Negotiating scholarships / financial aid - how to?

KelviVan
Tue, 21 Mar 2017 15:21:29 +0000

So, I have hit a huge frustration. My D has really strong academics, so we have been fortunate to get strong merit aid offers from all of the schools she had originally applied to (17) - regardless of artistic answers. We visited colleges last week during her spring break, and she had a definite favorite. It was a school she did a walk-in for in Chicago, so we were late applying, but she had already gotten her academic and artistic acceptance. Since then, they said her financial aid offer was ready and it was all loans. When I called them yesterday to see if there was something additional that needed to be done to be considered for academic merit money I was told she applied too late and there was no option for any scholarship funds. Now - I understand this from an Admissions standpoint - but I am unbelievably frustrated. There are two other schools she applied late to after doing walk-ins and they have both offered merit money - one gave her an out-of-state waiver and the other offered a generous 4-year scholarship. How is it our luck that the ONLY school not to offer her merit aid is going to end up being the top of her list!!! I have a message in to the theatre department - since they are a school that I know does a lot of walk-ins - I am guessing she will not be the only person who this affects and it may make a significant difference in their acceptances.