<p>I have been admitted to several colleges (which I'm very happy about) My family needs a lot of money but has some special circumstances, parents divorced, my mum is severely handicapped, I live in the Netherlands etc. </p>
<p>I have received a very good fin aid offer from Princeton, a lot better than form other colleges. However Yale is my first choice and I haven't received the offer from Yale yet because they missed some forms, which I am faxing tonight. </p>
<p>I spoke to an admission officer at Yale and she advised me to include the Princeton offer right a way, when I fax the other forms but I was thinking that I should maybe keep it to negotiate, because I don't expect Yale to offer the same amount as Princeton!</p>
<p>So what do you think, should I include the Princeton offer right now, or use is to negotiate later???</p>
<p>Seems like a no-brainer. You've got a good finaid offer from Princeton, but Yale is your first choice. And Yale is ASKING you to submit your Princeton offer to them. Seems like NOW is the time to give them your Princeton offer, making clear that Yale is your first choice, and why.</p>
<p>Send the Princeton offer. THIS is the negotiation time. Later may very well be too late.</p>
<p>Be sure to include a letter with the information indicating that Yale is your first choice, but that you need good financial aid in order to be able to afford it. (You may briefly remind them of your circumstances.)</p>
<p>One more time: send the Princeton offer in now. </p>
<p>If you hold it back, after they asked for it, they may think it is not very good and you were overstating it, then never get back to even close to matching it. You only get so much of their attention span, but you don't know how much that is. </p>
<p>You have everything to lose, they have nothing to lose, so don't take any unnecessary risk trying to eke out a last shred of advantage.</p>