Some of these schools that are coming up with initiatives that include families that make into the 6 figure range , Ive seen as high as $250k, for financial aid. A feature of these programs is a more holistic reading of assets and other situations. Some minimize and eliminate home primary home equity. Some give more leeway to family business in how evaluated.
A key feature in these initiatives is “ordinary” or typical assets. Those terms are kept deliberately vague because unlike the formulaic NPCs, a closer holistic examination is made of things like assets. Folks with little or no retirement arrangements may get more leeway in non retirement assets. It can help families who invested, say in real estate, not only for current income, but for retire income and nest egg as well. Many who do this get hit heavily under traditional financial aid formulas.
So, can one “negotiate” getting no financial aid or ones financial aid package? Yes. FA officers hate that word “negotiate “ but yes it happens. It is possible. Especially at schools that give such openings and exceptions to their financial aid policies.
I do not think OP is going to get very far in “negotiating” much If any financial aid unless there is something significant about the financial picture to which we are not privy. But, maybe they do. That’s between OP and FA officers, and I wish them luck. No harm in trying.
No harm in negotiating merit either.
No guarantee that any negotiation is going to get anything so , colleges with acceptable costs should be in the list. In this case, there are such schools.