Top Law Schools

Hello well-informed TLSers,

I'm somewhat new here, and I'm sure that this information is available somewhere, but I can't find it.

I was wondering if you could give me any advice on how to go about negotiating financial and merit aid with several T8 schools (Columbia, NYU, Michigan, and Duke [well, they were T8 until a few weeks ago])?

I really have no idea how to begin. I've gotten decent mixed aid/merit scholarships from NYU and Michigan (100k+ each) but really didn't get much from Duke, and haven't heard back from Columbia about aid at all yet. I'd like to know everything about negotiating aid, since time seems to be running out, but, for starters:

(1) What do you say in the first email (or should you call first?)? I.e., should you say "Hi, school X, I got $$$ from school y and was wondering if you could help me out because i really like your school?" or should you say "I would like you to reconsider my financial / merit aid, is there a form I can fill out?" or something else?

(2) Should I be addressing a specific dean or just "Dear Admissions committee"?


Thank you so much.

Congrats on your admissions and offers.

When pursuing negotiations, it may be best to first call or email the Financial Aid office(who likely first told you of the award)and ask if they are willing to "review the scholarship award" in light of other offers. Schools aren't in a bidding war with each other but they do want you. They will then tell you if it is OK whatsoever. They will also tell you, if applicable, what the guidelines are.

Most schools will ask you to email or upload a letter why you want them to reconsider and your circumstances. It is highly recommended you use peer schools or higher offers as reference and say how much you want (x) school but you want it to be economically feasible. Add attachments of scans of your other offers as reference for them as well so they can validate your claims of competing offers.

Most schools I spoke to gave responses to renegotiations within a week. Be honest with yourself though: this late in the game, there may not be a ton of funds available even if they DO counter offer.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Or, you know, you could use the search function and then read this thread: http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... =7&t=27221

or this one: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... hp?t=79373