Playing merit offers off of one another? Forum

[RIPmitchhedberg]

I think I have read all the articles about negotiating merit aid, but my question is slightly different...I have received comparable merit offers from UCLA, Texas, and Vanderbilt. Does anyone have advice on how to see if the schools would respond to each others' offers and increase the amount they are offering?

[trayball23]

there was a helpful post about how someone sent in two deposites for two diff schools and then was able to play them against each other because money opened up after the deadline

[RIPmitchhedberg]

Cool, thanks. Is there anything I can do until then? I don't suppose there's any way to explain the situation and more or less ask them all to bid on my attendence...would it make enough of a difference to just write them and mention external factors that still make their schools more expensive (COL, flying home, etc)?

[trayball23]

I don't wanna be like everyone on here and give crap advice because I am currently doing the same thing you are. Honestly nothing can hurt. You are in with some money whats the worst that can happen.