How to negotiate financial aid with multiple As?

[CaptainPoopyPants]

I know it's possible to negotiate for better financial packages if you have multiple A's, but no one has ever explained how. Who do you even talk to? Admissions doesn't do your financial package, and why would finance care either way since they aren't the ones admitting / rejecting? And how do you address the topic without sounding like the mafia doing a shake down?

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[lm1106]

I have these questions as well! How do you approach this without sounding arrogant or entitled to better aid haha

 

[deleted804295]

Also are these financial aid packages just loans?

 

[meepdog]

Yeah same. I have acceptances but nowhere has offered me money. I was wondering if the cost difference between IS state schools and private schools might work in the same way? Like my top accepted school right now is private and so is more expensive than my second choice, which is about 20k cheaper a year. I've heard of people having success here, but also of it going wrong and I don't want to come off as entitled.

 

[Osminog]

In your email, explain that medical school is a big investment, that you want to make a financially responsible decision, and that you’re wondering if there’s additional aid available to make attending school X more financially feasible for you (relative to your other options). Reaffirm your interest in school X; show your enthusiasm and briefly mention why it’s such a great fit for you. Be polite and tactful. Nobody owes you anything.

Don’t aggressively haggle like you’re at a Chinatown flea market. Don’t act entitled. Don’t name-drop the other schools you were accepted to. If the school says no, let it go and move on.

I’d send the email to admissions, since at most schools, the financial aid office is getting their scholarship recommendations from the admissions office.

 

[u_raptor]

Also are these financial aid packages just loans?

Financial aid packages are mainly need based scholarships, with some schools also doing merit (not loans). If you get no financial aid package via scholarship, the schools I have interviewed at basically explained that they will send you a bill of what it will cost you + loan options to look into.

 

[KnightDoc]

Mods should consider merging with Scholarship Leverage thread - same topic; same discussion!

 

[Skarl]

See belvita's useful MDapplicants profile: belvita profile - MDApplicants.com

Pasting his example scholarship negotiation email here for reference:

Dear [school name] Admissions,

Thank you for accepting me to [school name] last [month you were accepted]. I am truly humbled by the opportunity to advance medicine at [school name], and I can honestly say that since my interview day, [school name] has thoroughly impressed me for its collegial environment, curriculum which matches my educational goals, and location in [location].

I understand that many scholarships have already been disbursed, but I wanted to provide a qualifier that I hope the scholarship committee may consider. I have received a scholarship from [other school name] which makes my four-year tuition at [school name] nearly [monetary sum] more than it would be at [other school name]. I really would like to attend [school name] for my medical education, but cost of attendance is the chief and overriding concern for me, which makes it extremely difficult for me to turn down this other offer. I humbly recognize that I am in no way entitled to a scholarship, but any assistance that the scholarship committee might choose to provide would make a decision to matriculate at [school name] much easier.

Sincerely,
[your name]
AMCAS ID: [your AMCAS ID]

 

[KnightDoc]

See belvita's useful MDapplicants profile: belvita profile - MDApplicants.com

Pasting his example scholarship negotiation email here for reference:

This makes perfect sense when you have a merit (or even need-based) scholarship from a competing school, but does not address the situation where you have multiple As but no scholarship offers, or an A from an IS state school that you want to try to leverage into a tuition discount at a private school.

Does anyone have any anecdotal evidence of success in those situations???

 

[deleted972488]

This makes perfect sense when you have a merit (or even need-based) scholarship from a competing school, but does not address the situation where you have multiple As but no scholarship offers, or an A from an IS state school that you want to try to leverage into a tuition discount at a private school.

Does anyone have any anecdotal evidence of success in those situations???

I imagine applicants in these situations are not successful in leveraging for more financial aid. Private schools are aware that they cost more than your state school.