Successful Merit Scholarship Appeals: Schools, Results, and Advice

Please post your successful appeals with the school and the $$ increase. Also, if there is any advice for students looking to appeal other than sending a letter to admissions or financial aid. Maybe there are some lesser known strategies out there. I’m also curious if someone’s first appeal isn’t successful if a second appeal closer to the deadline has worked.

I wouldn’t keep appealing unless circumstances have significantly changed.

I was just curious because schools would have a really good idea what their enrollment is and how many more quality students they need to hit their mark. Schools should also know approx. how much money is left to give out after other students have declined their offers. They may be inclined to give out something to fill their freshman class.

@user_727345

Most colleges offer their merit aid based on certain stats criteria. In addition, they have years of “yield” to look at and offer to more students than will typically accept the offers.

So, there isn’t “leftover” merit money at most places. And if you don’t meet their stats cutoff for merit awards, they aren’t going to throw extra money at you even IF there is extra money.

In addition, some colleges and programs do not get any leftover money to award later even IF there is leftover money. The college retains this money.

Sure, you can inquire…but really getting info about anyone else’s successes or not…won’t help you even if you have exactly the same stats, and the same college in question.

I appealed for increase in a merit at one school and received 5k more…(not enough to make it affordable)

I’m in midst of appealing aid/ merit at another school

Thumper: There are several examples on CC where people were offered more money without even asking. I also know of a school that does this as it gets closer to the deadline. I know any posts here are not going to help my case, I’m just curious to see how successful people have been. Also, looking at it like a business, if a college needed more students to enroll, it would make sense to increase in my opinion. If an extra $3000(just an example) makes a student enroll at $28000 per year instead of $31000, the school still makes a huge profit over the 4 years.

Most schools (at least the better ones) aren’t in it for a profit. The business model of a credible institute of higher education is not the same as that of your local car dealership.

Maybe profit was the wrong word but it’s more money in the school’s account to reinvest in the school and students.