Bargaining

[Dentalpeerson]

So let's fast forward and I get multiple acceptances. How do I go about bargaining for more financial aid? Is that a smart thing to do? Any drawbacks from doing that?

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[littleteeth]

The dentist I work for also suggested this and I was wondering the same thing!

 

[BasicG]

My uncle also told me to do this, but he graduated 15 years ago lol. Wondering if this still works

 

[DynamicDental]

It definitely still works. I know someone who is currently a D2 (won’t state their school) who asked for money after their acceptance and did in fact get some. A few thousand I believe. I don’t know how they worded things, so I would just choose your words carefully is all

 

[a_hildy]

I was actually able to bargain to get an extra 10,000 off per year at an out of state school. My leverage was the fact that my state school was cheaper and I had already been accepted and put down my deposit. I was upfront an honest with the OOS school of my situation and I asked politely if there was anything they could do to financially to reduce the cost of OOS. Moral of the story is, yes it is still possible, I did it last cycle. Just like any negotiation though, you will never receive if you don't ask for it and you have to have some sort of leverage. Hope this helps

 

[BasicG]

I was actually able to bargain to get an extra 10,000 off per year at an out of state school. My leverage was the fact that my state school was cheaper and I had already been accepted and put down my deposit. I was upfront an honest with the OOS school of my situation and I asked politely if there was anything they could do to financially to reduce the cost of OOS. Moral of the story is, yes it is still possible, I did it last cycle. Just like any negotiation though, you will never receive if you don't ask for it and you have to have some sort of leverage. Hope this helps

Did you message the financial aid office of the school?

 

[princeafrica]

Anyone negotiate with their in state? lol

 

[Likkriue]

Always always negotiate. I got many offers just from giving a call, especially if you have multiple acceptances.

 

[UConnDoIt]

Anyone negotiate with their in state? lol

Really curious about this.

 

[dent_wannabe]

I also want to know this. Right now, my plan is if I get a December 3 acceptance to my state school (Michigan), then the only other school I may consider interviewing or putting down a deposit for is my dream school (Penn). Wondering if negotiating scholarships may be a reason for me to rethink that strategy.

 

[doktorinprogres]

Negotiating with your state school is hard b/c usually they're cheaper than your alternative. If you've got some scholarships at the alternative school then you can ask them to match that. But even then it's likely they're cheaper even w/o a scholarship and they know that.

 

[a_hildy]

Did you message the financial aid office of the school?

Phone call with the dean of admissions. Interpersonal communication is a powerful leveraging tool if you are honest and sincere!

 

[setdoc7]

You can ask. Merit based scholarships often have gpa caveats that you will have to maintain throughout school for your scholarship money to be renewed. Although this is clearly an incentive to do well, we all know that dental school is not like college, and things can go south, taking the scholarship money with it, and no recourse. Take all this into consideration when declining cheap in state admission, which is permanent.
Dental school is a fishbowl full of sharks from multiple other larger fishbowls. The strongest and most aggressive have now been lumped together in a tiny, competitive environment. Sharks sometimes eat eachother when they are hungry.

Alternatively, the school you are negotiating with could just say flat out no. Unless you were their #1 pick and you bring a unique intangible to the school, there are dozens of qualified candidates clawing at the gates (wait list), who will take your spot no questions asked.