<p>D1 got accepted into 6 schools all with a merit award. She still is waiting to the last minute to make that decision. This month she got letters from two schools increasing her merit award. We never asked for a reconsideration or gave any indication that an increase would sway a decision. We feel fortunate to have gotten these increases, but have to wonder if waiting until the May 1st deadline actually helped as other students may have declined their awards. Wondering if others have experienced this as this is our first time through the process? Does it make sense to wait until the deadline next year with D2?</p>
<p>Happened to my d as well. 4th kids and 4th time through.</p>
<p>She got into 5 schools, 4 merit awards (one is a state school that doesn't give them)
She was dragging her heels and I just want to get this done so I sent off postcards to two schools with the "I will not enroll" box checked.
One school came back with a $4000 increase. Nearly 50% of her award.
This school is now as "affordable" as her #1 school.
She wants to call #1 and see if they will give her more money. Haven't sent the deposit yet.
I guess playing "hard to get" works sometimes?</p>
<p>Clearly the two schools that increased your D1's merit awards are offering additional enticements, and they see her as someone they want.</p>
<p>These increases can happen if a student is a top level applicant, or has a special talent that would make them a potential asset. </p>
<p>It's possible that the increase may have been the schools' response to the recent trend among well endowed institutions to offer a bigger or different type of carrot.</p>
<p>Without knowing the schools, it can be hard to tell exactly why.</p>
<p>As for your D2, a lot will depend on her choices, admissions, talents as to if waiting (till May 1) helps or not in increasing any merit offers without specifically asking for more.</p>
<p>Be thankful, but don't expect the same results, as there are far too many variables at work.</p>
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These increases can happen if a student is a top level applicant, or has a special talent that would make them a potential asset.
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<p>my daughter is neither. didn't qualify for honor's.
She is a nursing major. The school that offered the increase has an excellent nursing program - so we are clueless. It is a private Catholic univeristy - not especially selective.</p>
<p>JustAMomOf4, You are in a very good situation, and I would absolutely contact your DD's #1 school to let them know that you are considering other schools because of merit aid issues. The way to do this is to call the school's financial aid office to ask them how one goes about filing an appeal on an award, which usually entails writing a letter or filling out a form. In the letter/form mention that your DD has received additional merit aid from competing schools (you can even send them a copy of the additional award letters). Ask them, kindly, if they can review the offer that they made and increase her award - be sure to mention something about your situation (e.g. you have other children that you are going to be going to college, you are earning less this year than last year, etc.). </p>
<p>Do not be bashful with her #1 school. Financial Aid Offices receive this type of appeal often. Good luck and congratulations to you and your DD on her 6 acceptances.</p>
<p>i think it is well worth the effort. I spoke with the dean of admissions of one school daughter is seriously considering. I explained our situation, OOS, other offers, trying to make it as affordable as possible. We got more money also. More than I expected.</p>
<p>MSMDAD, mixing merit and FA I felt hurt my child at one school. My son had a 13k scholarship and admission to the honor's program at a school with a lower sticker price (2 years ago), than a school that offered a 7k scholarship with W/S and a subsidized Stafford (higher sticker price here). We sent a copy of the other award to the this school's FA department. They ended up increasing merit aid to 10k, but changed the gpa to keep that award from 2.8 to 3.0. They took away the subsidized Stafford and took away w/s. There was no discussion. They sent the change in the award by mail. Oh, both schools were equal in terms of academics. I think that I actually prefered the initial award, but neither was enough to entice us into sending our then there. He ended up not going to either of these schools. If the offer had been better after the appeal, he might have attended.</p>
<p>Don't many schools have certain caps and names for merit awards? And if you receive the highest merit aid cap for that school, is it possible to negotiate for more merit aid? Like if one school's highest merit aid is 16000 and a student got that, but needed more for tuition,etc after fin aid, could the student negotiate for more? Most of the schools like put on their website you can't combine 2/more merit scholarships u qualify for, you will receive only one which is highest tht is being awarded to u.</p>
<p>Okay - this the the deal in a nutshell - </p>
<p>BTW - yes - I will have 3 in college next year, each kids efc is just over $5000. both of these schools are fafsa schools.</p>
<p>School #1 - Tuition 17,944 Merit scholarship $9000, Grant $7070</p>
<p>S#2 (with the increase) - Tuition $23950, Merit - $12500, Grant $4000(school), 2500 (state)</p>
<p>Both schools have her with $3500 Stafford loans but school #2 also gave her a $1500 "Nursing loan" - no perkins loans at all.</p>
<p>The other 3 schools are out of the picture - two are state school that are more expensive - net cost, the other is a OOS flagship that she has decided is not for her. the 6th school she is actually on the waiting list.</p>
<p>She suggested making the call. I told her to go ahead but perhaps it will mean more if I do it? I really want my kids to be assertive here and learn how to do this stuff but......</p>
<p>BTW - the letter with the increased scholarship - came addressed to "parents of" but the letter was addressed to her and marked "Confidential". weird. they clearly wanted the parents to get this.</p>
<p>It's nice to have schools throwing money at you, but it is the exception and not the rule. When DS asked for further consideration for a merit increase on the basis of very strong senior grades with 6 AP & DE classes - he received the merit award prior to semester grades being available - the school not only balked and gave lame excuses, they acted with indifference to him even attending. Their official response was in a curt email 3 weeks before the May 1 deadline, more than enough time for the merit aid picture to change at the school. I'm wondering if they want him to turn them down so they can recoup the merit aid they have already awarded him.</p>
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It's nice to have schools throwing money at you, but it is the exception and not the rule.
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Yes, our experience supports that assertion. D was accepted at a good private school that is one of her top choices, with a small merit award. She did get some larger awards from schools that are normally considered "competitors" --- it feels like 25% of the matriculants to one rejected the other. We wrote asking for an explanation and asking for further consideration. Just today we got a letter saying "no dice". </p>
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I'm wondering if they want him to turn them down so they can recoup the merit aid they have already awarded him.
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It is easy to feel bitter, but instead you should feel good. They did give your son merit money, which means that they consider him one of their desirable applicants. However, the lack of willingness to budge probably means that he is around the 25th percentile of their distribution --- good enough to want him there, but not remarkable enough to engage in a "bidding war". Take the compliment and run with it, it was worth a try but remember that the FA office has to worry about the class as whole, and your S just did not happen to be in a position to make a difference. I am sure that there are other schools that would want him more, and be happy to comply with your request. One of D's safeties threw quite a bit of money at her, to the point of making it comparable to our in-state flagship.</p>
<p>my s awarded highest merit award 25K at one school and then full ride at another--on par school (top lac)--having heard others spk of schools asking to see the student's competing awards- I contacted them and politely presented the situation -this school however said they don't even look at competing offers. not their approach. oh well...</p>