Managing Multiple Offers

[Sick to my stomach]

So...let's play hypothetical. Please don't fight the hypo.

Let's suppose one got multiple offers with varying levels of support. How could one leverage those multiple offers into more support from a program you really wanted to join, but which was not as generous in its support?

Note that at the moment this is nothing more than a thought exercise - I don't have even one offer. But hope springs eternal, and I'd like to be prepared to have that wonderful problem.

[newms]

It's an interesting hypothetical problem - certainly a problem I would love to have as well, but I'm waiting on my first offer too. From what I've seen, any leverage you have is usually over the program that is not ranked as highly, and I've read where some applicants have been asked by a POI at the lower ranked school if they were considering multiple offers and where. The lower ranked program would then try to give you its best offer if it knows that you are considering accepting an offer from a higher ranked program. I'm not sure how you would bring up the subject though - perhaps by inquiring about funding, while mentioning that you have an offer at Highly Ranked Program X? Or perhaps by mentioning to your POI that you have the other offer and you're trying to get as much information as possible so that you can make the best decision for you?

[adinutzyc]

Usually a lower ranked program would be more willing to increase their support to accommodate for the competition, because they are trying to get the strongest applicants they can so they could boost the program too. Some of them actually would ask you straight up whether you have other offers and how much money they are offering you, so they can make themselves more competitive that way...

I don't think higher ranked universities would be willing to do that. Unless they really want you, and you mention to them that you have an offer from a competing (i.e. viewed by them as a competitor) program. How you would bring it up? Maybe you'll get a chance on the accepted students weekend (if you're in the US or going anyway). I wouldn't do that over email, unless specifically asked.

Edited February 9, 2011 by adinutzyc

[Sick to my stomach]

Sorry, I should clarify. I'm attempting to proceed to a Ph.D. post-J.D., and for law schools, if you get multiple offers, you can bootstrap your way up the rankings - in other words, if a lower-ranked school gives you more generous funding, a higher-ranked school won't necessarily match, but might sweeten the pot. While this doesn't work in every case - Yale Law School is not going to be impressed by your offer from anywhere but Harvard, and if you try and pull this on them with a Harvard offer, they'll tell you to go to Harvard - it can work a little further down the rankings. So here's my hypo, fully fleshed out (and if you know the programs to which I'm applying, you'll know which ones I'm referring to).

Program A is not as highly ranked as Program B or C, but is up-and-coming and is well-known for being very generous. So, if I get offers from both Program A and Program B or C, what is the likelihood that I could shake extra support from B or C? Or could I use this to pull myself off a waitlist? Or is the dynamic just too different?