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Note: I posted this in the financial aid forum, but got no feedback.

Recently I got a good (almost full) scholarship to a school I'm considering, however, there are stipulations. I have to remain in the top xx% of my class in order to keep it. I'm not THAT worried about being able to succeed and keep the scholarship, I just don't really want to have the stress.

So basically, I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience negotiating away this part of a scholarship. I'm worried about coming off as a slacker if I ask for the class rank stipulation to be taken away. But on the other hand, they were prepared to offer that much anyway, so maybe it wouldn't be asking as much as I think...? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

Kurt Cobain wrote:Note: I posted this in the financial aid forum, but got no feedback.

Recently I got a good (almost full) scholarship to a school I'm considering, however, there are stipulations. I have to remain in the top xx% of my class in order to keep it. I'm not THAT worried about being able to succeed and keep the scholarship, I just don't really want to have the stress.

So basically, I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience negotiating away this part of a scholarship. I'm worried about coming off as a slacker if I ask for the class rank stipulation to be taken away. But on the other hand, they were prepared to offer that much anyway, so maybe it wouldn't be asking as much as I think...? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

These offers a lot of the time are scams. Schools set a hard curve for the first semesters, so that a lot of people like you loose those scholarships.

What is the stipulation? Ask them to drop it. At worst they say no, and that's it. Once you are in, who cares what they think?

Ask them to send you the curve and grading data for all semesters. If they don't or if you see that the curves in the first semesters are much harder, you are walking into a trap.

I don't see how it could hurt. When I negotiated aid last cycle, I had success getting more money, and anecdotally I've heard of people getting rid of scholarship stipulations.

Ok makes sense, thanks guys!

Getting rid of stipulations are almost impossible, it is generally a school wide policy that applies to all scholarships. Law school is harder than you think, even at a school you are way above numerically it will still be a struggle to succeed. Go somewhere else.