<p>My daughter sent an email to the head of admissions at her first choice school saying that she received merit aid at a competitor/peer college and could her first choice college do anything to help her financially. She attached a copy of her merit aid letter from the other college. This occurred on Wednesday. When should she call to make sure that they received the email, it was read, and when would she receive a response?</p>
<p>It's getting awfully close to May 1.</p>
<p>First of all are both schools schools that give merit aid?</p>
<p>If she is looking to compare a package at a school that gives aid based on merit vs a school that only gives need based FA? Her sending a merit offer to a school that only gives aid based on demonstrated need is not going to help her cause because the school that gives only demonstrated need will not consider merit money from another school.</p>
<p>She will have to compare like for like packages. Merit at a merit school, need based aid at a need based school.</p>
<p>Another thing the 2 of you will have to consider is are the conditions for merit the same at both schools. If the school that gave a more merit moeny based on a lower threshold in terms of GPA/SAT scores, then she stand chance of getting an increase. If it is the other way around, then it will be unlikely.</p>
<p>Overall there are so many variables to consider with the kicker being what consitutes a peer/ comprable school?</p>
<p>The schools are quite comparable. They consider each other peer institutions. Both give merit aid. One gave her a nice package, the other didn't give her anything. Of course, she prefers the school that didn't give her anything. The first merit package is a 4 year package with a minimum GPA threshold. It includes tuition assistance and living assistance. </p>
<p>We do not qualify for need based aid according to the screwy FAFSA.</p>
<p>I believe she has a shot at getting some aid from the preferred school. But when should she follow up with a phone call? I don't want her to be a pest but the drop dead date is looming.</p>
<p>Give them a week. That should give each of you enough time.</p>
<p>Did the school "A", that gave her nothing, state the criteria in place that would make a student eligible for merit aid? How does this school award merit money?</p>
<p>Did school B have a criteria in stating that merit is based on 1,2,3? It is apparent that she met the criteria (or she would not have gotten the aid) but it can be hard when some schools (Like school A ) does not have a clear cut criteria in place.</p>
<p>School A awards aid based on a separate High School Counselor driven application. DD counselor did not nominate her as the application was due in November and my daughter didn't really have this school on her radar at that time. School B gives merit aid based on GPA and SAT scores. DD received 1/2 tuition.</p>
<p>School A's FA advisor said to a fellow parent at the Open House that if his DD received merit aid somewhere else to send the letter to them, that maybe they would then reconsider aid for his DD. Since my daughter did get such aid, I thought she should forward the letter to School A.</p>
<p>I am told School A is competitive with its peer institutions (but only a rumor).</p>