<p>I absolutely love WashU and if finances were not an issue I'd commit. However, I received a significantly better financial aid package from a peer institution. I'm wondering if it's possible to try and negotiate for an improved financial aid package. And if so, is it a good idea to present the WashU FA department with the peer institution's financial aid package?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Depends on if WashU considers it a “peer” institution.</p>
<p>It’s another university in the top 20 of the USN rankings.</p>
<p>It sure can’t hurt to try. I tried and got shot down but certainly give it a shot, what do you have to lose by asking?</p>
<p>I wouldn’t hold my breath though…as you can see from other posts, there are plenty of kids waiting to get in to this school off the waitlist and they don’t have to give money out, people are willing to pay, least that is my impression. I tried to negotiate even a little bit of aid and they stuck to their plan. They offered all kinds of help getting loans and 5 different ways to finance and pay but no grant aid. They may operate differently if they have some financial aid assigned to a student and he/she just asks for a bit more aid but my S got 0 aid and they said sorry. 52,000 + or whatever it is now is a tough one to swallow. I always thought. no one pays list price for a car but that logic doesn’t apply here. Thanks for listening and Good luck! Let us know how it goes.</p>
<p>Too wide of a range to give you a good reading as to potential reaction. The closer to #20 - the less the chance. But then again - no harm in giving it a shot. Just before you do, have your reasons well thought out and go in with a positive attitude. Convince the people at FA that WashU is your #1 choice, but the financial differential makes it very difficult. Don’t go in with a “I deserve or am entitled attitude” use more of a "I would love to be at WashU and I will make the campus better Because of ______ (fill in the blank). Don’t try to “wing it” - be prepared and non demanding and you may receive a pleasant surprise.</p>
<p>Would Case Western be considered a “peer” institution? While there’s quite a gap between the two in national ranking, the two are tied at the engineering level. </p>
<p>Case is giving a super sweet amount to attend, but I would much rather go to Wash U…</p>
<p>It wouldn’t hurt to try. They have heard all the reasons before. I don’t think it really matters, they have others waiting to go to WashU, and they know it. They are lined up and waiting & they don’t have to give aid out to fill a spot. I had the state school comparision with generous aid to compare to but it seemed to make no difference to the aid person. They had looked at our income and assets and it was an easy decision for them to just said no.</p>
<p>Sorry. maybe others have a better ending to this story but in my case is was take it or leave it, this is the price and they were very matter of fact.</p>
<p>I agree that it’s worth a try. Each family has unique circumstances, so who knows? But our experience has been similar to slamjammer’s. The fin aid person promptly returned our call and was polite but very, very matter of fact about the situation. We listed the scholarships that S had been offered at four other schools (@default100, Case was one of them), as well as acceptances at schools that we considered peers of WashU where attendance would be significantly less expensive even without any financial aid. We also described personal circumstances that we felt hadn’t been captured on the FAFSA and/or CSS Profile application. By then, the conversation had really become more of a monologue on my part, so I politely thanked him for his time and proceeded to make travel arrangements to visit some of these other schools…</p>
<p>Best of luck to anyone else who is in this situation.</p>
<p>Update:</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I had a similar experience to slamjammer. They absolutely wouldn’t budge, so it looks like I won’t be able to go to Wash U. It’s disappointing, but life’s full of ups and downs, I guess. Looks like I’m going to have to make a tough decision between Tulane, Emory, Wake Forest, and McGill.</p>
<p>Waltz - what was it abut WUSTL that made you want it so badly? In other words, can you identify the one aspect of the school that made you want it most? Knowing that might help you decide which of the others makes the most sense.</p>
<p>I’m gonna try on Monday, but looks like there isn’t much hope me.</p>
<p>Yes! I was in a unique situation for financial aid, and the financial aid committee requested an explanatory email from my parent, and a day later they augmented my scholarship! It really is worth a try. Good luck!</p>
<p>The Washu financial aid people are super nice and very flexible. Talk to them, tell them the other offer you received and let them know you need help. Because of the recession it may be more difficult for them to help, but normally they bend over backwards to help.</p>
<p>My Dad told me the FA office did offer to look at awards from peer schools and perhaps adjust their offer. But I told him to forget it, I think I’m about to send a decline letter :(</p>
<p>I had the same experience as slamjammer, Tomismom & waltz… they weren’t rude at all, but they really won’t budge on the FA package. They did give the options of different loans & plans and whatnot. I feel like they don’t really want me there; they’re not going to fight for me to come because they can easily admit W/L kids who are willing to pay full sticker price. They’re paying for my trip, but after that, it’s goodbye Wash U.</p>
<p>If y’all look on the financial options book that came with the acceptance package, they estimated that the COA would be around $61,000 by 2014. Craaaaaazy!</p>
<p>If you borrow the money to attend Wash U from them directly, they will freeze the tuition and room & board costs at the freshman year level. There’s no penalty for repayment, either, so you could just pay it off if you don’t need to pay the loan over 10 years.</p>
<p>^ Why do all that? What about grad school? The reality is that schools like WashU are effectively shutting out the middle class. The EFC’s are outrageous. Unless you are RICH or your family is POOR, … WashU is NOT for you … Go to State, forget the debt …</p>
<p>Why do you think that you/anybody are entitled to an expensive private education? Why isn’t everyone entitled to a mercedes, or a BMW? A Honda will get you from point A to point B all the same, maybe without the cushy and flashy frills. Frankly I think that this country has gotten too attached to these entitlements. You are lucky to even get any money.</p>
<p>Agreed. I fell in love with WUSTL after my visit, but it’s not financially feasible. If my family was rich they would be able to simply shell out the 50k per year and I wouldn’t have a problem. If we were poor, I’d be able to go thanks to FA grants.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the middle class is sandwiched between both extremes.</p>
<p>Its not worth it to bury yourself in debt just to pay for undergrad when the graduate degree is what matters to employers.</p>
<p>Would trying to use a large merit scholarship at Brandeis for a small additional merit scholarship to supplement my financial aid be a feasible idea? Wash U did award me some money and said they may able to give me some more later in the month, but is using merit aid from a school such as Brandeis a good idea?</p>