Would the best route be to send a letter or call? If so, who exactly do I call/ write to?
Thanks so much!
What is your basis for getting more merit aid? Did you retake the ACT or SAT and get higher scores? Will your January grades increase your GPA a lot?
Merit aid is usually awarded by the admissions department. If you have additional information you want them to consider, contact admissions and inquire about asking for increased merit aid. I suppose nothing ventured, nothing gained…but schools generally have criteria for the awarding of merit aid.
As mentioned above, you’ll need the leverage of a better GPA or particularly, test scores, to really have a good shot. “I want more money” is not typically a successful argument. Many merit awards are awarded automatically or in large part due to pre-set GPA and test score ranges. So unless you’ve moved ranges, or the school awards scholarships very subjectively…
This is a good topic, not just for Tulane. Do they ever adjust the merit award if their application numbers aren’t as high as they predicted? In some cases may they want to entice students to attend?
Merit aid is pretty straight forward, you either have the numbers or you don’t have the numbers.
It has nothing to do with application numbers because every school receives more applications than students they can admit.
Enrollment management people know that they need to admit X number of people in order to obtain a yield of Y. May 1 commitment date that everyone needs to commit to a school.
After May 1 they do not get meet their yield, they don’t increase the scholarship for someone who does not have the numbers and has already committed, the school goes to the waitlist and there are schools listed on NACAC that will let you know schools that still have available seats.
From what I have read here on CC, it is too soon for this.
Very few schools have released admissions decisions and merit awards at this point. Some may give financial aid as well.
Once you have several complete FA award packages to comparable schools, and you feel you might need a bit more money to afford Tulane, if that’s where you decide to go, you can contact them at that point and see if they would be able to increase your aid, but with the understanding that if they do, you will enroll.
Like others said, if you have updated academic criteria now, you might be able to see if they would consider it, and reevaluate you merit award.
But remember…if you are asking for a reconsideration based on another offer…that other offer needs to be from a comparable school. Tulane won’t care about aid you got from your local public university.
I’ve not heard success stories about increased merit without something to,support that (grades, scores, achievements). But like I said…nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Think from Tulane’s standpoint.
- Why should we give this kid more money?
- How much more does he/she want?
- How do we know he / she will even attend if we offer more money?
- Is he / she also negotiating with other schools?
If a school gives more merit aid just because you ask for it, chances are that the school has shrinking enrolment and are desperate to get good students enrolled. That is not the case with Tulane or any top 50 school.