Asking for more scholarship money

I didn’t want to hijack the other thread so I thought I would start my own. My son got about 9k/yr at one school and nothing at the school he really wants to go to. They are both equal schools in the southeast - large publics. Any advice when I call would be helpful. Thanks - if specific school info is necessary for appropriate advice - please let me know.

Are they large publics in your home state? And in the same state? Otherwise, I’m not sure the schools will care. public universities have a primary mission to provide schooling and aid to their instate students. With the exceptions of UVA and UNC-CH, they do not guarantee to meet full need for all accepted students.

Is this merit aid or need based aid…and what was the award?

If the $9000 came from your home state, and the $0 came from another state…might not matter.

If the $9000 came as merit from a less competitive school in the same state…might not matter.

It’s not unusual to get varying amounts of aid. As thumper1 said, if you are OOS, the school probably doesn’t care if you got something from another institution.

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My son got about 9k/yr at one school and nothing at the school he really wants to go to. They are both equal schools in the southeast - large publics.


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??

Sounds like you’re not asking for “more scholarship money”. It sounds like you’re asking for SOME scholarship money since none was given.

For us to help you come up with a sound appeal that will likely work, tell us:

son’s stats
son’s home state
the name of the schools
major and career goal

HOW MUCH merit is needed to make the school affordable???

minority? or other hook?

is Auburn the school that gave no merit?? I think it is. What is the other school? Bama? Another school?

Don’t look at the scholarship amount, look at the net cost of each school. If the school that gave you $9K yields a lower net cost, I would build a case around that to the other school.

If the school that didn’t give a scholarship still yields a lower net cost, I don’t know what to tell you.

That’s a good strategy adkdad. Yes there is a significant difference between the two net costs because of the scholarship.

@mom2collegekids - the scholarship came from South Carolina and the other school is Auburn. And we live in Ohio. Not sure why the stats are important. His ACT is a 28 and his GPA is a 4.0 weighted probably about a 3.7 unweighted. He was at the lower end of the range for both of the “lowest merit scholarships” for out of state students - got it at USC and didn’t at Auburn. He will be in the business school. Honestly we have saved wisely so we can afford either school but I am one that always feels “can’t hurt to ask”.

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Not sure why the stats are important. His ACT is a 28 and his GPA is a 4.0


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?? You’re not sure why stats are important? Well, you’re asking for merit. Merit is based on stats. That’s why they’re very important.


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He was at the lower end of the range for both of the "lowest merit scholarships" for out of state student <<<

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If an ACT 28 is within the range of one of Auburn’s merit awards, then certainly call and ask why he wasn’t awarded that award. Auburn’s awards are pretty much automatic.

Your other child is at South Carolina…wouldn’t it be easier to keep them at the same school?

edited to add…your son’s stats are not within the range of the lowest Auburn award. An ACT 29 is needed.

Charter Scholarship
Requires a 29-30 ACT or 1290-1350 SAT score and a minimum 3.5 high school GPA for consideration.
Awarded at $24,000 over four years ($6,000 per year).

So, that’s why he wasn’t offered anything. That said, you could contact Auburn and mention what he got at USoCarolina and see if they’ll do anything.

The problem is that at Auburn, an ACT 28 doesn’t do much for them. It doesn’t help their top 25 percentile, which is what schools try to do. Schools like Auburn want more students with ACT 32+.

Thanks mom2collegekids. I knew you would have a response about the stats. I know for a fact that other students with a 28 have gotten that award so that is why I put that about stats. I am well aware that merit awards are mostly based on stats. We also know that stats change every year too. So I was just really looking for how to go about asking.

As far as keeping my kids at the same school. I understand that others make these decisions for their kids but we feel that each kid needs to make their own decision based on where they feel they will succeed. My daughter chose South Carolina and my son really wants to go to Auburn. And I know auburn just doesn’t give as much to out of state students ( my daughters stats were very high and she didn’t get near as much at Auburn).

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I know for a fact that other students with a 28 have gotten that award so that is why I put that about stats.


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Were those students instate? I think that there are certain GA students that are considered instate if they live close to the border.

If they were OOS, did they use the word Charter, or did they just say that they got a $6k per year award? Is it possible that they got a competitive award or dept award for a particular major that happens to be the same amount?

Are you certain that they didn’t retest? What is the latest test date Auburn accepts?

All you can do is politely ask. You can show them a copy of USoCar’s award and see if they’ll match or come close.

It could also depend on when they got the award - the requirements have gone up I think over the last year or two and yes In-State is a lower threshold.

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Absolutely. One can never compare awards of someone from a previous frosh class. Every spring/summer, schools announce what the “new” req’ts are.