<p>Does anybody have any experience with asking the rice fa office to match scholarships from peer institutions? Are they usually responsive?</p>
<p>They will review your file and consider it from what I have heard. I did the exact opposite, using Rice’s offer with other schools. The worst they can say is no leaving you with what you had in the first place.</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>I had a similar experience with Rice and Vanderbilt last year. Rice upped my package significantly, and it came very close to what I saw with Vandy. Just have good reasoning, be nice, and submit a reasonable request. They’ll review your file.</p>
<p>Back in 2009, son was offered the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship for Engineering which was full tuition + fees + computer costs + money for National Merit. He had his heart set on Rice which offered around $21Kper year in 2 merit scholarships (Trustee and Engineering). We tried in earnest to leverage the Vandy offer against Rice but they wouldn’t budge. </p>
<p>We didn’t qualify for any need-based aid based solely on the prior year (EFC 32K against COA-merit offer), even though we explained and offered to show past years’ significantly lower income. Given the economy then and another kid facing college 2 years later, we were terrified to think about major loans for four years and all the “What ifs?”. </p>
<p>Maybe the endowment picture is a little rosier for Rice now and they can work with you. I am so glad they worked with the previous poster. </p>
<p>Just an FYI… son ended up choosing state flagship over Vandy (as generous as they were, it wasn’t the right fit). He is thriving scholastically and socially and I am a convert into the mindset of kids can blossom where planted! CMU is a fabulous school. Son has friends there from high school who absolutely love it.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>OP - Any luck with getting a new offer?</p>
<p>Haven’t heard back yet.</p>
<p>What is the best way to go about doing this? Their financial aid dept is not very responsive?
Thanks</p>
<p>Just wanted to say that my mother spoke with someone from Rice today while I was at school. They waived my deposit fee and increased my aid package from around $39k/year to $51k/year (full cost), with about $6k from work study or student loans. They also said their policy for NMF scholarships has recently changed, and if you get a NM scholarship it will go towards work-study, etc before tuition grants.</p>
<p>This just beat out my offer from Vanderbilt, so I’m definitely going to Rice next year. :D</p>
<p>So yeah, they will definitely work with you on this, assuming you are not just asking for more merit aid.</p>
<p>Congratulations FallenAngel! Did you just have to call them? And what other information did they ask for?</p>
<p>Post back for everyone else who is in this situation.</p>
<p>We called a couple weeks ago and they were busy, but they said they’d get back to us in 48 hours. When they hadn’t done that we emailed them and after a few days they responded, asking us to schedule a time to call. I wouldn’t have had a chance to call myself and my mother knows our financial situation better anyways, so I let her carry it on from there.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what all they asked for, though I know they referred to FAFSA and things. I think my mother just explained our unusual circumstances (divorce, but much more confusing than that) and worked it out from there. My advice would be to just explain your situation and why you are making a request for more aid, and if they understand your viewpoint (ex. you aren’t just trying to get them to match the merit aid you got from, say, Emory) they will be more than generous with any amendments to your package. Sorry I can’t help any more than that.</p>
<p>Good luck to any others who need to make a call, and I hope to see you in the fall!</p>
<p>^this helped, thanks FallenAngel… My mom’s been planning to call all week but she just started a new job so she hasnt had time. i got full-tuition at Vandy but under 11k from Rice, with neither offering merit scholarships, so it was kinda weird. If i get something simlar to Vandy’s offer, then I’ll be an Owl this time next year. If not, then I guess I’ll be a 'Dore (or whatever WashU’s mascot is… a bear? they’re not very big on sports there anyway).</p>
<p>Interesting that Vandy gave you full financial aid but Rice did not. Good luck and hopefully they will increase it!</p>