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So, I just got a financial aid award from Penn with a 50k need based grant in it. Is there any chance mentioning it to other schools for scholarship negotiation could lead to matching? Particularly looking at UVa

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yeah it came via email. Should I wait till I get any award at all from UVa or mention it now?

I also received a pretty sizable grant from Penn today, but we might be in line for merit scholarships too. I called the financial aid office and they told me that merit scholarships are on their way and if you have an upcoming deadline, you can e-mail the committee. Did it say in your letter whether any part of your aid was merit-based?

In regards to your specific situation, I'm sure you can try to nudge other schools by letting them know about your need-based offer. Virginia's deposit deadline isn't until April 30th (I think), so you've still got some time.

Shoot them an email now before the second round of awards come out April 6th.

I'm guessing no. My EFC = 0 and I was offered $0 at UVA. Annoying, 4sher.

oh man. yeah I tossed them an email. Hoping for the best. No mention about merit in Penn's letter. I had been fighting with the financial aid office at penn for a while to consider me independent (really weird family situation; estranged) and they still hadn't told me their decision. I'm just assuming from the award that they decided in my favor. But yeah, I'm not even sure Virginia actually has any need aid. They keep saying it's need-merit hybrid aid. :\

FloridaCoastalorbust wrote:I'm guessing no. My EFC = 0 and I was offered $0 at UVA. Annoying, 4sher.

Wow. That's brutal.

yupaws wrote:oh man. yeah I tossed them an email. Hoping for the best. No mention about merit in Penn's letter. I had been fighting with the financial aid office at penn for a while to consider me independent (really weird family situation; estranged) and they still hadn't told me their decision. I'm just assuming from the award that they decided in my favor. But yeah, I'm not even sure Virginia actually has any need aid. They keep saying it's need-merit hybrid aid. :\

Finaid at UVA is "primarily reserved for merit-based candidates." If you get a merit award, it seems all but impossible to get need as well. I'm not sure if this is the case if one doesn't receive any merit-based, but I would think it still would be (no need-based).

I still plan on jockeying Anne Richard for more skrilz, though

Oh, and UVA considered me an independent too fwiw.

Can someone elaborate on this? Are some penn students getting unnamed aid labeled as "merit based?"

I suggest not stating whether the aid you received is need or merit and just say "I've received X from Y school. While I would rather attend your institution, I must take costs in consideration. Is there any chance..."

how do you propose to not state? Since the school will ask to see you other offer...

admisionquestion wrote:how do you propose to not state? Since the school will ask to see you other offer...

When I negotiated, I didn't even specify the school.
Do schools usually ask, or is it just TLS common advice to automatically include the other offer letter?

In my experience they ask.