Negotiating scholarships works!!!!! Forum

[DerekZoolander]

This has been probably covered a billion times...

What's the best practice regarding multiple deposits? Am I kosher to make two or three "first" deposits then make the second deposit at the school I eventually want to attend?

Has anyone had success at negotiating after depositing at several schools?

You can make multiple deposits, a lot of people do that. More money opens up after the first deposit deadline, so it is definitely possible to negotiate for more depending on the school. Some a schools are telling people outright they won't negotiate until after the first deposit date so they can see what kind of funding is still available.

Thank you, you've been tremendously helpful in this thread.

[rdelaney]

I have a question...

If I have an offer at one school and no comparable school has offered me a scholarship, do you think I would be able to negotiate up? I would probably just mention how much I really like the school and how the money offered already will be a great help to me in financing my education, but if any other funds were to become available and could be applied my aid package already it would be greatly appreciated.

Just curious if anyone has done this and succeeded. The deadline is next week so I probably will end up putting a deposit down before I even hear back.

[PattyCake]

I have a question...

If I have an offer at one school and no comparable school has offered me a scholarship, do you think I would be able to negotiate up? I would probably just mention how much I really like the school and how the money offered already will be a great help to me in financing my education, but if any other funds were to become available and could be applied my aid package already it would be greatly appreciated.

Just curious if anyone has done this and succeeded. The deadline is next week so I probably will end up putting a deposit down before I even hear back.

I have, but I have a young child and I asked for a relatively small, nonrenewable amount to help with child care costs while we settle into a new place. I think you can do it without pulling heart strings, but I would have a specific amount in mind and a reason why it will make the difference between attending/declining. For instance, "if I go to to school X I can live at home, but in City Y my housing costs will be significant." Something that tells them you have thought it out and are trying to find a way to make their offer work for you.

[PattyCake]

This has been probably covered a billion times...

What's the best practice regarding multiple deposits? Am I kosher to make two or three "first" deposits then make the second deposit at the school I eventually want to attend?

Has anyone had success at negotiating after depositing at several schools?

You can make multiple deposits, a lot of people do that. More money opens up after the first deposit deadline, so it is definitely possible to negotiate for more depending on the school. Some a schools are telling people outright they won't negotiate until after the first deposit date so they can see what kind of funding is still available.

Thank you, you've been tremendously helpful in this thread.

No prob, seems like people get too stressed about this. You're just asking, no one is going to rescind your offer for asking. Just remember, "negotiation" is a business transaction - it's going to feel distasteful. Make it a "request" and really talk to whoever you're emailing. It's a person on the other side, and you can only benefit by standing out from the bunch and really explaining why an increase will make their school the right fit for you.

[gottago]

edit

[bravo1085]

Quick question: I don't have the actual letter showing scholarship offer from school A with me, but I do have the email. I can convert the email to a PDF to send as an attachment. Would this be sufficient to send to school B? Or will I need to wait until I can send the actual physical letter? Thanks

Edit: typo

[PattyCake]

Quick question: I don't have the actual letter showing scholarship offer from school A with me, but I do have the email. I can convert the email to a PDF to send as an attachment. Would this be sufficient to send to school B? Or will I need to wait until I can send the actual physical letter? Thanks

Edit: typo

Just save it as a pdf and send that. I don't have a scanner, so I only sent pdf's of the emails and it hasn't been a problem.

[njdevils2626]

I have equivalent offers from two schools ranked right next to each other and am debating between two methods of approaching this negotiation cycle:

1. Send the offers to both now and hope for an increase

2. Deposit at both schools and inform them of the equivalent offers then, hoping for a post-deposit increase based on extra money available after people withdraw/don't deposit.

I'm just a little unsure of how I can up my chances of increasing my scholarship considering both offers are identical. One of them comes with a higher COL, which I would mention, but it is also the school less likely to negotiate and that has less programs tailored to me. Just looking for some general guidance here, thanks

[DerekZoolander]

I'm planning on depositing at one school in NYC, one in LA, and one in the Bay Area. When I try to negotiate after deposits, will these schools just laugh off my requests since none of the other offers will be direct competitors?

[ec24]

What is a nice way of wording "please give me X amt more so I can say yes and deposit." I have scholarship offers from T-10 schools to negotiate with T-15/T-20, but none of the offers are higher. I have seen others with my numbers receive more. Since I am financing my own education, any little bit will help! Thank you all in advance.

[PattyCake]

What is a nice way of wording "please give me X amt more so I can say yes and deposit." I have scholarship offers from T-10 schools to negotiate with T-15/T-20, but none of the offers are higher. I have seen others with my numbers receive more. Since I am financing my own education, any little bit will help! Thank you all in advance.

"I respectfully request that the Admissions Committee consider a more generous financial package that would enable me to afford to attend your school. Based on my current [MERIT/NEED]-based award, the balance of my tuition and fees for my first year would be approximately $[X,XXX.00] at [SCHOOL A]. To put this in a different perspective, that amount is more than half the cost of [6 MONTHS OF CHILD CARE/A YEARLY BUS PASS/SURGERY FOR MY PET OCELOT]. An increase to my merit award would allow me to commit wholeheartedly to attending [SCHOOL A] in the fall."

If it's true, you might want to add something about withdrawing all your other apps immediately if you get an increase of at least $X. If you do that, you almost certainly won't get MORE than the amount you suggest, so if you're hoping they'll come back with a huge increase it's riskier. Alternatively, if the suggested amount is higher than they want to give you, they may just say no altogether.

[thevuch]

could yall help me out?

please let me know what you think of this plan....


so i want to stay in the south and really want to goto UGA. however
ive got a 5k a year tuition scholarship offer from bama
and right now UGA is at 18k a year
this is whats happened so far spoke with the asst dean of admissions at UGA she told me that ive been sent to the scholarship committee maybe 2 weeks ago but I havent heard anything back. Then I saw her at the admitted students day and she told me that UGA was going to send out a scholarship reservation email to all their scholly recipients, i got one it is basically like you pick 1: either i will/may accept my UGA offer or i wont and the deadline for this is tomorrow april 10th, also when i spoke with her at admitted students day she said to 'follow up with her by email' the middle of this month so i was going to send her an email come monday.

this is my idea
i basically want to goto UGA, and im thinking about saying to her in this follow up email something to the effect of, "look i want to goto UGA, only thing keeping bama in the mix is the $, i assure you if UGA offers me something like 12500 a year on top of the instate equalizer with a reasonable academic stipulation i WILL come to UGA, you guys can draft up a binding agreement and give me a week to decide, i will sign that piece of paper and withdraw all my other applications and mail it back with the 1st and 2nd seat deposit"

is this retarded? or not?

my thinking is that this bama offer is all ive got to leverage, ive got a scholly from emory but the COA would still be higher than UGA, and ive heard that double increases are rare and that they will stand firm upon my initial increase.

my other plan is to possibly wait it out and see what their offer first after my 'follow up' and then email back saying what i've said above. hypothetically they offer 5k up front and i say well if oyu can do 10k ill come and sign the paper whatever.

or i could just say hey this is me following up!and hope for the best, then put the deposit down in may and about a week into may say something to this effect or say i cant decide between bama and UGA can you help make my decision easier?


what do yall think

[chingwoo]

Quick question: I don't have the actual letter showing scholarship offer from school A with me, but I do have the email. I can convert the email to a PDF to send as an attachment. Would this be sufficient to send to school B? Or will I need to wait until I can send the actual physical letter? Thanks

Edit: typo

Just save it as a pdf and send that. I don't have a scanner, so I only sent pdf's of the emails and it hasn't been a problem.

I just sent screenshots and phone quality photos of my scholarships.

[CoffeeIsLife]

If I negotiated with a school and they told me that they would look at my offer again for an increase after the deposit deadline once they had their class figured out, how long after the deadline should I wait before I send out an email asking if they could review my scholarship again.

P.S. I have deposited at the school already.

[leftfootlucy]

What are you guys putting in your subject line? I have my letter figured out, but am stuck there.

[JustHawkin]

What are you guys putting in your subject line? I have my letter figured out, but am stuck there.

Just do: "$$$$$$$$"



In all seriousness, good question.

[SailorMoon9543]

What are you guys putting in your subject line? I have my letter figured out, but am stuck there.

Just do: "$$$$$$$$"



In all seriousness, good question.

[CoffeeIsLife]

What are you guys putting in your subject line? I have my letter figured out, but am stuck there.

I just put [My Name Financial Aid] and had some success with schools. I don't know if that is the best way though, but it worked somewhat for me.

[PattyCake]

What are you guys putting in your subject line? I have my letter figured out, but am stuck there.

I used "School A Scholarship Inquiry - NAME - LXXXXXXXX"

[thevuch]

can success be found in negotiating after the 1st seat deposit deadline?


and has anyone had success saying give me X$ and ill come for sure?

[jk148706]

can success be found in negotiating after the 1st seat deposit deadline?


and has anyone had success saying give me X$ and ill come for sure?

I can't speak from experience (0L here), but I remember reading that you can definitely negotiate after a deposit deadline. I think (not sure) it was in the WUSTL thread where current students said that's where the big money is. Waiting it out is certainly to an applicant's advantage.

[thevuch]

can success be found in negotiating after the 1st seat deposit deadline?


and has anyone had success saying give me X$ and ill come for sure?

I can't speak from experience (0L here), but I remember reading that you can definitely negotiate after a deposit deadline. I think (not sure) it was in the WUSTL thread where current students said that's where the big money is. Waiting it out is certainly to an applicant's advantage.

hmm i see.

does anyone know school's tendency to increase on an offer more than once? like if you have 20k from school A and 5k from school B, and school B only goes up to 10k can you lean on school B again without school A raising their initial 20k?

[PattyCake]

can success be found in negotiating after the 1st seat deposit deadline?


and has anyone had success saying give me X$ and ill come for sure?

Traditionally that is very common. Especially because after a certain date schools will know where you deposited and based on deposits and offers you have sent them will see if/how much they need to be competitive to get you. I know several people who went from 50% to full tuition +stipend between 4/15 and August in previous cycles, but they had to place multiple full deposits to do it (2 or 3). They considered it an investment and it paid off. I also know people for whom this did NOT work because they approached it with unrealistic expectations and asked for more than was reasonable.

Also, some schools are specifically telling people they will only consider increases after the first deadline. I'm not going that route because I'm happy with my options - if they want to increase me they'll have to do it in the next few days. But yes, it works - if they want you.

[jk148706]

can success be found in negotiating after the 1st seat deposit deadline?


and has anyone had success saying give me X$ and ill come for sure?

I can't speak from experience (0L here), but I remember reading that you can definitely negotiate after a deposit deadline. I think (not sure) it was in the WUSTL thread where current students said that's where the big money is. Waiting it out is certainly to an applicant's advantage.

hmm i see.

does anyone know school's tendency to increase on an offer more than once? like if you have 20k from school A and 5k from school B, and school B only goes up to 10k can you lean on school B again without school A raising their initial 20k?

Will chime in again here (though ppl please correct me if I'm wrong). But, yes, absolutely you can. Ask once about now, again after deposits, and then again later. I've seen this advice numerous times on TLS. There's no harm in asking, you can always be willing to walk away, sit out a cycle and reapply if you don't think any offer is good enough. I, for one, will ask multiple times before I'm forking over $100k+

[CoffeeIsLife]

If the deadline was April 1, when would be a good time to ask after the deposit since it already happened?