A college offered some merit scholarship to my kid. It is decent sized but not the best we have with respect to net price after scholarships. I also know they offer around 20-25% more than that amount to several students. If we get to that number that I have heard, we would definitely consider this college. Hence I wrote to them and I got a response back that I could appeal this award with the expectations we have for this award - and perhaps also share any other offers we have received.
What I would like to have an advice from this group is what information about the other college offers is OK to share? In some articles online, I have seen that we should send the documentation (pdfs and copies of the other award letters). Isn’t that over sharing? What if the other universities (one of which is currently the top choice) finds out we are sharing? Will they retract the offer? Or is the college, that we are sharing the information with, not allowed to share it further since it is provided confidentially?
Assuming it is OK to share the offers, the choices of sharing:
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Share an anonymized list of colleges and the offers - including the net price after the scholarship for the cost of attendance and for the tuition. But this option does not have enough leverage.
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Share the list of colleges and the offers, with the names and as well as the name of the merit scholarship offered - including the net price after the scholarship for the cost of attendance and for the tuition.
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Same as the previous option but also include the award letter of the top choice college.
Of course, we can go with step 2 and then if the college asks for it, then proceed to step 3.
Do you want this college to come close to or match the other offer? If so, then in my opinion, you send them the actual offer your kid received…and nothing less.
I would include the award letter. The college you are appealing to needs to see the real deal…in my opinion…
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I think you share the actual offer (and know it’s only relevant if the college considers them a peer school)
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When I reviewed requests for increased merit, I wanted to see the other offer(s). That was important to my decision. I needed to know the school and the actual aid types & amounts. (I worked in financial aid.)
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Thanks for your and others replies! So from what you all are saying is that there is no risk in sharing the other offer(s) - and not likely to reach back to the other school and that school rescinding the offer?
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No risk, in fact it may even be illegal for them to share per that large price fixing lawsuit from a few years back. I’m not an attorney, fwiw
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Well, if the student applied to any of the other schools in a manner that required them to withdraw all other applications upon acceptance, that could be problematic. Otherwise, there’s no reason to worry.
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They’re not going to eliminate your award because you ask for money (and are showing them why).
That other kids got more might be because their profile and attendance is a higher priority to the school. And a school may not use a comparator for appeal - or may not if it’s not from a peer or higher level school.
But as long as you are polite and constructive, you have nothing to lose.
The worst they’ll say is - we’re sorry we can’t offer you more but we really want your student, hence we made the generous offer we did.
In some ways, they have to be careful - or they’ll generate a lot of others following what you do.
Best of luck in getting more $$.
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School that DD attends asked all offers DD had with awards (I sent only 6 top out of 19).
They did match with grant.
Share awards only from schools that are comparable or better.
If your child got better offer from “lesser” school, college would not match it.
Also think in terms of COA not in terms of scholarships when compare. If school X has tution 10K less, scholarship can be 10k less.
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