Negotiating for Scholarships: Help with pre-award LOCI!! Forum

[niederbomb]

I applied January 18 and, so far, have gotten mostly waitlists, but I also squeaked into one of my top choices several weeks ago. I'm afraid they will try to stiff me for money because 1) they are known for this, 2 ) I've gotten nothing so far while others have gotten offers there, and 3) I may or may not have any leverage, depending on whether or not I get into Michigan or Chicago (probably not the latter).

Is threatening to withdraw and sit out the cycle a a viable negotiating strategy, or is there another alternative for someone to politely ask for money in spite of no peer school offers?

This school is a great match for my goals, has the best employment prospects of its peers, and I really want to go there. I wouldn't want to jeopardize my future chances by withdrawing or playing hardball.

Thoughts?

[r6_philly]

I don't know about "threatening" because if it doesn't work you just burned your bridge.

You could simply reapply like I did. Worked out well so far as you know, and we have same numbers.

[cool of law]

To what schools are you referring/ what are your numbers?

[Richie Tenenbaum]

I applied January 18 and, so far, have gotten mostly waitlists, but I also squeaked into one of my top choices several weeks ago. I'm afraid they will try to stiff me for money because 1) they are known for this, 2 ) I've gotten nothing so far while others have gotten offers there, and 3) I may or may not have any leverage, depending on whether or not I get into Michigan or Chicago (probably not the latter).

Is threatening to withdraw and sit out the cycle a a viable negotiating strategy, or is there another alternative for someone to politely ask for money in spite of no peer school offers?

This school is a great match for my goals, has the best employment prospects of its peers, and I really want to go there. I wouldn't want to jeopardize my future chances by withdrawing or playing hardball.

Thoughts?

I doubt threatening to withdraw would work. You could always write an email or letter to the school expressing that while the school is your top choice school you are very concerned with the prospect of debt and ask when scholarship decisions are usually given. You could also mention the money at the lower ranked schools to try and use those as partial leverage.

[2014]

Guessing Cornell or UPenn

[niederbomb]

I applied January 18 and, so far, have gotten mostly waitlists, but I also squeaked into one of my top choices several weeks ago. I'm afraid they will try to stiff me for money because 1) they are known for this, 2 ) I've gotten nothing so far while others have gotten offers there, and 3) I may or may not have any leverage, depending on whether or not I get into Michigan or Chicago (probably not the latter).

Is threatening to withdraw and sit out the cycle a a viable negotiating strategy, or is there another alternative for someone to politely ask for money in spite of no peer school offers?

This school is a great match for my goals, has the best employment prospects of its peers, and I really want to go there. I wouldn't want to jeopardize my future chances by withdrawing or playing hardball.

Thoughts?

I doubt threatening to withdraw would work. You could always write an email or letter to the school expressing that while the school is your top choice school you are very concerned with the prospect of debt and ask when scholarship decisions are usually given. You could also mention the money at the lower ranked schools to try and use those as partial leverage.

This is a great idea. I think I'm going to do this.

The school is UPenn. Due to a special state-sponsored scholarship program, I also have full tuition to the University of Texas, Austin. Now that UT is a T14 school, maybe UPenn will take them seriously? (I doubt it ). It doesn't hurt to bring it up, does it?

[niederbomb]

How about sending this letter in a PDF addressed to the Dean, just like a LOCI (I live overseas, so snail mail really isn't an option). Please don't quote the whole thing. I'm going to delete it later!

As the deposit deadline approaches, I want to express my strong interest in attending the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Although I applied in mid January, I was fortunate to receive a timely admission to Penn Law. Unfortunately, unlike many students with similar academic records who applied early, I am limited in my ability to use peer school offers for negotiating as of now. I have yet to receive admissions decisions from the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia.

Currently, I have a merit award for $77,000 from Vanderbilt Law School and a Hazlewood Act tuition waiver from the University of Texas, Austin for honorably serving in the U.S. Army as a Texas resident. Although Penn Law may not consider these institutions to be peer schools, I sincerely hope that the Financial Aid office will consider my situation favorably and provide me with a reasonable offer.

I want to attend the University of Pennsylvania, but I also want to make a responsible decision. Due to difficult economic conditions, the prospect of taking on large amounts of debt is a constant concern.

However, a sound merit-based award and some need-based aid from Penn Law will do much to allay my fears and allow me to attend Penn without reservation.

I look forward to joining the Penn Law community this fall.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX