How to approach the topic of asking for more funding?

[Midd2005]

So I just got off the phone with GWU Elliott. Apparently, they are very unlikely to reverse any decisions in relation to funding already made. However, they did say I or anyone else can write to them BEFORE APRIL 20TH explaining how increased funding will permit you to attend GWU Elliott over another school. I have significant funding from MSFS, Fletcher, UCSD and Harris so I definitely will give this a shot.

 

The letter needs to be addressed to the Director of Admissions, Jeff Miles.

 

Also, no TA positions are available for MA students, which is complete bullshit.

I got the same response via email.  this was a little confusing because i thought i had just written a letter to Jeff Miles, but i guess I will go to the admitted students day and then write a more fleshed out and better informed email to Jeff Miles.  Bonus points to GWU for a very fast response.

[DaniCM]

I just tried with SAIS. The Financial Aid director was extremely nice, candid, and empathetic, but it was still a no go. She pretty much told me to go to Fletcher...haha. Off I go, then!

[alf10087]

Well, I wrote to the Assistant Dean at Goldman asking to be considered in case any funds are available after the decisions deadline. She replied that they wouldn't know until May and that she will let me know in case there is an opportunity.

 

I think she was pretty nice and didn't close the door, but made it clear that it is a long shot.

[MPPgal]

I wrote to Georgetown explaining how as an international student I wasnt even eligible for loans and how they were my first choice, yesterday I was informed they awarded me 7.5k per year in additional funding!

[MPPgal]

Btw Alf thanks!

[cunninlynguist]

I wrote to Georgetown explaining how as an international student I wasnt even eligible for loans and how they were my first choice, yesterday I was informed they awarded me 7.5k per year in additional funding!

 

That's fantastic -- well done!

[lacanadiense]

Congrats MPPGirl! Are you now leaning towards Georgetown?

[MPPgal]

Well it is still 50k a yr even with the increase vs free, but at least now I am considering it, will visit on the openhouse and then decide! What about you LaCanadiense

[Pinkman]

I wrote to Georgetown explaining how as an international student I wasnt even eligible for loans and how they were my first choice, yesterday I was informed they awarded me 7.5k per year in additional funding!

 

Thats awesome, congrats! 

[Pinkman]

Anyone trying it with Fletcher?

[MPPgal]

My advice is be honest, say how much your savings are and do it only to your first choice!

[JFactor]

My advice is be honest, say how much your savings are and do it only to your first choice!

 

What's stopping you not to say to each school that they're your first choice? Not that I'm going to do this but just saying : )

[Pinkman]

What's stopping you not to say to each school that they're your first choice? Not that I'm going to do this but just saying : )

 

Yeah, agreed. Fletcher is definitely my first choice over SFS, Elliott, UCSD and IPS but UCSD offered me a full scholarship with stipend so I'm definitely debating right now. I think its probably better to be honest in these situations, especially as I'd hate to impact someone else whose first choice is the school I'm negotiating with and isnt my first choice.

[MPPgal]

Yeah, agreed. Fletcher is definitely my first choice over SFS, Elliott, UCSD and IPS but UCSD offered me a full scholarship with stipend so I'm definitely debating right now. I think its probably better to be honest in these situations, especially as I'd hate to impact someone else whose first choice is the school I'm negotiating with and isnt my first choice.

Im in the same boat, UT Austin with full ride vs 17k a yr from GT, see for those of you who trash on Game theory and math, there are just so many applications of it to real life

[lacanadiense]

Well it is still 50k a yr even with the increase vs free, but at least now I am considering it, will visit on the openhouse and then decide! What about you LaCanadiense

 

Yeah, I am strongly leaning towards LBJ, because pretty much everyone I've spoken to in the field has said that the extra debt is not worth it, especially if you have a full ride to a solid program. Maybe LBJ doesn't have quite the same pipeline into the federal government as we imagine GPPI or SAIS to have, but after talking with their career services coordinator, it seems like you can make that happen if you want. Apparently the State Department, CIA, etc. come to recruit at LBJ multiple times a year. Plus everyone raves about Austin, which seems like a much more manageable city to live in as a grad student.

[are we there yet?]

I negotiated with SIPA. They offered me a one year fellowship (are all SIPA fellowships for one year only?) of $20k but Fletcher offered $28k per year renewable so I sent a letter to the director of admissions and director of financial aid asking about any other funding opps. She wrote back the same day offering an additional $8k but still just for year 1. I have to reapply for more aid for year 2. 

 

The day after that, they updated the online system to reflect my increased aid eligibility. 

 

my advice is:

do it- my professor from undergrad taught at one the top policy schools and he told me to use one offer to increase the other

do it in writing- i feel that it is easier to lay everything out on paper

Hello ASEANdumpling,

 

Congratulations on the successful negotiation!  Do you mind sharing who you contacted to discuss this aid increase at SIPA?  Also have you decided between SIPA and Fletcher?  You can PM me if you prefer.  I would really appreciate it.

[nickel]

I negotiated with SIPA. They offered me a one year fellowship (are all SIPA fellowships for one year only?) of $20k but Fletcher offered $28k per year renewable so I sent a letter to the director of admissions and director of financial aid asking about any other funding opps. She wrote back the same day offering an additional $8k but still just for year 1. I have to reapply for more aid for year 2. 

 

The day after that, they updated the online system to reflect my increased aid eligibility. 

 

my advice is:

do it- my professor from undergrad taught at one the top policy schools and he told me to use one offer to increase the other

do it in writing- i feel that it is easier to lay everything out on paper

 

Congrats on successful negotiations!  I agree with your advice - laying it all out on paper helps.  Some schools ask for copies of all of your scholarship offers along with a letter highlighting why you are asking for increased funding.  Usually you can just reach out to the person who contacted you from the Admissions department (of your school).  If they are not the person to contact they will put you in touch.

[Clay Made]

I negotiated with SIPA. They offered me a one year fellowship (are all SIPA fellowships for one year only?) of $20k but Fletcher offered $28k per year renewable so I sent a letter to the director of admissions and director of financial aid asking about any other funding opps. She wrote back the same day offering an additional $8k but still just for year 1. I have to reapply for more aid for year 2. 

 

The day after that, they updated the online system to reflect my increased aid eligibility. 

 

my advice is:

do it- my professor from undergrad taught at one the top policy schools and he told me to use one offer to increase the other

do it in writing- i feel that it is easier to lay everything out on paper

 

Thanks and congrats! How did you negotiate with SIPA and Fletcher? Did you phone? I PMed you.

[gatsby8724]

I negotiated with SIPA. They offered me a one year fellowship (are all SIPA fellowships for one year only?) of $20k but Fletcher offered $28k per year renewable so I sent a letter to the director of admissions and director of financial aid asking about any other funding opps. She wrote back the same day offering an additional $8k but still just for year 1. I have to reapply for more aid for year 2. 

 

The day after that, they updated the online system to reflect my increased aid eligibility. 

 

my advice is:

do it- my professor from undergrad taught at one the top policy schools and he told me to use one offer to increase the other

do it in writing- i feel that it is easier to lay everything out on paper

 

ASEANdumpling, would you mind sharing a template of the letter you send Columbia?  They actually gave me a pretty generous package, but I would like to see if I can use that as leverage to negotiate fellowship funding from another program.  Many thanks in advance!

[ZacharyObama]

You might want to edit out name and address.

[gatsby8724]

Extremely helpful -- thanks ASEANdumpling!

[DaniCM]

I wrote her and got a generic email from the Office of Financial Aid saying that they would be conducting second round funding begining April 19th after those offered money from the first round accept or reject their decisions. They said I would be considered for that pool of money, should it become available. I'm not hopeful.

[Clay Made]

I wrote her and got a generic email from the Office of Financial Aid saying that they would be conducting second round funding begining April 19th after those offered money from the first round accept or reject their decisions. They said I would be considered for that pool of money, should it become available. I'm not hopeful.

 

Is this for SAIS?

[DaniCM]

Is this for SAIS?

 

No, I sent a letter to the same woman at SIPA as did ASEANdumpling, but it appears he deleted his letter, hence the confusion over my seeminly ambiguous pronoun use. He was able to successfully negotiate for an $8K increase to his funding. I was not...

 

I did talk to SAIS, though. I believe I posted a summary of my experience earlier in this thread, but it may have been the Bologna thread. Anyway, long story short, SAIS does not negotiate funds for first year students nor do they have second-round funding decisions. 

 

Bummer. But I think I'll be happy at Fletcher, and I guess it's nice that my funding situation has made this an easy choice!

[lobsterphone]

GAH.  I'd love to attempt leveraging some funding outta SAIS or SIPA (currently $0 from both), since both GWU Elliott and Fletcher offered me at least some funding.   This is all brand new to me so I figure I'll give it a try.  Would anyone be willing to PM the letter template that ASEANdumpling supposedly deleted?  Thanks much in advance!