Negotiating scholarships works!!!!! Forum

[ArthurDigbySellers]

I sent my Cooley offer to Yale and snagged $10k/yr

[WarioLaw]

Has anyone tried contacting a school about reducing or eliminating the dreaded top 20% clause in order to receive aid the 2nd/3rd year? I have received a heavily backweighted offer from a school. If I don't maintain top 20%, this could cost me $100,000. Given that I have significant offers from higher ranked schools, I am concerned about the possibility of racking up more debt to attend an institution that provides fewer job prospects. If it were a GPA clause (i.e. 3.0), I would be fine with it. But top 20% makes me nervous.

[gothamm]

I have never heard of schools getting rid of stipulations. Maybe some do, but I highly doubt it.

[solarae]

Was unsuccessful with Baltimore negotiations earlier in the cycle. Which is fine b/c I withdrew anyway.

Sent in a request to Capital just for the heck of it to use for negotiations with Duquesne. A few days after I sent it, the admissions director replied and said she'd been out of the office but that she'd review it asap. A few weeks later I followed up (this was about a week ago) and still nothing.

But the reallll important one is that yesterday I sent in a request to Duquesne, which is my school of choice right now. The admissions director Joe called me today, but I dont think I will call him back until Monday. The famous 'negotiating merit aid' thread isn't working, but I have the advice saved on my computer at home. So I think I need to go home and read it all and grow some balls before I call him back. I want to winnnnn!

[solarae]

Just heard that my Capital was increased from 15 to 18, so that's nice for my Duq talks.

[fragged]

I'm confused - is a top% stipulation usually top% within your whole class or just within your section?

[MrPapagiorgio]

I'm confused - is a top% stipulation usually top% within your whole class or just within your section?

Whole class.
Who do you send the negotiation e-mail to? The dean of admissions? Dean of financial aid?

[jdemmitt]

I got screwed. I have a 22k scholly from WF and I got a one semester 6800 offer from Utah. I tried my luck to get utah to up theirs and they shot me down. Told me that all the money was given out. Sigh.

[cool of law]

I'm confused - is a top% stipulation usually top% within your whole class or just within your section?

Whole class.
Who do you send the negotiation e-mail to? The dean of admissions? Dean of financial aid?

I would CC both. Admissions usually decides the awards...

[northwood]

I'm confused - is a top% stipulation usually top% within your whole class or just within your section?

Whole class.
Who do you send the negotiation e-mail to? The dean of admissions? Dean of financial aid?

I would CC both. Admissions usually decides the awards...

CC them both. Or write one to the admissions dean, and another to the dean of financial aid if you want to have a personal touch to it.

[fragged]

I'm confused - is a top% stipulation usually top% within your whole class or just within your section?

Whole class.
Who do you send the negotiation e-mail to? The dean of admissions? Dean of financial aid?

If it's the whole class, why do people care about section stacking?

[labballin24]

I'm confused - is a top% stipulation usually top% within your whole class or just within your section?

Whole class.
Who do you send the negotiation e-mail to? The dean of admissions? Dean of financial aid?

If it's the whole class, why do people care about section stacking?

I believe that section stacking affects you when your class is graded on a curve.

[flexityflex86]

On this note, is it just me or are stipulations like top third things only tier 2, 3 and 4 schools do?

[fragged]

On this note, is it just me or are stipulations like top third things only tier 2, 3 and 4 schools do?

Good question - I wouldn't know. Of the schools I have been admitted to, the only ones who have given me scholarships are the T2's and they all have stipulations. They are also all private schools. Funny thing is the T3's I applied to gave me nothing while the T2's were quite generous.

[flexityflex86]

I didn't apply to any tier 2's. for me, i was just willing to live in cities i never considered for 10 years as safeties. but my scholarships all just say good standing.

[rocon7383]

sent an initial email to the admissions office email and the financial aid office email at brooklyn on wednesday to inquire about a scholarship negotiation and neither have responded yet. I'm not really sure what my next move should be

[gaud]

Okay so I need some help please....

UNLV offered me $16,700 first year, and half tuition for 2L and 3L with top 33% stip (gross)

Seton Hall offered me 25k per year with a top 50% stip

Would it be wise for me to ask UNLV for more money and bring up the Seton Hall offering considering they are 'higher ranked' ???

Please please help

[northwood]

Okay so I need some help please....

UNLV offered me $16,700 first year, and half tuition for 2L and 3L with top 33% stip (gross)

Seton Hall offered me 25k per year with a top 50% stip

Would it be wise for me to ask UNLV for more money and bring up the Seton Hall offering considering they are 'higher ranked' ???

Please please help

I think you should ask to get rid of that stip at UNLV. use seton hall as a guide. However, when making the final decision you will have to choose new jersey or nevada as the state you want to practice in- as neither of the schools you mentioned travel that far. Remember- the worst that can happen is they say no. If you are decent and polite they wont revoke your scholly or acceptance. Get that letter written and send it in on monday morning!

[PDaddy]

So I sent out an email to San Diego after their initial scholarship offer of $23,000 a year asking for an increased amount. Today, I just got a letter saying I am receiving the Dean's Honor Scholarship which covers full tuition ($39,000) and a gives me a living stipend! This pretty much just made my decision.

No shit! By the way...congrats on getting more $$$.

[akili]

My top 2 choices are UT and Vandy but I'm unsure how to proceed with negotiating (or if it is even worth a try). I have in-state at UT and they are giving me $9,500 per year. Vandy is giving me 20k per year. Is it possible to use my Vandy scholarship (even though UT is slightly cheaper still) to negotiate with Texas or should I try it the other way? The in-state thing is throwing me off!

[WarioLaw]

My top 2 choices are UT and Vandy but I'm unsure how to proceed with negotiating (or if it is even worth a try). I have in-state at UT and they are giving me $9,500 per year. Vandy is giving me 20k per year. Is it possible to use my Vandy scholarship (even though UT is slightly cheaper still) to negotiate with Texas or should I try it the other way? The in-state thing is throwing me off!

Unless you have other offers that you can leverage, I would probably email bother schools and try to use the ambiguity to your benefit. Let Vandy know that the Texas offer has a higher total value and let Texas know that Vandy offered a higher per year, albeit without in-state. May not work, but what's the worst that could happen.

[Emeth!]

I have never heard of schools getting rid of stipulations. Maybe some do, but I highly doubt it.

i negotiated to have it done and they did it -its possible.

[akili]

My top 2 choices are UT and Vandy but I'm unsure how to proceed with negotiating (or if it is even worth a try). I have in-state at UT and they are giving me $9,500 per year. Vandy is giving me 20k per year. Is it possible to use my Vandy scholarship (even though UT is slightly cheaper still) to negotiate with Texas or should I try it the other way? The in-state thing is throwing me off!

Unless you have other offers that you can leverage, I would probably email bother schools and try to use the ambiguity to your benefit. Let Vandy know that the Texas offer has a higher total value and let Texas know that Vandy offered a higher per year, albeit without in-state. May not work, but what's the worst that could happen.

That's kind of what I'm thinking. Thanks!

[WarioLaw]

On this note, is it just me or are stipulations like top third things only tier 2, 3 and 4 schools do?

I received a stipulated offer from a T30. So the answer to this is no. Although I have not heard of the T14 doing it.

[gaud]

Okay so I need some help please....

UNLV offered me $16,700 first year, and half tuition for 2L and 3L with top 33% stip (gross)

Seton Hall offered me 25k per year with a top 50% stip

Would it be wise for me to ask UNLV for more money and bring up the Seton Hall offering considering they are 'higher ranked' ???

Please please help

I think you should ask to get rid of that stip at UNLV. use seton hall as a guide. However, when making the final decision you will have to choose new jersey or nevada as the state you want to practice in- as neither of the schools you mentioned travel that far. Remember- the worst that can happen is they say no. If you are decent and polite they wont revoke your scholly or acceptance. Get that letter written and send it in on monday morning!

Thank you! Does anyone know whether a letter or an email will give a better impression? I am more than willing to write a letter with 24k gold trim if it can save me a stipulation or get me some extra money lol