Financial Aid Matching

[deleted994247]

This is a thread to discuss policies on matching financial aid packages.

Some questions that come to mind:
1. Which schools are known for matching aid?
2. If a school says they will match a “similarly ranked” school, what counts as similar rank?
3. If you write a letter of intent, are you sacrificing your chances of getting an aid match?
4. Do certain schools only match need-based aid and not merit aid?

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[Pluto98]

Following

 

[deleted994247]

Following

Lol thanks but idk if this thread is gonna get any traction.

 

[unluckyadhessiveness]

Which are schools more likely to match, need-based aid or merit-based aid?

 

[ItAintEasyBeingCheesy]

+1 Following

 

[I<3PopeyesFriedChicken]

3. If you write a letter of intent, are you sacrificing your chances of getting an aid match?

Does anyone have any thoughts on this particular question?

 

[Skarl]

I don't think anyone knows the answer to this question, as policies vary by school and likely for certain applicants who may be more/less desirable. My advice is it never hurts to ask (in a professional, non-entitled manner).

 

[Rachapkis]

While it will not hurt you to try to leverage an offer from another school to increase aid at a preferred school, I suspect that most students do not have much leverage. Unless you are truly a unique candidate (e.g., Malala Yousafzai applying to medical school in future years), you are not going to move the needle much, if at all, for the school you are petitioning. What's more, they have a line of people behind you who would give their eye teeth to take your place. When venturing into this area, I would do as much research as possible on the particular school in question, and I would keep all communications short, to-the-point, and professional. Good luck.

 

[deleted480308]

This is a thread to discuss policies on matching financial aid packages.

Some questions that come to mind:
1. Which schools are known for matching aid?
2. If a school says they will match a “similarly ranked” school, what counts as similar rank?
3. If you write a letter of intent, are you sacrificing your chances of getting an aid match?
4. Do certain schools only match need-based aid and not merit aid?

Who told you they will match a similarly ranked school? That sounds silly

Applicants are not commodities. The schools don’t need anyone, there are hordes of people behind you that want the seat and would throat punch a kitten to get it

 

[deleted994247]

Who told you they will match a similarly ranked school? That sounds silly

Applicants are not commodities. The schools don’t need anyone, there are hordes of people behind you that want the seat and would throat punch a kitten to get it

Can’t remember offhand who exactly said it but it was a T10 school, I remember the phrase “similarly ranked school” clearly.

not sure what ur getting at about applicants not being commodities. There are plenty of stories of negotiating aid by leveraging offers. But I’m not expecting any school to beg me to go, I.e. no entitlement here, this is just a part of the process.

 

[deleted480308]

Can’t remember offhand who exactly said it but it was a T10 school, I remember the phrase “similarly ranked school” clearly.

not sure what ur getting at about applicants not being commodities. There are plenty of stories of negotiating aid by leveraging offers. But I’m not expecting any school to beg me to go, I.e. no entitlement here, this is just a part of the process.

I’m all for getting more money from a school you like better if you can swing it, just trying to make sure people remember not to lose perspective