How to improve the deal

[metsil86]

Hi all,

 

I applied to soc programs for fall 2013.  I have been fortunate enough to get several funded offers from prestigious schools I thought I had little chance of getting into (at least not in combination). I've come across hints, here and elsewhere, that if the schools I'm interested in know I have other compelling offers with better funding, they may be able to come up with "perks" or university fellowships and the like. So 2 questions:

• What might these perks look like?
• Should I wait until they ask me what other offers I'm considering, closer to April 15th or when I visit? Or are there funding oppties that are being decided sooner and if so, is there some subtle way to say "hey, just fyi, I have these other offers but might be swayed by filthy lucre"?

Thankfully, my partner and I have a bit of money saved and I don't feel I necessarily have to go to the highest bidder, but we are thinking about kids and her profession is not super lucrative, so I do feel (like most, I imagine) that I need to try to get the most support I can wherever we choose to go.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

[uromastyx]

I have also been told that you can say, "Hey, School X gave me $$$. You are my top choice. Can you match that?"

Programs understand that money is a factor and it's perfectly ok to ask. Plus, if program X competes often with program Y then they very well may try to match the offer.

But you can't try to get 5 schools in a bidding war. If there is a discrepancy between my #1 and my #2 I will try to get #1 to match it, or at least sweeten the pot.

[metsil86]

Thanks, that makes sense, and it basically answers my question, because I won't have that kind of clarity at least until I visit all the major contenders.

[biotechie]

Hi all,

 

I applied to soc programs for fall 2013.  I have been fortunate enough to get several funded offers from prestigious schools I thought I had little chance of getting into (at least not in combination). I've come across hints, here and elsewhere, that if the schools I'm interested in know I have other compelling offers with better funding, they may be able to come up with "perks" or university fellowships and the like. So 2 questions:

• What might these perks look like?
• Should I wait until they ask me what other offers I'm considering, closer to April 15th or when I visit? Or are there funding oppties that are being decided sooner and if so, is there some subtle way to say "hey, just fyi, I have these other offers but might be swayed by filthy lucre"?

Thankfully, my partner and I have a bit of money saved and I don't feel I necessarily have to go to the highest bidder, but we are thinking about kids and her profession is not super lucrative, so I do feel (like most, I imagine) that I need to try to get the most support I can wherever we choose to go.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

It depends on the school... do they have posted somewhere what each of their students gets? All of my programs had these numbers readily available on their website, so the students knew what would be awarded to them before they applied. There is no way to "sweeten the pot" unless you come in with your own funding for some types of programs... For the programs I applied to, you don't really need more than the stipend they offer, though.

What I would do is check online. If they have a listed value that each student gets, I don't think you'll be able to negotiate; it might even be seen as a little crazy.

Edit: It should be noted that most programs will have a set amount for student stipends that they know is survivable for that area... so make sure your'e also checking how much it costs to live there. UCSD has a stipend that is the same at UF for my program... but it is nearly impossible to live in California in that area on that stipend. Don't just try to get more cash simply because one program offers more than another. They may be doing so just because cost of living is higher.

 

Be really careful in trying to get more funding; the "crazy" part is because I've seen it happen in the department I am at now. An incoming student wanted the school to match an offer from another program. It didn't happen, and that student wasn't awarded additional funding the second year though they had accomplished more than the students who were awarded it.

Edited February 15, 2013 by biotechie

[Physwimic]

Just a reminder to factor in the cost-of-living in the area around a school.  Sometimes factoring this in will even out deals, and schools do factor this into their funding packages.  It would be embarrassing to ask for more $ and then get told the deal is equivalent.

[rising_star]

Also, be prepared to be told no. My department doesn't match other offers because they believe that all incoming students should get the same package. So, no top ups, no summer guarantees, etc (unless you're on an RA and thus your funding is from the grant and not the dept). Also, don't ask people for additional funding before you're sure that it's a top choice. It's a real pain in the ass for them to cobble together a better package, only for you to turn it down flatly. Remember that these people are going to be your colleagues for the next 20+ years, so now is not a good time to start making enemies.

[selecttext]

There is no way to "sweeten the pot" unless you come in with your own funding for some types of programs

 

not true. supervisors regularly give their graduate students top ups in the form of a bursary

[biotechie]

not true. supervisors regularly give their graduate students top ups in the form of a bursary

 

That's true for some, but the ones I have been involved with only offer additional funding to their students that bring in outside funding... Hence the "some programs" in my previous comment. This is why it is really important to research the program before trying to get more funding.

[Minnow]

For what it's worth (probably not much, haha), I had a phone interview in which a prof told me to keep him/her informed of what my other offers are. It clearly wasn't a guarantee that they could match offers, but it certainly seemed to imply that they would try. I haven't been accepted there, though (they won't make decisions until the end of Feb), so I can't tell you if it's worked, unfortunately!