<p>So my son has received wonderful merit scholarships from fine private schools which make them cheaper than UIUC, yet he likes UIUC better. He's received merit from other OOS public schools to reduce the tuition to in-state rates. </p>
<p>Is there any way to negotiate SOME aid or reduction from the OOS tuition? If we go to the school with his merit offers, will they care? I know I've heard you can do this when you are admitted to a couple private schools, but I haven't heard anything like this for a public school.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, UIUC is very stingy with merit aid. Their Campus Honors Program offers scholarships for the OOS portion of tuition, but I think their deadline has already passed. You could try telling them about other merit offers, but I wouldn't count on it making any difference. Public schools simply have too many students to be able to make individual decisions on financial aid.</p>
<p>If your son can get residency status somehow, even within a year, that would help. The problem he will have to earn $8-$10K per year in wages, unless one parent actually moves to ILL</p>
<p>So we have 'im_blue' and 'bummer163146' on this thread...happy thread!</p>
<p>He doesn't qualify for the honors program, his SAT was 1430 and I think they require a 1450. I'll have to explore residency, but I'm sure they make that difficult. Too bad we can't trade 'in-state tuition' with someone in IL that wants to go to Penn State.</p>