Negotiating scholarships works!!!!! Forum

[ddav87]

I've negotiated with 2 schools thus far one upped my offer by 5k a year and one said there might be hope later in the cycle but right now money is tied up. I did scan and attach all scholarship offers i thought were relevant. Both schools were really nice and honest about it and i figure it's just easier to show the school you're not full of it by attaching the other offers in the initial letter.

[BearTerritory]

I've negotiated with 2 schools thus far one upped my offer by 5k a year and one said there might be hope later in the cycle but right now money is tied up. I did scan and attach all scholarship offers i thought were relevant. Both schools were really nice and honest about it and i figure it's just easier to show the school you're not full of it by attaching the other offers in the initial letter.

did you just write the letter in the body of the e-mail?

[Kiersten1985]

I've negotiated with 2 schools thus far one upped my offer by 5k a year and one said there might be hope later in the cycle but right now money is tied up. I did scan and attach all scholarship offers i thought were relevant. Both schools were really nice and honest about it and i figure it's just easier to show the school you're not full of it by attaching the other offers in the initial letter.

did you just write the letter in the body of the e-mail?

+1 ?

[BearTerritory]

I've negotiated with 2 schools thus far one upped my offer by 5k a year and one said there might be hope later in the cycle but right now money is tied up. I did scan and attach all scholarship offers i thought were relevant. Both schools were really nice and honest about it and i figure it's just easier to show the school you're not full of it by attaching the other offers in the initial letter.

did you just write the letter in the body of the e-mail?

+1 ?

no patience for a response...i just put it in the body of the email, did not attach the other offer and said do not hesitate to ask for more information.....good luck

[ddav87]

I did put the letter in the body of the email and both emails turned into nice conversations with the Admins. I think the attaching other offers helped cut down on the turn around time both got back to me in the same day.

[enzo66]

In my situation, two decent schools have given me scholarships within $5,000 of each other. Generally speaking, I prefer School A, which gave me the slightly higher offer. I'm very grateful and will probably go there even if they don't offer me any more money.

Is there a good way to negotiate for more money from School A? Would leveraging a higher offer from School B and then going back to School A be worth my time/effort/be effective? Could I just go to School A listing the two semi-significant things I added to my resume this semester and simply ask for more money? Or, should I just be happy for what I got and stick with that? Any input?

Thanks in advance . . .

[chango]

Is there a good way to negotiate for more money from School A?

there are ways, but most of them strike me as shady, such as:

leveraging a higher offer from School B and then going back to School A

especially considering you prefer School A.

Could I just go to School A listing the two semi-significant things I added to my resume this semester and simply ask for more money?

I suppose it's worth a shot, but it strikes me as

Or, should I just be happy for what I got and stick with that

Asked and answered.

[ruleser]

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.

With a stipend? I've negoiated in the past, but never for a huge jump like that off the bat (went from 0 to 50k, then 50k to 60k, then the 85K) But yes, sometimes you can negotiate - imagine if you had gone $16K+ the spidend a year extra into debt - 48K + whatever the stipend is, that's half a life of paying back. Congrats!

EDIT: There's really not a down side to negotiating if you do it respectfully, as the worst you get is no. But I would advise against doing it dishonestly - ie bluffing. You don't want to hear back, "Sounds like a pretty good offer, you should take it"

[ruleser]

Do you think it is reasonable to ask your top choice school for money if none has been offered?

I'm thinking of trying something like this @ Cornell b/c it's so much money, & a private school like this has got to have some money . . . one can dream, right?

Agreed, I'm going to ask Cornell, even though I'm not accepted yet... honestly though, above poster, I tried that last year with a school that had given me no $ and no new info (ie no increased LSAT, etc.) They said they'd consider, then said no, no more $$ for now. It didn't hurt any.

[Gunz353]

I was thinking about doing this, but I already got a scholarship that I feel like I didn't deserve. My LSAT is just above the median and my GPA is below median. I got a 45% tuition scholarship, but I feel awkward asking for more. This is a Tier 3 school, but if I get accepted to Rutgers- Newark I am thinking of using that as leverage for asking them for more money. Thoughts anyone??

[chango]

But I would advise against doing it dishonestly - ie bluffing. You don't want to hear back, "Sounds like a pretty good offer, you should take it

+1000

[ruleser]

I was thinking about doing this, but I already got a scholarship that I feel like I didn't deserve. My LSAT is just above the median and my GPA is below median. I got a 45% tuition scholarship, but I feel awkward asking for more. This is a Tier 3 school, but if I get accepted to Rutgers- Newark I am thinking of using that as leverage for asking them for more money. Thoughts anyone??

Wait and see. You don't want to go empty handed if you don't have to. If you can legitimately say, "I have x other offer" it's 100x stronger. If you don't get that offer then you can just ask straight out, just be grateful for the initial offer, polite, and list any reasons you have, if there are any besides not wanting to pay (ie really can't afford, etc.)

[dp73816]

I was thinking about doing this, but I already got a scholarship that I feel like I didn't deserve. My LSAT is just above the median and my GPA is below median. I got a 45% tuition scholarship, but I feel awkward asking for more. This is a Tier 3 school, but if I get accepted to Rutgers- Newark I am thinking of using that as leverage for asking them for more money. Thoughts anyone??

You gotta be emotionless with this kind of stuff...the whole "this is business" mentality. Im doing this right now with a T-3 and a T-1; T-3 offered me crap - $7,500, but theyre near home. T-1 offered me $10K, so I emailed the T-3 the other scholarship letter. I made it quite clear that I "would love to attend your venerated institution," but only a substantial offer would keep me in-state. They came back with $25K. I told the T-1, and they bumped me up to $20K....I guess I will keep going until someone gives me a full ride or just says no. Either way, the moral of the story is that this is your life, and your finances. You do what you gotta do.

[chango]

Did you really use the words "venerated institution?"

[dp73816]

Did you really use the words "venerated institution?"

Yup, and it got me 15,000 more...problem?

[thickfreakness]

Did you really use the words "venerated institution?"

Yup, and it got me 15,000 more...problem?

Point awarded to dp.

Don't think your language matters so long as you get paid.

[chango]

Did you really use the words "venerated institution?"

Yup, and it got me 15,000 more...problem?

No, no problem at all.

I guess you decided against "Dear Third Tier Toilet, it would take either a pack of wild horses or 15K a year to drag me to your dilapidated molehill of a school. Please send reply on a silver salver borne by several voluptuous slave girls. L8R."

[shavisimo2]

I haven't heard about money from USC yet, but Illinois offered 30k per year and Temple offered a full ride. USC may be my number one choice but I don't think I can afford the 40+ tuition and the COL. Do you think I could negotiate using those two scholarship offers as a base?

[dp73816]

Did you really use the words "venerated institution?"

Yup, and it got me 15,000 more...problem?

No, no problem at all.

I guess you decided against "Dear Third Tier Toilet, it would take either a pack of wild horses or 15K a year to drag me to your dilapidated molehill of a school. Please send reply on a silver salver borne by several voluptuous slave girls. L8R."

HAHAHAHA...you have made me spit up coffee on myself...be proud. I'm looking to transfer after my first year anyways, and its one of those schools that some people rank 80, others dont rank at all, etc....so if I can go to school for free, Ill take. But yes, slave vixens would be a nice touch

[dp73816]

I haven't heard about money from USC yet, but Illinois offered 30k per year and Temple offered a full ride. USC may be my number one choice but I don't think I can afford the 40+ tuition and the COL. Do you think I could negotiate using those two scholarship offers as a base?

YES...be ruthless - but 30k to Illinois is a damn good deal. USC is not THAT much better of a school...but if your worried about the rankings and numbers, etc., do your thing.

[robin600]

Do you think it is reasonable to ask your top choice school for money if none has been offered?

If you're at or above both medians and already accepted why not? they aren't going to revoke your acceptance because you asked for money.

[robin600]

Just tried it, *gulp*

[Havaianas]

I haven't heard about money from USC yet, but Illinois offered 30k per year and Temple offered a full ride. USC may be my number one choice but I don't think I can afford the 40+ tuition and the COL. Do you think I could negotiate using those two scholarship offers as a base?

you should probably wait until you have gotten their offer....

[batmansion]

.

[StonewallJackson]

Congrats on the scholarship, but it does not work with all schools. I tried to do it with W&M and they did not respond to me - other W&M admits describe the same situation. But then again I have a 162 LSAT and my estimated annual tuition is 16K...