I got accepted to psu main but it’s currently unaffordable. Does anyone know if using academic scholarships from other schools as leverage works with the FA department? I’m in state and have a efc of about 3k
PSU doesn’t negotiate or leverage. It is unfortunately unaffordable for many students they admit. 
You CAN show them any FA package from Temple and Pitt, as those might be considered peers, highlighting PSU is your top choice and your EFC is 3K. Have they packaged PHEAA grants already?
I am reading many comments from those that can’t go even with 4K provost scholarships. If these students choose not to attend, do these scholarships go to others? Or back in Penn State’s pocket?
I ask because my D did not get one and the school is a great contender for her. That 4K would make all the difference. Her stats are higher than a few that I’ve read who have received them, and while there are no sour grapes here, it would be nice to know if it’s a possibility to get one after others have turned them down. We are in state and very low EFC. Her package has an “academic grant” of $1200 but no explanation of what that is. It might be the Engineering scholarship she applied for but we didn’t receive any notice that she was awarded that.
@MYOS1634 can you shed any light on these questions? You seem to know how it all works.
@PruPru25, the Penn St. academic grant is awarded to students with demonstrated high financial need.
More information: https://studentaid.psu.edu/types-of-aid/grants/from-penn-state.
I, too, wondered what happens to scholarship funds of those who decline admissions to any school. If I find anything, I will pass it on.
@dygibbs thank you very much for the link! I think I will simply call and ask, lol. I will report back if I learn anything.
Likewise, she has received a couple of generous provost awards and scholarships from other schools and if we turn those down, I would hope another deserving student gets them.
As far as I know, they award More than they have, knowing several students won’t be able to accept admission.
We have twins and loved Penn State, one of our first visits before HS junior year. OOS, not affordable and I feel partially to blame (thought I read OOS high achievers got $$?). I said WE ARE - not coming. Loved the tour, campus, school spirit but too expensive. Grateful they have 3-4 strong choices!
@3sonsmom I hear you, wish we could send them though, I am glad they have more choices. My son’s 1st choice is Penn State, but looks like he got more money from his second choice, and much more from his third choice, so now we just have to put it together and let him decide.
@MYOS1634 we just got back from Accepted Students Day at PSU. It was our first visit and as a result is now my son’s top choice. However, he received more financial aid from Temple. Should I have him write an email stating that Penn State is his first choice and ask about more FA. Should he include a copy of his award letter from Temple? I’m not sure what to do.
You can but it’s not likely to have any effect. They have so many admits that if one doesn’t come they’re ok with it, basically.
Look at the financial aid awards: if the aid is based on need and thus on a middle class income as per EFC, they may have to look at their grants, but if it’s merit then nothing can be expected - temple is much lower ranked than Penn State and it entices strong students with merit aid. Being top 5-10% at Temple doesn’t make one top 5-10% at Penn State - merit aid is institution dependent. You might get something is if he got into Schreyer orbis a Millenium scholar AND you are Middle Class with insufficient need based aid, and even that may not move the needle.
Do not ‘negotiate’. Look at your award, target the need based aid, list expenses that may not appear in FAFSA , and ask for professional judgement on that financial aid award due to financial circumstances not apparent when you filled out FAFSA.
But be very realistic: odds of this succeeding in any sort of extra award, let alone in making Penn State affordable, are tiny.
Go visit temple again, plan for him to attend classes, if he got into honors there plan to have him to an overnight in the honors dorm and have an honors tour, etc. Try to get excited about it, or about other acceptances.
It would be need-based aid. I guess it’s worth a shot. Worse thing they can say is no. He loved Temple as well but we live in Philly so he wanted to “go away” to school. Thanks for the insight. It was very helpful.