How to ask schools for more grant money?

[theroadtomed]

My state school offered me a large scholarship, bringing the overall expected cost, including living, to around $72,000. I'm in at several top schools, with a few known to up their amount of grant money if they know you're considering someone else for money reasons. If they've already offered me a merit grant outright, how should I go about asking for more? I know I wouldn't go there as is, even with the merit grant, as the amount of the merit grant is only about $10,000 per year.

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[jturkel]

or

but seriously....i've heard of people calling and/or writing letters informing them that other schools have offered better financial packages that allows those schools to be much more affordable, but saying that the school(s) in question (insert name) are their top choice and they would like to go if they could receive a little more funding to make school more affordable.

 

[MedMe]

to the OP and also more generally: but what's to keep the school from honoring that and providing the same amount of aid in the next 3 years when you're already locked into the school?

 

[justdoit31]

to the OP and also more generally: but what's to keep the school from honoring that and providing the same amount of aid in the next 3 years when you're already locked into the school?

My school put in my scholarship offer that it was renewable for all 4 years as long as I stayed in good academic standing.

 

[docforsure]

My state school offered me a large scholarship, bringing the overall expected cost, including living, to around $72,000. I'm in at several top schools, with a few known to up their amount of grant money if they know you're considering someone else for money reasons. If they've already offered me a merit grant outright, how should I go about asking for more? I know I wouldn't go there as is, even with the merit grant, as the amount of the merit grant is only about $10,000 per year.

Your 72K number is too high to be yearly and too low to be 4 years. I'm confused.

 

[JJMrK]

Your 72K number is too high to be yearly and too low to be 4 years. I'm confused.

He said he got a substantial scholarship, so I think that number is for all 4 years.

OP, just send them an email saying something like:
I would really like to attend your school, but based on finances I may not be able to. (Be careful not to indicate you are withdrawing.) Is there anything you can do?

Just be aware that 72k total is pretty good, and it's doubtful any school is going to be able to match it.

 

[Bernoull]

Your 72K number is too high to be yearly and too low to be 4 years. I'm confused.

It has to be $72K over 4 years, otherwise the scholarship could not have been LARGE as the OP stated.. SO yearly net COA is $18K which is freaking awesome...

 

[theroadtomed]

It will be about 72,000 for the entire four years at my state school, which is in and of itself pretty incredible.

 

[anxiousteen]

read the post incorrectly