Negotiating scholarships works!!!!! Forum

[hearsay77]

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[mcleemz]

School A gave me $84k/year, which is ~70% of tuition over 3 years and ~60% of COA. School B, which is ranked 4 spots higher gave me $48k/year, which is ~30% of tuition, and ~25% of COA. School C, which is ranked 2 spots higher than school B and 6 spots higher than school A, gave me $114k, which is ~75% of tuition and ~70% of COA. What is the best way of leveraging these three offers against each other? Which school should I approach first, and which offer would I show them? Is there any way to leverage school A or B against school C, or is that not likely since school C has already given me the best offer of the three?

so, the highest-ranked school gave you the best offer, and your response is to try to negotiate with the worse schools? maybe school C vastly overestimated your potential as a lawyer

[WichitaShocker]

School A gave me $84k/year, which is ~70% of tuition over 3 years and ~60% of COA. School B, which is ranked 4 spots higher gave me $48k/year, which is ~30% of tuition, and ~25% of COA. School C, which is ranked 2 spots higher than school B and 6 spots higher than school A, gave me $114k, which is ~75% of tuition and ~70% of COA. What is the best way of leveraging these three offers against each other? Which school should I approach first, and which offer would I show them? Is there any way to leverage school A or B against school C, or is that not likely since school C has already given me the best offer of the three?

so, the highest-ranked school gave you the best offer, and your response is to try to negotiate with the worse schools? maybe school C vastly overestimated your potential as a lawyer

Don't listen to him. Tell school B about School As offer. If they match it take the matched offer back to school A to see if they increase, take that offer back to school B. Do that until they say no, and then take both of those offers to school C.

[Hispaniclaw]

Does anyone know which schools would help in negotiating with UM? Or even with FSU and UF?

I first planned on using UF and FSU to negotiate with UM but I realized the COA is much higher at UM and UF/FSU won't be offering anything close to what I need to negotiate with UM.

Thanks in advance.

[hearsay77]

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[FloridaCoastalorbust]

Has anyone read or have experience negotiating scholarships from T14s using UVA's Dillard or UMich's Darrow? I may not get a full ride from NU and will probably get shut out of $ at UChi but have those two birds at UVA/Mich in hand.

[Winston1984]

Has anyone read or have experience negotiating scholarships from T14s using UVA's Dillard or UMich's Darrow? I may not get a full ride from NU and will probably get shut out of $ at UChi but have those two birds at UVA/Mich in hand.

I would be pretty surprised if you were able to get a Dillard and a Darrow and no monies from UChi. I'm sure those are good bargaining tools though.

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

Has anyone read or have experience negotiating scholarships from T14s using UVA's Dillard or UMich's Darrow? I may not get a full ride from NU and will probably get shut out of $ at UChi but have those two birds at UVA/Mich in hand.

I would be pretty surprised if you were able to get a Dillard and a Darrow and no monies from UChi. I'm sure those are good bargaining tools though.

I'm <LSAT Median and <GPA 75th% so not expecting much if anything

[universityof]

UGA outright asked me to let them know about my other scholarship offers. It just seems crazy to go to them with an offer from somebody else before they've given out any merit aid to anybody. Think I should wait or go ahead and let them know? I'm hoping for full tuition even without saying anything

[LawsRUs]

UGA outright asked me to let them know about my other scholarship offers. It just seems crazy to go to them with an offer from somebody else before they've given out any merit aid to anybody. Think I should wait or go ahead and let them know? I'm hoping for full tuition even without saying anything

hmm i think its in our best interests to let them make the initial offer first, then we shld counteroffer idk
good luck tho
eta: for example they might hv given u more money but they saw ur other offers n decide to make a lowball offer

[LMD]

Does anyone know which schools would help in negotiating with UM? Or even with FSU and UF?

I first planned on using UF and FSU to negotiate with UM but I realized the COA is much higher at UM and UF/FSU won't be offering anything close to what I need to negotiate with UM.

Thanks in advance.

Just figure out the COA differences and use that in the negotiations. Say: FSU is offering me this, which would bring my expected COA here. UM is offering me the same amount of money (or whatever they are offering), but the cost is considerably higher, which is a concern to me.

Then ask in whatever nice way you can to get more money to make the COAs match, say you are very concerned about future financial prospects etc. and you really want to attend UM but are not sure you are willing to risk being in that much debt.

[mcleemz]

School A gave me $84k/year, which is ~70% of tuition over 3 years and ~60% of COA. School B, which is ranked 4 spots higher gave me $48k/year, which is ~30% of tuition, and ~25% of COA. School C, which is ranked 2 spots higher than school B and 6 spots higher than school A, gave me $114k, which is ~75% of tuition and ~70% of COA.

Tell school B about School As offer. If they match it take the matched offer back to school A to see if they increase, take that offer back to school B. Do that until they say no, and then take both of those offers to school C.[/quote]

I may have misread this, and this is a little confusingly written. Assuming C's offer is $114k over 3 years (38k/yr), and not somehow $114k per year, then there's a MUCH greater chance this could work. But even then it becomes School A vs School C. Your argument presupposes that a more highly ranked school will be so happy to have you that they'll make a huge dent in a $46k/year gap.

It would be helpful to know the relative ranks of these schools. If these are all outside of t14, then I rescind my comment and you should negotiate until you can't anymore. But if C is very highly ranked they'll probably just shake their head, as I did initially.

[hearsay77]

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[pjohnstron0626]

Do reverse splitters have any chance at money? Does paying multiple deposits offer any last-minute hope to people below the LSAT median?

Recently I emailed a lower t10 school following my acceptance to express interest in merit consideration. I emphasized my graduate work, having a master's and PhD from Cambridge, and general financial pressure. I was sent a quick email response that I "do not qualify." Does anyone have any advice or does a below median LSAT simply remove me from the running?

Another school (call it Berkeley) offers a holistic view of the application (claiming not just LSAT and GPA) for merit consideration. Would this school offer more of a chance, or is it just another admissions buzz word to mask the rigid numerical standards for $ consideration.

I'm obviously not looking for a serious merit package because I understand the reality of admissions and the need to bring in kids above the median for USN rankings/etc. I am just hoping for a small merit award, perhaps simply in good faith. Am I completely wrong to have such an approach. I would love some general advice. Feel free to PM me. I could also try the June LSAT, but doubt I would ever be above the median LSAT for these schools.

Thanks.

[LawsRUs]

^^ hey there, im a reverse splitter and ive been getting initial offers of half tuition from everywhere, i expect to negotiate it up hopefully to 60-75%. i sat in for feb lsat just for scholarship money and i wld def recommend that you sit in for the june one
good luck to you )

[Bilb0Baggins]

Has anyone had success w/ this negotiation strategy? Depositing, taking June LSAT, then, if bump is significant, messaging school saying they might sit out a cycle b/c new score = better chances + $$$ next year?

I'm happy enough with my current score, but considering whether a June retake could be worth the time / effort studying.

[LawsRUs]

Has anyone had success w/ this negotiation strategy? Depositing, taking June LSAT, then, if bump is significant, messaging school saying they might sit out a cycle b/c new score = better chances + $$$ next year?

I'm happy enough with my current score, but considering whether a June retake could be worth the time / effort studying.

im sure some ppl are going to try that later in the cycle, and they might even end up applying in the next cycle (!!)

also, one thing that you can do instead of that is applying to schools where you are above both medians, schools you are almost sure that they will give you a full ride, which will mean leverage for you. One unintended side effect however from that strategy is that you might end up taking that full ride, given the current economy and oversaturation of certain markets.

Good luck !!

[Moneytrees]

I'm definitely interested in the "double-deposit" strategy. I guess I always assumed that schools would be less likely to negotiate once they had received a deposit, but it's good to know there's another way to possibly receive money from schools.

Say I deposit at 2 schools. How soon after the deposit should I start negotiating? And do any schools consider this a violation? Would love to hear any anecdotes/advice on this topic.

[JMWZ]

I'm definitely interested in the "double-deposit" strategy. I guess I always assumed that schools would be less likely to negotiate once they had received a deposit, but it's good to know there's another way to possibly receive money from schools.

Say I deposit at 2 schools. How soon after the deposit should I start negotiating? And do any schools consider this a violation? Would love to hear any anecdotes/advice on this topic.

If you look a couple pages back there's some stuff. Also throughout this thread there is a lot of really good double depositing advice.

[ChemEng1642]

And do any schools consider this a violation? Would love to hear any anecdotes/advice on this topic.

IDK about violation but Columbia's policy on double depositing is very strongly worded - it basically says that they are aware of double depositing and if you deposit at Columbia you are required to withdraw from all other schools. If they find out that you haven't, they can rescind your offer.

[secadc11]

And do any schools consider this a violation? Would love to hear any anecdotes/advice on this topic.

IDK about violation but Columbia's policy on double depositing is very strongly worded - it basically says that they are aware of double depositing and if you deposit at Columbia you are required to withdraw from all other schools. If they find out that you haven't, they can rescind your offer.

Duke has similar wording.

Right now, Duke is my number one but I am beginning to worry that I won't have even heard back everywhere by the time I need to deposit there... has anybody had this issue?

[keosu11]

And do any schools consider this a violation? Would love to hear any anecdotes/advice on this topic.

IDK about violation but Columbia's policy on double depositing is very strongly worded - it basically says that they are aware of double depositing and if you deposit at Columbia you are required to withdraw from all other schools. If they find out that you haven't, they can rescind your offer.

Duke has similar wording.

Right now, Duke is my number one but I am beginning to worry that I won't have even heard back everywhere by the time I need to deposit there... has anybody had this issue?

I would talk to Duke and say that other schools haven't rendered admissions and financial aid decisions and therefore you are not able to make an informed decision. See if they'll let you deposit and wait out your other schools/offers

[RareExports]

I believe all schools have the ability to see (through LSAC) if you've deposited elsewhere. I know Minnesota also has fairly strong language regarding double depositing, but is less specific. The wording is something along the lines of "is strongly discouraged until x date (I think around May 15) and is forbidden after x date."

[retsiger]

I believe all schools have the ability to see (through LSAC) if you've deposited elsewhere."

Wait, is that true?

[MKC]

I believe all schools have the ability to see (through LSAC) if you've deposited elsewhere."

Wait, is that true?

Not until April or May. I think they see it when the second deposit deadline hits.