Applying to a school just for scholarship leverage? Forum

[skitlets]

Should I apply to a school I have no interest in attending to simply to see how much aid I can obtain and use to leverage other schools? I have a fee waiver so it'll only cost me the reporting fee.

[Ernert]

If it is a peer/comparable school to the ones you're interested in attending, then definitely yes.

[skitlets]

^ Thanks. This was a dumb question, of course I should. The school in question is way below my current targets but it literally only costs me $16 to try.

[Davidbentley]

^ Thanks. This was a dumb question, of course I should. The school in question is way below my current targets but it literally only costs me $16 to try.

If way below means not a peer school, then no, you ought not waste the $ 16.00. I.E. if you try to leverage Michigan using Notre Dame, they will probably laugh.... A lot.

[expelliarmus]

Apply for a fee waiver, and if you can finish your more important applications early - what do you have to lose?

[ahduth]

Apply for a fee waiver, and if you can finish your more important applications early - what do you have to lose?

Time that could be spent doing something more interesting. Like staring at the wall, for example.

[JustE]

Apply for a fee waiver, and if you can finish your more important applications early - what do you have to lose?

Time that could be spent doing something more interesting. Like staring at the wall, for example.

I'm in this same boat. I'm already in at Michigan and NU, but neglected to apply to Boalt and GT. From what I've seen on LSN, they can be pretty generous to URMs.

So here's the question: Is it too late in the cycle to expect generous scholarships from Boalt and GT? I failed at the fee waiver game with them, so I'd be forking over around $230 to two schools I have zero interest in attending. My apps are done, so there'd be minimal edits. I would have them off before the ball drops this weekend.

Thoughts?

[ahduth]

Apply for a fee waiver, and if you can finish your more important applications early - what do you have to lose?

Time that could be spent doing something more interesting. Like staring at the wall, for example.

I'm in this same boat. I'm already in at Michigan and NU, but neglected to apply to Boalt and GT. From what I've seen on LSN, they can be pretty generous to URMs.

So here's the question: Is it too late in the cycle to expect generous scholarships from Boalt and GT? I failed at the fee waiver game with them, so I'd be forking over around $230 to two schools I have zero interest in attending. My apps are done, so there'd be minimal edits. I would have them off before the ball drops this weekend.

Thoughts?

Boalt, I applied in early December and heard back within two weeks. They didn't give me any more money than other schools though. Plus I think an "enhanced" PS is probably useful for getting in.

If GT is GULC I have no idea - I don't think they have reputation for giving out a lot of money, but it would take a lot of money for you to want to go there over Michigan or NU.

[JustE]

Apply for a fee waiver, and if you can finish your more important applications early - what do you have to lose?

Time that could be spent doing something more interesting. Like staring at the wall, for example.

I'm in this same boat. I'm already in at Michigan and NU, but neglected to apply to Boalt and GT. From what I've seen on LSN, they can be pretty generous to URMs.

So here's the question: Is it too late in the cycle to expect generous scholarships from Boalt and GT? I failed at the fee waiver game with them, so I'd be forking over around $230 to two schools I have zero interest in attending. My apps are done, so there'd be minimal edits. I would have them off before the ball drops this weekend.

Thoughts?

Boalt, I applied in early December and heard back within two weeks. They didn't give me any more money than other schools though. Plus I think an "enhanced" PS is probably useful for getting in.

If GT is GULC I have no idea - I don't think they have reputation for giving out a lot of money, but it would take a lot of money for you to want to go there over Michigan or NU.

Agreed. What do you mean by "enhanced"? Longer?

[ahduth]

Yeah, I put in a bunch of stuff about how the Berkeley culture and Dean Tom's recruiting philosophy made me think it would be a good fit for me. It was like three pages all in all I think - I mostly just added on to my 2 pager.

[JustE]

Yeah, I put in a bunch of stuff about how the Berkeley culture and Dean Tom's recruiting philosophy made me think it would be a good fit for me. It was like three pages all in all I think - I mostly just added on to my 2 pager.

Awesome. Thanks.

[mrtoren]

^ Thanks. This was a dumb question, of course I should. The school in question is way below my current targets but it literally only costs me $16 to try.

If way below means not a peer school, then no, you ought not waste the $ 16.00. I.E. if you try to leverage Michigan using Notre Dame, they will probably laugh.... A lot.

+1

If the school in question is indeed below your targets, then don't even bother using it as leverage. They gave you the scholarship money because they're a worse school...not because you're special.

[charliep]

do schools factor in the differences in tuition when negotiating scholarships? for instance, if i were to receive 20k a year from a private school, would a much less expensive state school be less likely to up the scholarship amount due to the difference in tuition costs?

[JustE]

do schools factor in the differences in tuition when negotiating scholarships? for instance, if i were to receive 20k a year from a private school, would a much less expensive state school be less likely to up the scholarship amount due to the difference in tuition costs?

I'd think they might... But most are right around $50k anyway, so I doubt it makes much of a difference. If you have a special situation (say in-state at UGA for $15k), then it would be best to articulate that to the office. Not sure if they'd pick up on it otherwise.