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Hey TLSers,

Two questions about negotiating for additional aid:

(1) Is it possible to continue trying to negotiate after putting down a deposit? [Both at the school and potentially w/others?]

(2) If I have already made a request for additional aid and been rejected, under what circumstances could I ask them to re-consider? Would new/revised offers from other schools be the only reason to do this?

Specifically, there is a school I would be very interested in attending, but given my other offers from peer and slightly 'better' schools, both nationally and in the region, I am finding it difficult to take on the extra debt. I appealed for additional $ but was rejected -- is there any way to have them reconsider? Would a phone call be consider pushy/excessive/annoying?

Thanks.

fingersxd wrote:Hey TLSers,

Two questions about negotiating for additional aid:

(1) Is it possible to continue trying to negotiate after putting down a deposit? [Both at the school and potentially w/others?]

(2) If I have already made a request for additional aid and been rejected, under what circumstances could I ask them to re-consider? Would new/revised offers from other schools be the only reason to do this?

Specifically, there is a school I would be very interested in attending, but given my other offers from peer and slightly 'better' schools, both nationally and in the region, I am finding it difficult to take on the extra debt. I appealed for additional $ but was rejected -- is there any way to have them reconsider? Would a phone call be consider pushy/excessive/annoying?

Thanks.

I think if you've already asked once and they said no, that's enough. I don't see the point of appealing the result of an appeal, unless you want to come off as annoying.

uhhh do it anyway. just don't be rude about it. it is better to come off as annoying with a >1% chance of getting a couple thousand dollars than to not come off as annoying w/ 0%

I think if you've already asked once and they said no, that's enough. I don't see the point of appealing the result of an appeal, unless you want to come off as annoying.

depends on why they said no. I got a reject on uping my scholarship because they had no funds available i tried again (after making a deposit) saying hey I do you have more $ available since the last deadline just passed (in nicer terms obviously) and got a scholarship increase.

What if I've retaken the LSAT and bumped my score up significantly? Would it be out of bounds to ask for more scholarship money and would they be more willing to listen if I'd improved my file with the better LSAT?

athenian wrote:What if I've retaken the LSAT and bumped my score up significantly? Would it be out of bounds to ask for more scholarship money and would they be more willing to listen if I'd improved my file with the better LSAT?

I would say that is a very valid reason to ask for more $ -- though depending on how much would increased would it make sense to reapply next year? You might get in to better schools AND get more $

fingersxd wrote:

athenian wrote:What if I've retaken the LSAT and bumped my score up significantly? Would it be out of bounds to ask for more scholarship money and would they be more willing to listen if I'd improved my file with the better LSAT?

I would say that is a very valid reason to ask for more $ -- though depending on how much would increased would it make sense to reapply next year? You might get in to better schools AND get more $

Well I still want to go to my selected school, just the price and the debt load make me weary. What kind of score increase would be worth negotiationg over. I doubt 1-2 points would sway them, but if I move up 3+, could that make that big of a difference?

FWIW, I'm currently at a 169.

athenian wrote:

fingersxd wrote:

athenian wrote:What if I've retaken the LSAT and bumped my score up significantly? Would it be out of bounds to ask for more scholarship money and would they be more willing to listen if I'd improved my file with the better LSAT?

I would say that is a very valid reason to ask for more $ -- though depending on how much would increased would it make sense to reapply next year? You might get in to better schools AND get more $

Well I still want to go to my selected school, just the price and the debt load make me weary. What kind of score increase would be worth negotiationg over. I doubt 1-2 points would sway them, but if I move up 3+, could that make that big of a difference?

FWIW, I'm currently at a 169.

It's hard to know for sure, but I would imagine it would. You look much better on paper with a 3+ pt increase so I think it would give them some additional incentive to keep you.