Okay, hello again everyone! So now I’m back with actual information as opposed to hypothetical info. Harvard has my parent contribution at $0, Stanford has it at $9000. 1) If I show Stanford my Harvard letter are they likely to match? 2) What exactly is the process of appealing an aid award?
@go4Cornell: Call the Stanford Admissions Financial Aid Office and say the following “My first choice school is Stanford and I’m thrilled to be admitted, but I was accepted to Harvard with a parent contribution of $0.00. In light of Harvard’s offer, would Stanford be willing to reevaluate the parent contribution of my financial aid package?” Be prepared to Fax Harvard’s financial aid letter to the Stanford Financial Aid Officer you speak with. Stanford may, or may not, reevaluate your aid – it’s kind of their option based upon how much they want you. If Stanford DOES come back and match Harvard’s offer, you MUST ask for a "SIDE LETTER’ stating that if your family’s income remains the same, Stanford will agree to provide the same percentage of aid as you are now receiving your freshman year for your sophomore, junior and senior years. Without that side letter, a college is free to give you the same amount of aid for your upperclass years as they originally did for your freshman year. Some colleges will provide a side letter and some will not. If Stanford is unwilling to provide a side letter, your parents should expect to pay an extra $9k per for your upperclass years if you attend Stanford.
Side note – out of HYPSM, DS got the most aid from Harvard, but all were roughly in the same ballpark.
@gibby I got Stanford’s revised offer yesterday. So now I need to message Stanford’s financial aid office again and ask for a letter asking them to, keep the expected contribution at a level which is at least the same percentage of the cost of attendance for the next 4 years as it is today, correct?
^^ Do NOT message Stanford, or email them. Pick up the phone and speak directly to an Admissions Director, and in your sincerest voice, ask if they would provide you with a “side letter” stating that if your family’s income remains the same, Stanford will offer you the same percentage of financial aid in your sophomore, junior and senior years, as you are now getting in your freshman year.