<p>My parents seem to think scholarships and aid are negotiable, like you can say "I got more money from this school so you need to give me more." I feel like this is kind of a ridiculous idea, like this isn't a garage sale you can't haggle. Anyone have any other ideas on this situation? Basically I got 6k yearly to UCSB and my parents want me to somehow "ask" UCLA for money. help?</p>
<p>Try asking a different question. Sure, you can ask. A better question might be: How likely is your request to be successful? You’d be surprised how often schools come up with more money, at least at certain private schools. You increase your chances if you have some new information for the schools to consider (large medical expenses not covered by insurance, for instance). </p>
<p>You, however, are asking about public universities. They have far less wiggle room to increase offers and many, many more students who ask. Someone who knows the California systems will have to weigh in on that part. </p>
<p>Was the the 6k a merit award? If so, then likely UCLA wont care because it is a much higher ranked school. SB probably gave you the money to entice you away from a higher ranked school.</p>
<p>If the money was need-based, then perhaps UCLA can give you the same.</p>
<p>If a school really wants you and you tell them that another school has offered you so and so amount, they may have some wiggle room to offer you more. I just called Ohio State asking if they could offer me more grants or perhaps institutional aid and he said that they have given out all their grant and scholarship money to other incoming and current students already. He did say that if some scholarship money comes up because students decided not to go to OSU anymore, then they will review other scholarship applications. </p>
<p>I am currently having a hard time as well figuring all this out. What I suggest is, yes, call them and tell them how much you received and say something like “I noticed I received so and so amount. I was wondering if there were any other opportunities (work-study, grants, scholarship apps).” Do you have a job currently? Save up. Don’t spend anything. Can your parents support you at all? Will you be living on campus? Off campus? Sometimes if you volunteer to help out at the dorms or arrange dorm events you can get help paying for dorms. If you’re living off campus in your own apartment, you’re going to have to live frugally. Spend money only on things you need. </p>
<p>I’m almost in the same boat as you. I don’t know UCSB’s tuition, but tuition at OSU is not that much: $10,000 and I only received federal aid, no institutional aid. What my friend suggested was that I borrow money from a relative. If you have any close relatives you could borrow at least SOME money from, I would suggest that. Also, you said you recieve 6k a year… Is that from the school? Or from the government (loans, pell grant)? </p>
<p>Having to figure all this out really sucks and it can be really hard, but whatever you do don’t take out too many loans. You don’t want to be in too much debt when you graduate. I almost made the mistake of going to a school that was WAY out of my price range and would’ve drowned in debt.</p>
<p>Yeah my UCSB scholarship was on merit, not need based. I didn’t get any need based aid other than loans, because we’re pretty high income, but 30k a year is still a major chunk of it. So I’m assuming the aid situation is helpless? </p>
<p>If you tried calling them and they’ve exhausted their budget to give out, then they can’t help you anymore. Also, the school can’t control how much money the government gives you so you can’t ask them for more pell grant or federal loans. If you called them and they have no other scholarship apps for you to fill out then I would start looking at external scholarships. If you go to fastweb.com you can be matched up to a lot of scholarships. Some you may not be eligible for, but some of them are really easy and they all range from small amounts to large amounts. </p>