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So basically I asked the school I'm deposited at to reconsider my file for financial aid (I received some but not a lot). My basic reasoning was that they seem to be expecting me to take a significant amount of student loans, and I think that could put me in a bad situation in the future. I received a response asking me to send competing offers if I have any, and essentially that with those they can reconsider what they've offered me thus far.

However, I'm only deposited at one school right now so I don't have any competing offers and I never tried to imply or suggest that I had any (because I don't obviously). How should I respond to this? Is there no hope for an increase? I have no intention of lying to them, so I'm wondering what kind of leverage I have or how I should respond. I also don't really want to threaten to withdraw and I don't want to piss anyone off. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

You're only leverage is to threaten to sit out another year/withdraw. It's decent leverage too, they could possibly lose a bunch of money if they screw it up.

ETA: Negotiating is an adversarial game. If you're afraid of pissing anyone off your entire life, you are going to make a pretty awful lawyer.

Just write that you are very appreciative of the aid you've been offered so far, but cost is a concern, and is there anything they can do to help you make up your mind.

Tell them that their school is the only one you've considered attending because of [reason]. Tell them that you want to earn your JD from that school and that school only, and you have always been confident of the match between the two of you. Tell them that the school is currently cost-prohibitive, and that you are currently facing the prospect of sitting out the year and applying more broadly next year.

Hahalollawl wrote:So basically I asked the school I'm deposited at to reconsider my file for financial aid (I received some but not a lot). My basic reasoning was that they seem to be expecting me to take a significant amount of student loans, and I think that could put me in a bad situation in the future. I received a response asking me to send competing offers if I have any, and essentially that with those they can reconsider what they've offered me thus far.

However, I'm only deposited at one school right now so I don't have any competing offers and I never tried to imply or suggest that I had any (because I don't obviously). How should I respond to this? Is there no hope for an increase? I have no intention of lying to them, so I'm wondering what kind of leverage I have or how I should respond. I also don't really want to threaten to withdraw and I don't want to piss anyone off. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

Be honest. I was in similar situation and they upped my aid (need based strictly) slightly. I had no leverage and was ED in fact. Just tell them how it creates an extreme burden and any reconsideration would be appreciated

NoLieAbility wrote:Tell them that their school is the only one you've considered attending because of [reason]. Tell them that you want to earn your JD from that school and that school only, and you have always been confident of the match between the two of you. Tell them that the school is currently cost-prohibitive, and that you are currently facing the prospect of sitting out the year and applying more broadly next year.

This is TCR

You really have three possible outcomes: you are successful in negotiating more aid and you attend, you fail to negotiate more aid and you attend, or you walk away from the table. The key to successful negotiation is to present the first as your desired outcome, the third as your prepared alternative, and the second as unacceptable. You need to ascertain how to present that position while attempting to discern the true position of the opposing party.

It's a game. I think the key to your state of mind going in is to remember that the administrator has less personal investment in the outcome of the game than you do, and that entitles you to a more aggressive desired outcome.

Perhaps I should clarify my situation a bit more. I'm actually on some waitlists for some higher ranked schools. If I am accepted to any of them, then there is a very high likelihood that I would choose them over the school I am deposited at now. So I don't want to lie to them and suggest that they are the only school I want to earn a JD from. Sorry about not including all the details. I didn't include waitlists as I don't think they provide much if any leverage anyways.

Hahalollawl wrote:Perhaps I should clarify my situation a bit more. I'm actually on some waitlists for some higher ranked schools. If I am accepted to any of them, then there is a very high likelihood that I would choose them over the school I am deposited at now. So I don't want to lie to them and suggest that they are the only school I want to earn a JD from. Sorry about not including all the details. I didn't include waitlists as I don't think they provide much if any leverage anyways.

don't say they're the only school. Just say you really like that school and really would like to attend, but not at the current price

Does anyone think it would make any sense to mention the waitlists I'm on at all, or is it simply not important enough to be mentioned? Is there any possibility that it could have a positive effect? Could it have a negative effect?

Hahalollawl wrote:Does anyone think it would make any sense to mention the waitlists I'm on at all, or is it simply not important enough to be mentioned? Is there any possibility that it could have a positive effect? Could it have a negative effect?

don't mention the waitlists, as they do nothing for you - A) if you do get in, you'll bolt, so why allocate extra resources to a possible runner? B) if you don't get in, you'll have to settle for school X, so they don't need to give you more incentive

I was essentially in the same situation. I was accepted and deposited at one school and one school only, with a T14 WL as my only other possible option. I was tempted to somehow use the WL as leverage as well, but I did not (because it isn't really leverage). I agree with the above posters that for you, your leverage is that you simply may not attend given your current financial award, and I think that this can still be strong.

In your same situation I was able to get my scholarship more than doubled, and the money that I am receiving in merit aid is extremely generous given my numbers. For me, I emphasized my desire to attend the school and also focused on unique ways in which I could contribute to the class, and I really think that all of this and also my persistence is what got me the money that I ultimately got. I sent about 10 emails back and forth, with 2 different adcoms and the dean, over the course of 2 months. Good luck.

scottidsntknow wrote:I was essentially in the same situation. I was accepted and deposited at one school and one school only, with a T14 WL as my only other possible option. I was tempted to somehow use the WL as leverage as well, but I did not (because it isn't really leverage). I agree with the above posters that for you, your leverage is that you simply may not attend given your current financial award, and I think that this can still be strong.

In your same situation I was able to get my scholarship more than doubled, and the money that I am receiving in merit aid is extremely generous given my numbers. For me, I emphasized my desire to attend the school and also focused on unique ways in which I could contribute to the class, and I really think that all of this and also my persistence is what got me the money that I ultimately got. I sent about 10 emails back and forth, with 2 different adcoms and the dean, over the course of 2 months. Good luck.

as an aside, by stating that I liked the school but was worried about finances, I received a big increase. However, it must be noted that I had the numbers to justify said increase

Just curious, what did you say to justify needing a bigger scholarship? Just give specifics on why a certain dollar amount would allow you to attend the school?

edit: reading comp fail

PDX4343 wrote:Just curious, what did you say to justify needing a bigger scholarship? Just give specifics on why a certain dollar amount would allow you to attend the school?

edit: reading comp fail

I straight up said I really liked the school, but cost was a consideration, and I wasn't sure if I would attend. I didn't say it, but, from my app it appeared very likely that I would attend there, if anywhere

guano wrote:

scottidsntknow wrote:I was essentially in the same situation. I was accepted and deposited at one school and one school only, with a T14 WL as my only other possible option. I was tempted to somehow use the WL as leverage as well, but I did not (because it isn't really leverage). I agree with the above posters that for you, your leverage is that you simply may not attend given your current financial award, and I think that this can still be strong.

In your same situation I was able to get my scholarship more than doubled, and the money that I am receiving in merit aid is extremely generous given my numbers. For me, I emphasized my desire to attend the school and also focused on unique ways in which I could contribute to the class, and I really think that all of this and also my persistence is what got me the money that I ultimately got. I sent about 10 emails back and forth, with 2 different adcoms and the dean, over the course of 2 months. Good luck.

as an aside, by stating that I liked the school but was worried about finances, I received a big increase. However, it must be noted that I had the numbers to justify said increase

Yeah in my case, my numbers were borderline for even getting in.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

Weeeell, here's an update. Apparently my "current offer" remains...so I guess that means nothing. I didn't mention the waitlists and tried to go for sort of the I have strong interest in attending but am not in a position to ignore the high cost angle. Wow. Nothing. Maybe all they really do care about is whether or not you have any other offers...

Mentioning the waitlists now would come off as desperate probably right? They seem to be so blatant about just wanting to hold on to students...

Hahalollawl wrote:Weeeell, here's an update. Apparently my "current offer" remains...so I guess that means nothing. I didn't mention the waitlists and tried to go for sort of the I have strong interest in attending but am not in a position to ignore the high cost angle. Wow. Nothing. Maybe all they really do care about is whether or not you have any other offers...

This is why I tell people to apply to not just schools they want but all their peer schools even if they would never move to go to Emory or whatever.

Sit it out dude.

DELG wrote:

Hahalollawl wrote:Weeeell, here's an update. Apparently my "current offer" remains...so I guess that means nothing. I didn't mention the waitlists and tried to go for sort of the I have strong interest in attending but am not in a position to ignore the high cost angle. Wow. Nothing. Maybe all they really do care about is whether or not you have any other offers...

This is why I tell people to apply to not just schools they want but all their peer schools even if they would never move to go to Emory or whatever.

Sit it out dude.

Just found out I got in to Duke off the waitlist, so this changes the dynamic a lot right? The school I was trying to negotiate with is Cornell. So now I can pit them against each other right?

If Duke offered you money, you can use that with Cornell. If Cornell offered you substantial money, you can use that with Duke. If Duke offered no funding, and Cornell offered very little, it's probably not going to happen this cycle. Your best bet in that situation would be trying to use Duke against Cornell on a prestige-basis (though you need to find a different way of phrasing it) and seeing if that compels them.