<p>rmldad - in most cases those endowments are used to pay the tuition for students who have financial need. It is precisely because they don’t give out merit awards that they have more money available for those students with high need. If you have EFC of $0, and get into Harvard, you don’t have to turn the offer down, because they have that endowment to cover your costs.</p>
<p>As for the article, any student can try to negotiate, they just have to note their position in the negotiation. With the handbag, if they only made 50, and you are asking for a discount, the salesman is going to consider whether there might be somebody else willing to pay full price. If so, he won’t offer you that discount. If they made 5 million, and the’re not selling, you’ll get your discount. </p>
<p>Colleges are the same way. You want a better aid package - how much does the college want you? What do you have to offer that they can’t get anywhere else? It may be something you offer right now, as in the case of a star athlete, or an oboist when the current one is graduating; or it may be your potential to offer something in the future.</p>