And how should this impact my negotiations? I have some larger offers from higher-ranked schools but I am from Lexington and UK is my first choice. I was hoping to begin negotiating with UK as late as possible so that I could maximize leverage and present them with the highest possible offers from other schools. In order to do that I would probably need to begin negotiating now, which many people have been saying not to do. Any advice?

American U is doing the same, and it's really frustrating. My understanding is that if you don't take the money, they can then offer it to other people who weren't offered a scholarship or give it waitlisted people, etc. It they're really your top choice, I would reach out to them and see what can be done.

Definitely frustrating. I understand the reasoning I guess, but it seems a little unfair to force applicants given initial scholarships to rush their decision. Anyway YP is a factor here? I know at UK very few people have been given scholarship offers yet. Could they be giving scholarship decisions before April primarily to select candidates that they view as unlikely to attend?

I'm almost positive that the "exploding" scholarship offer violates AALS best practices. Some schools got called out for doing this a couple years ago, IIRC.

[chargers]

I'm almost positive that the "exploding" scholarship offer violates AALS best practices. Some schools got called out for doing this a couple years ago, IIRC.

That's interesting. This is the first I've heard about this practice so I tried to do some research and found this: http://blogs.law.yale.edu/blogs/admissi ... power.aspx

So I guess that you can accept a school's time-sensitive offer without definitively committing to attend. This still makes it difficult to negotiate though, right? Since you've already accepted that school's early offer.

[La Cosa Nostra]

Is the consensus that one should wait closer to the deposit deadline to negotiate?

My numbers are around median GPA and right below median LSAT at one school but have not heard back re $$$, while I received a sizable scholarship at a peer school in the same city...

I'm worried that if I wait, all the money will be dried up. I'm worried if I don't wait, they will turn me down because my numbers are nothing special and they could find someone with similar numbers off the waitlist.

I'm leaning towards asking now and going back to them in April if I'm turned down/lowballed.

Any thoughts?

[Lightworks]

Would an acceptance with no money at Columbia be worth anything in scholarship negotiations with MVP?

[dean414]

Is the consensus that one should wait closer to the deposit deadline to negotiate?

My numbers are around median GPA and right below median LSAT at one school but have not heard back re $$$, while I received a sizable scholarship at a peer school in the same city...

I'm worried that if I wait, all the money will be dried up. I'm worried if I don't wait, they will turn me down because my numbers are nothing special and they could find someone with similar numbers off the waitlist.

I'm leaning towards asking now and going back to them in April if I'm turned down/lowballed.

Any thoughts?

Same boat except my relativity to medians. I don't want to jump the gun but at same time don't want to wait until it's too late

[Optimist Prime]

No, you should wait until later in the cycle when they will have a better idea of how much money they have and the shape of their class.

Their not responding may have been a not so subtle hint to wait: http://spiveyconsulting.com/blog/timing ... nd-timing/

"2. Do not start talking about scholarship money. I have spoken with deans of admission who say it has already started and they are pretty peeved about it. "

I've read this as well. But "later in the cycle" in pretty vague. So, general consensus: when is an appropriate time to start talking about scholarship money?

If you are serious about the school, the first deposit deadline is probably the best time. They know as of that day that x% are not going to accept their scholarship offers, and they know that you are serious about their school.

I'm of the opinion that putting down multiple deposits in order to maximize potential scholarships is a good investment, but for people who can't or don't want to "throw money away" I would say 3 weeks before the first deposit deadline gives you time to negotiate and gives the finaid office time to know a bit more about their class. Unfortunately since the vast majority of people don't proactively withdraw from schools the bulk of their money will be freed up at that first deposit date.

HTH

[Marquis]

No, you should wait until later in the cycle when they will have a better idea of how much money they have and the shape of their class.

Their not responding may have been a not so subtle hint to wait: http://spiveyconsulting.com/blog/timing ... nd-timing/

"2. Do not start talking about scholarship money. I have spoken with deans of admission who say it has already started and they are pretty peeved about it. "

I've read this as well. But "later in the cycle" in pretty vague. So, general consensus: when is an appropriate time to start talking about scholarship money?

If you are serious about the school, the first deposit deadline is probably the best time. They know as of that day that x% are not going to accept their scholarship offers, and they know that you are serious about their school.

I'm of the opinion that putting down multiple deposits in order to maximize potential scholarships is a good investment, but for people who can't or don't want to "throw money away" I would say 3 weeks before the first deposit deadline gives you time to negotiate and gives the finaid office time to know a bit more about their class. Unfortunately since the vast majority of people don't proactively withdraw from schools the bulk of their money will be freed up at that first deposit date.

HTH

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I may need to just bite the bullet and throw a first deposit at my top 3 schools and hope for the best in negotiations.

[omzster67]

is it possible to play acceptance to a T6 to swing a scholarship at one of the lower T14's?

[wojo98]

Anyone successfully use one of the following unconventional methods to advocate for 1) grant $ or 2) increase in grant $ AFTER admission?

-- Job offer (elite - like B/M/BCG consulting)
-- Exam retake
-- Additional letter of rec

[112]

Scholarship Negotiations : I was accepted to a t10 and wait-listed at 4 of it's peer schools. I received no scholarship money. However, I was accepted to several regional t30's with scholarship money. Should I use that to negotiate? Or should I use the t30 money to get money out of t15's and then use that with the t10. should I wait out the wait-lists? Should I mention them in my letter? URM here.

Or should I send the t20's letter to the t10?
Thanks!



BU -money
BC-nada
vandy-nada
UT-nada
Fordham -money
T10-nada

[Optimist Prime]

Anyone successfully use one of the following unconventional methods to advocate for 1) grant $ or 2) increase in grant $ AFTER admission?

-- Job offer (elite - like B/M/BCG consulting)
-- Exam retake
-- Additional letter of rec

Job offer and exam retake are both credited strategies. Retaking the LSAT absolutely works, while a strong job offer is less likely to result in $ but is still leverage and has worked for people in the past.

Additional letter of rec is highly unlikely to do you any good unless it's from a supreme court justice or similar (and if you had that type or letter of rec you would have already submitted it).

Scholarship Negotiations : I was accepted to a t10 and wait-listed at 4 of it's peer schools. I received no scholarship money. However, I was accepted to several regional t30's with scholarship money. Should I use that to negotiate? Or should I use the t30 money to get money out of t15's and then use that with the t10. should I wait out the wait-lists? Should I mention them in my letter? URM here.

Or should I send the t20's letter to the t10?
Thanks!



BU -money
BC-nada
vandy-nada
UT-nada
Fordham -money
T10-nada

Your T10 isn't going to care, you could probably leverage the BU money into money at BC, and maaaybe get more from BU with the Fordham offer (still not likely). Your best bet is probably to retake the LSAT if you want money from the T10, or to get into another T10 off the wait-list and to try to leverage that into a tiny scholarship.

Also congrats on the T10 admit, although TLS can make anyone feel insecure about paying sticker to go to law school that is a great opportunity that does work out for many people. Depending on the T10 you got accepted at I would probably strongly consider T10 sticker over BU with anything less than a 120K scholarship.

[fatheranderson15]

How helpful are the mid-low t14 in negotiation when putting a sticker acceptance from them against the offer of a T20/T30? It looks like full rides from the latter can get a smidgeon of $ from the mid-low t14, but does sticker from the mid-low t14 have any chance of increasing an offer from the T20/T30? Is at least a modest scholarship offer from the mid-low t14 necessary to get an increase, and sticker doesn't cut it?

+1

[W$RKliveWELL]

Would an acceptance with no money at Columbia be worth anything in scholarship negotiations with MVP?

Id like to know this to. Can you use a top 5 acceptance w/ no money as leverage against the top 14?

[yossarian]

.