Tips for Negotiating Fin Aid Awards

Paying for College
1

<p>I have gotten into three very similar schools–Bates, Bowdoin, and Middlebury–that are all giving me drastically different financial aid awards. The one that gave me the most is not my first choice, and I want to negotiate with my first choice school to increase their grant money. Since all are need-based aid, shouldn’t they all give me around the same amount of money? Is negotiating even worth it?</p>

<p>Does anyone have any tips for negotiating awards? Or can anyone provide links to informational threads here on CC?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance</p>

2

<p>i’m not sure if financial aid awards are changed. if you are negotiating an award with middlebury or bowdoin on the basis of the other, that may result in a higher award, since they tend to compete for students, but i actually doubt it. there isn’t a ton of “buying students” with these schools. never hurts to try, although if bates is your highest award, it will likely be difficult to convince bowdoin or middlebury that you merit more.</p>

3

<p>First of all no one is going to negotiate with you because colleges resent feeling like used car dealers.</p>

<p>However, you can ask for a financial review.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that schools package their aid differently (some schools have more $ to give than others).</p>

<p>for example; according to the college board </p>

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4

<p>Yeah, well see its between Bowdoin and Middlebury–Midd gave me way more money than Bowdoin did. </p>

<p>I guess my question is, when I ask for a review of my financial aid package, is there anything special I should do?</p>

5

<p>Wow, even with the loan elimination, Middlebury gave you more money? </p>

<p>It seems like Bowdoin gave you a higher EFC. Even with the loans are you sure that Middlebury is the better package (would you mind sharing)?</p>

<p>Do you think that there is something that Bowdoin has overlooked? Basically call then and request a financial review you can ask Bowdoin what their basis for calculating your EFC.</p>

6

<p>Yeah, well Middlebury gave me $8,000 more just in grant money…its kind of ridiculous. There is a $3000 loan included with the package, but I would take one out anyway if I went to Bowdoin, so it doesn’t really matter. The cost of each school is about the same, so really Middlebury seems like a better value.</p>

<p>If I talk to Bowdoin, should I give them the numbers I got from Middlebury?</p>

7

<p>if you got more money from middlebury it might be worth bringing it up to bowdoin. it doesn’t make sense that they would purport to meet full need and come up with different numbers unless middlebury has included an extra grant as an incentive. dunno.</p>