<p>My son recieved a great 15k merit scholarship to two different NY private schools. He then received some additional adademic honors and good AP grades on 3rd quarter report card. We wrote the college noting this and asked for a review of the merit. They did, and he then recieved a 20k merit instead. When I spoke to the fin aid dept related to needs based, I understand why we will not get any. My son just got 2 more additional academic awards that we would like to send to the school for them to consider an additional increase in merit. We really need another 10k a year to afford this school.</p>
<p>Has anyone asked for a 2nd review of merit and recieved it and if so, did you specifically ask for how much more you need i.e. I need 10k more to attend or else I will have to go elsewhere? </p>
<p>I know this is sensitive issue and you don't want to appear to be greedy or unappreciative of the merit you already recieved.</p>
<p>What are these new awards? There are awards and then there are AWARDS. I don’t think just getting more high school awards would get more merit, but if they are spectacular awards (like nat’l ones), then maybe.</p>
<p>The school has already increased the merit by $5k. I doubt that they will now give another $10k more. That would be $30k per year. Does the school give that much? </p>
<p>Are your son’s stats within the top 1-2% of the school?</p>
<p>He is at the top stats with his ACT score. The school has some ‘full tuition’ scholarships that are based on geographic location or having another trait that my son probably would be a stretch to qualify for. Some other merit awards are ‘variable’ without a specific amount noted. </p>
<p>The awards he just recieved are the NY state Regents academic excellence award and selected the top overall senior at his high school (academic/volunteer activities/school participation).</p>
<p>I kind of thought that if they already increased it 5k, they won’t do another 10k. I also don’t know if schools are more inclined to give you more now that the May 1 decision date is near i.e. if they really want you they will find the $ somewhere</p>
<p>We did tell them the higher amount he got from peer schools, which we think is what lead them to increase the merit to 20k the 1st time. He got $27,000 from a peer school that we were hoping they would match, but ‘only’ gave him the 20k.</p>
<p>If you truly can’t afford the school without another $10,000, then I don’t see what the harm is in asking for a review and telling them exactly what you need to make it possible. If they say no, you’ll likely never have any further dealings with them. If they say yes, then your son can attend and no one is going to hold against him the fact that you asked for two reviews of his merit award. I wouldn’t be optimistic, but if you don’t ask, he can’t attend anyway, right?</p>
<p>We did tell them the higher amount he got from peer schools, which we think is what lead them to increase the merit to 20k the 1st time. He got $27,000 from a peer school that we were hoping they would match, but ‘only’ gave him the 20k.</p>
<p>Ahh…that explains the earlier increase. I didn’t think the increase was due to an award. </p>
<p>there’s no harm in asking since you can’t afford the school otherwise.</p>
<p>Does your son not want to go to the peer school?</p>
<p>He really doesn’t want to go to the peer school (that gave the higher merit) as it is out of state and would be a lot more time/expense to get to and fro. </p>
<p>I guess there is no harm in asking. I just feel greedy by keep going back to the well. All they can say is no, and then at least we’d feel we tried out best.</p>