Negotiating scholarships works!!!!! Forum

[tuesdayninja]

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[dasani13]

My current cycle:
WashU: 84k
UMinnesota: 90k
BC: 75K
Loyola Chicago: 96k
Chicago-Kent: 90k
Iowa: Accepted but on scholarship waitlist

Still waiting on acceptances at BU and Notre Dame.

Currently live in Chicago but would like to end up in Boston so BU/BC are top choices. Should I wait on acceptances/money from ND and BU before emailing BC for negotiations? Or do I have enough leverage currently with WashU and UMinnesota? BU will give me the most leverage against BC (if I get money) but I want to get the ball rolling on negotiations sooner than later when scholarship money gets more tight. Any other general negotiation tips would be appreciated too.

BU will likely (at least) match whatever WashU gives you.

[16to19]

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[yenisey]

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.

Excellent bargain! I received an initial 28K/yr and leveraged with another offer of 40K. They responded with an amended amount of 35K/yr.

[gobeers]

If I have 102k from Emory, is it worth it to start negotiating USC's 20k right now? Or should I wait on my last few schools to hopefully increase my bargaining chip?

Also, anyone know if its possible to negotiate scholarships after getting off a waitlist (UCLA or Texas specifically).

Thanks!

[yenisey]

If I have 102k from Emory, is it worth it to start negotiating USC's 20k right now? Or should I wait on my last few schools to hopefully increase my bargaining chip?

Also, anyone know if its possible to negotiate scholarships after getting off a waitlist (UCLA or Texas specifically).

Thanks!

Emory 102K/3yrs, USC 20k/yr?

[UDtoLawSchool]

Anyone have success negotiating with Brooklyn?

+1

I negotiated from 30K to 35K a year after sending a full ride offer from St. John's

[bnssweeney]

Anyone have success negotiating with Brooklyn?

+1

I negotiated from 30K to 35K a year after sending a full ride offer from St. John's

Can I PM you?

[sadie T.]

How do you ask for a living stipend? I have a full ride offer, and other lesser offers from much higher ranked schools, but a full ride with a living stipend would probably seal the deal...

[UDtoLawSchool]

Anyone have success negotiating with Brooklyn?

+1

I negotiated from 30K to 35K a year after sending a full ride offer from St. John's

Can I PM you?

Sure!

[hammocklv06]

How do you ask for a living stipend? I have a full ride offer, and other lesser offers from much higher ranked schools, but a full ride with a living stipend would probably seal the deal...

Just go back and say "While (insert law school name here) is among my top choices for law school, merit aid will play a significant role in my decision, blah blah etc. If (insert law school name here) was able to provide an annual living stipend in the amount of $X, I would be willing to definitively commit to your school."

[sadie T.]

How do you ask for a living stipend? I have a full ride offer, and other lesser offers from much higher ranked schools, but a full ride with a living stipend would probably seal the deal...

Just go back and say "While (insert law school name here) is among my top choices for law school, merit aid will play a significant role in my decision, blah blah etc. If (insert law school name here) was able to provide an annual living stipend in the amount of $X, I would be willing to definitively commit to your school."

Thanks. How "definite" do you think that commitment has to be??

[lymenheimer]

How do you ask for a living stipend? I have a full ride offer, and other lesser offers from much higher ranked schools, but a full ride with a living stipend would probably seal the deal...

Just go back and say "While (insert law school name here) is among my top choices for law school, merit aid will play a significant role in my decision, blah blah etc. If (insert law school name here) was able to provide an annual living stipend in the amount of $X, I would be willing to definitively commit to your school."

Thanks. How "definite" do you think that commitment has to be??

How definite would someone's commitment have to be to you for you to schill out more in order to pay them to come to you?

[TheKisSquared]

How do you ask for a living stipend? I have a full ride offer, and other lesser offers from much higher ranked schools, but a full ride with a living stipend would probably seal the deal...

Just go back and say "While (insert law school name here) is among my top choices for law school, merit aid will play a significant role in my decision, blah blah etc. If (insert law school name here) was able to provide an annual living stipend in the amount of $X, I would be willing to definitively commit to your school."

Thanks. How "definite" do you think that commitment has to be??

Don't offer it unless you mean to accept it.

[16to19]

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[gobeers]

If I have 102k from Emory, is it worth it to start negotiating USC's 20k right now? Or should I wait on my last few schools to hopefully increase my bargaining chip?

Also, anyone know if its possible to negotiate scholarships after getting off a waitlist (UCLA or Texas specifically).

Thanks!

Emory 102K/3yrs, USC 20k/yr?

yeah my bad. Emory 102 k/3 years; USC 60 k/3 years

[PatriotP74]

How do you ask for a living stipend? I have a full ride offer, and other lesser offers from much higher ranked schools, but a full ride with a living stipend would probably seal the deal...

Just go back and say "While (insert law school name here) is among my top choices for law school, merit aid will play a significant role in my decision, blah blah etc. If (insert law school name here) was able to provide an annual living stipend in the amount of $X, I would be willing to definitively commit to your school."

How common is it to request/offer this, I am negotiating with schools and one of them if they upped my offer to full tuition I would 100% commit to them. But I don't want to come across the wrong way by mentioning that?

[TheKisSquared]

How do you ask for a living stipend? I have a full ride offer, and other lesser offers from much higher ranked schools, but a full ride with a living stipend would probably seal the deal...

Just go back and say "While (insert law school name here) is among my top choices for law school, merit aid will play a significant role in my decision, blah blah etc. If (insert law school name here) was able to provide an annual living stipend in the amount of $X, I would be willing to definitively commit to your school."

How common is it to request/offer this, I am negotiating with schools and one of them if they upped my offer to full tuition I would 100% commit to them. But I don't want to come across the wrong way by mentioning that?

The worst they say is no, and if you mean it, offer it.

[hammocklv06]

How do you ask for a living stipend? I have a full ride offer, and other lesser offers from much higher ranked schools, but a full ride with a living stipend would probably seal the deal...

Just go back and say "While (insert law school name here) is among my top choices for law school, merit aid will play a significant role in my decision, blah blah etc. If (insert law school name here) was able to provide an annual living stipend in the amount of $X, I would be willing to definitively commit to your school."

How common is it to request/offer this, I am negotiating with schools and one of them if they upped my offer to full tuition I would 100% commit to them. But I don't want to come across the wrong way by mentioning that?

The worst they say is no, and if you mean it, offer it.

+1 agree completely - it's probably better to overshoot a bit and give them the number that would 100% pull you in, or even a bit of a higher offer, because they may counter, and their counter-offer will likely be higher if your initial ask is higher.

[Draconem]

Could someone please PM me their negotiation letter?

I could really use some help.

[gazorpazorp]

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[Hand]

Need some help here guys... Finally got my GULC offer. My current offers are:

Michigan 45k (somewhat disappointing)
GULC 60k (immensely disappointing)
USC 150k
WUSTL full scholarship
GW 105k (disappointing)

I was hoping to use my eventual GULC offer to pull Michigan up to around 60 or 70k. In order to pull me away from Mich at all, GULC would honestly have to offer something in the six-figure range.

Any ideas on how to achieve my somewhat lofty goals (Get Mich up to 60-70k and GULC up to 100k)?

I'm thinking I'm first going to approach GW and USC and try to get them up to full rides. Then I'll go to GULC and blatantly (but as diplomatically as possible) tell them that a) there is no chance I will attend with their current offer, and b) I will very strongly consider attending if they offer something closer 40k/yr.

I'll save Michigan for last, and hopefully I'll have a better GULC offer to show them.

Thoughts?

You could take your USC and WUSTL offers to GW, and then take a hopefully higher offer from GW plus the other two to GULC. But with their April 1st deadline for you saying something, I'd probably take your USC and WUSTL offers to GULC right now, and maybe also mention your Mich offer, provided you can make a case about how it's cheaper for you to go there (would it be?), while at the same time trying to negotiate with GW. GULC is known to be responsive to offers from the likes of WUSTL, USC and GW; can't speak to Mich. GULC is also not unresponsive to bluntly asserting it's still too expensive right now. Me and others had success by saying "I'd need at least XXX to commit" last year. Good luck.

[gazorpazorp]

Need some help here guys... Finally got my GULC offer. My current offers are:

Michigan 45k (somewhat disappointing)
GULC 60k (immensely disappointing)
USC 150k
WUSTL full scholarship
GW 105k (disappointing)

I was hoping to use my eventual GULC offer to pull Michigan up to around 60 or 70k. In order to pull me away from Mich at all, GULC would honestly have to offer something in the six-figure range.

Any ideas on how to achieve my somewhat lofty goals (Get Mich up to 60-70k and GULC up to 100k)?

I'm thinking I'm first going to approach GW and USC and try to get them up to full rides. Then I'll go to GULC and blatantly (but as diplomatically as possible) tell them that a) there is no chance I will attend with their current offer, and b) I will very strongly consider attending if they offer something closer 40k/yr.

I'll save Michigan for last, and hopefully I'll have a better GULC offer to show them.

Thoughts?

You could take your USC and WUSTL offers to GW, and then take a hopefully higher offer from GW plus the other two to GULC. But with their April 1st deadline for you saying something, I'd probably take your USC and WUSTL offers to GULC right now, and maybe also mention your Mich offer, provided you can make a case about how it's cheaper for you to go there (would it be?), while at the same time trying to negotiate with GW. GULC is known to be responsive to offers from the likes of WUSTL, USC and GW; can't speak to Mich. GULC is also not unresponsive to bluntly asserting it's still too expensive right now. Me and others had success by saying "I'd need at least XXX to commit" last year. Good luck.

That's good to hear because this is essentially the approach I've taken in sending out my emails today. Thanks.

As far as the April 1st deadline goes, would you be able to clarify -- it isn't "binding," correct? I can still continue negotiating with these schools after April 1st, I just need to send in the form to "reserve" the offer?

[BirdLawExpert]

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[Hand]

As far as the April 1st deadline goes, would you be able to clarify -- it isn't "binding," correct? I can still continue negotiating with these schools after April 1st, I just need to send in the form to "reserve" the offer?

Correct. You can, and should, keep negotiating after that. The "reserve the offer" stuff only serves to tell them you're still interested. Once seat deposit deadlines come around it's a different story, of course, but this is not binding in any way.