Negotiating for funding when you weren't offered any

[Nico Corr]

I recently got accepted to George Mason Schar, American and GW Elliott. American offered me funding, but Mason and Elliott did not offer me any. I'd like to attend Elliott especially, but I can't go to Elliott sans funding. I read on a previous thread that in some instances, it is possible to negotiate with some admissions offices to get funding. Anyone here have experience with this sort of thing? How'd you go about doing it?

[alkalidz]

So generally schools don't accept appeals after the final response deadline is passed, meaning you will have to pay the deposit of schools you want to negotiate first. Those fee range from $500 to $1000 so it is quite a commitment. For appeals, you write a letter explaining the financial situation and attach offers from other schools (especially those that come with scholarship) to negotiate, stating that from all those offers you have, this school you are appealing to is the top choice. I have successfully appealed to Elliott last year who added on $12k scholarship, but was still not enough for me to attend, so I am applying again this year. Good luck!

Edited March 12, 2018 by alkalidz

[Nico Corr]

47 minutes ago, alkalidz said:

So generally schools don't accept appeals after the final response deadline is passed, meaning you will have to pay the deposit of schools you want to negotiate first. Those fee range from $500 to $1000 so it is quite a commitment. For appeals, you write a letter explaining the financial situation and attach offers from other schools (especially those that come with scholarship) to negotiate, stating that from all those offers you have, this school you are appealing to is the top choice. I have successfully appealed to Elliott last year who added on $12k scholarship, but was still not enough for me to attend, so I am applying again this year. Good luck!

Thanks alkalidz. I thought it was as simple as giving them a call and saying something along the lines of "I have in offer in hand with school X with funding, but you're my top choice, how can we make this work?" I myself am thinking of strengthening my CV and applying again next year as well. 

[billythekid72]

@Nico Corr how much did you receive from George Mason?  I would recommend sending the admissions office at American SIS and GW Elliott a short email informing them that you have received an offer from George Mason with X amount of funding, but that American or GW is your top choice. 

[alkalidz]

12 hours ago, Nico Corr said:

Thanks alkalidz. I thought it was as simple as giving them a call and saying something along the lines of "I have in offer in hand with school X with funding, but you're my top choice, how can we make this work?" I myself am thinking of strengthening my CV and applying again next year as well. 

Yeah no problem. I wish it was that easy. I had to pay deposit to both SIPA and Elliott last year after submitting the scholarship appeals to keep my place, which is 1500 in total. A very bad decision in retrospect but lesson learned! 

[lackey]

4 minutes ago, alkalidz said:

Yeah no problem. I wish it was that easy. I had to pay deposit to both SIPA and Elliott last year after submitting the scholarship appeals to keep my place, which is 1500 in total. A very bad decision in retrospect but lesson learned! 

I didn't know you could do that. Sounds like a difficult ordeal.

[alkalidz]

9 minutes ago, lackey said:

I didn't know you could do that. Sounds like a difficult ordeal.

I find many other in the same situation. That’s how they trick you to pay the deposit and admissions really could not give a damn as long as you pay the money. SIPA has the highest deposit, 1k if I remember correctly. 

[lackey]

6 minutes ago, alkalidz said:

I find many other in the same situation. That’s how they trick you to pay the deposit and admissions really could not give a damn as long as you pay the money. SIPA has the highest deposit, 1k if I remember correctly. 

SIPA is $2k. Harris is $350. Most others are in between. The process of discovering these programs are cash cows has been a sad one for me. The programs are great, but too many of these top programs don't put money where their mouths are and fund PhDs instead (not that that's a bad thing, but it doesn't help equity). It's a terrible problem because many students a. already have a lot of college debt or b. are from lower-income or middle-class households and just want to serve.

[Nico Corr]

2 hours ago, lackey said:

SIPA is $2k. Harris is $350. Most others are in between. The process of discovering these programs are cash cows has been a sad one for me. The programs are great, but too many of these top programs don't put money where their mouths are and fund PhDs instead (not that that's a bad thing, but it doesn't help equity). It's a terrible problem because many students a. already have a lot of college debt or b. are from lower-income or middle-class households and just want to serve.

I've found the fact that these programs are more of a business than anything else a little disheartening as well. Now that I've been accepted I get about two or three emails a day urging me to put down my deposit.