Does unequivocally accepting an admissions offer hurt your chances of shcolarships? Forum

[SunDevil14]

My question is two fold:

1. Does unequivocally accepting an admissions offer diminish your chance of merit based scholarships?

2. When writing a letter of continued interesting, does stating that one will unequivocally accept an admissions diminish the chance of a scholarship? Particularly, I do not want to make the statement and then be forced to pay full tuition with no chance of scholarship aid.

[Thomas Hagan, ESQ.]

My question is two fold:

1. Does unequivocally accepting an admissions offer diminish your chance of merit based scholarships?

2. When writing a letter of continued interesting, does stating that one will unequivocally accept an admissions diminish the chance of a scholarship? Particularly, I do not want to make the statement and then be forced to pay full tuition with no chance of scholarship aid.

What do you mean "Unequivocally accept"

[tncats]

My question is two fold:

1. Does unequivocally accepting an admissions offer diminish your chance of merit based scholarships?

2. When writing a letter of continued interesting, does stating that one will unequivocally accept an admissions diminish the chance of a scholarship? Particularly, I do not want to make the statement and then be forced to pay full tuition with no chance of scholarship aid.

I second Thomas's question. What do you mean by unequivocally accepting? Be more specific on question 1.

2. Are you on a waitlist and writing a letter of continued interest? If that's the case and you're worried about it, just use different language. Say that the school is your top choice instead of saying that you will 100% go if accepted.

[SunDevil14]

My question is two fold:

1. Does unequivocally accepting an admissions offer diminish your chance of merit based scholarships?

2. When writing a letter of continued interesting, does stating that one will unequivocally accept an admissions diminish the chance of a scholarship? Particularly, I do not want to make the statement and then be forced to pay full tuition with no chance of scholarship aid.

I second Thomas's question. What do you mean by unequivocally accepting? Be more specific on question 1.

2. Are you on a waitlist and writing a letter of continued interest? If that's the case and you're worried about it, just use different language. Say that the school is your top choice instead of saying that you will 100% go if accepted.

"Unequivocally" is the language used by some of the schools, which I assume means you will accept the offer no matter what (as you say 100%). My assumption is that saying that one will accept an offer no matter what diminishes the chances that a school will offer a scholarship, and or diminishes one's bargaining power in regards to negotiating scholarships. On the face of it I believe the assumption is reasonable, but I do not know it is in fact the case.

[lymenheimer]

If you need a scholarship in order to attend, then you will not unequivocally accept admission, hth

[HonestAdvice]

Law schools can't really enforce that kind of guarantee so first choice and promise to commit are not perceived differently. With ED, the contractual language is clear. With an LOCI, you're saying you'll commit at that time. A week later circumstances can change. Unless you're including a clause that this promise will be there until x and y date, it's the same as saying they are your first choice.

ED apps tend to have a certain date when the promise isn't binding. The less specific date, the less likely it is that it's a valid contract. Here, it's at best an open offer, which means you can rescind at any point before they accept you.