Negotiation Sequence Advice Forum

[biddymulligan]

Hi All,

I'm still awaiting a couple of admittance and scholarship decisions but want to get a head start on negotiation strategy to stay ahead of it.

NYU- $0
Northwestern- TBD
Cornell- $105k
Georgetown- Scholarship Alternate (so currently $0)
Texas- $100k
Vandy- $125k
BU- $105k
GW- $120k
W&M- $90k
Fordham- $135k

The goal is to go NYU, but clearly don't have a ton of leverage right now. Any thoughts on appropriate sequencing for negotiation would be so lovely! Thank you!

[fliptrip]

I'd just cut to the chase and show NYU your Cornell offer and see what happens. If you don't get anywhere, then you can try to use that Vandy offer to get Cornell higher, but I wouldn't feel great about my chances. Alternatively you can show Texas your Vandy offer and see what they do, you would then have the higher of Texas or Vandy to show Cornell, but unless Texas exceeds Vandy, I think Vandy and Texas probably have the same weight, and again I wouldn't feel great about moving Cornell with a Texas offer.

[Holodigm]

I assume you'd be OOS for Texas, right? Otherwise $100k would essentially be a full ride. I'd say take Vandy's to UT and UT's to Vandy at the same time, multitask it. Then take both offers to Cornell and Georgetown (hey, worst they can do is continue saying no), and take all four to NYU.