Not Satisfied With Scholarship Award/Ask for more?

Question

I have a question. I was not satisfied with my scholarship award. I am not sure why I received so little. The web site of the school indicates scholarships are based on academic merit and the average award is 10k with 30% of the class receiving an award. I received a 5k award for the first year, and no commitment for the second year. The average GMAT for the school was a 620, and the middle 80% is 540-700. My GMAT is a 690. Average GPA is a 3.23 with the 80% upper range as a 3.7. My GPS was a 3.81 So I was probably in the top 13% of GMAT scorers and in the top probably 6-8% in terms of grades.

Of course I won't come out and ask them directly for money, but could I try to negotiate by indicating I have a better offer from another school, but they are my first choice? I am really bummed by this

Xeo78 · Answer

Which school is this?

jamesrwright3 · Answer

I don't want to say just in case an ADCOM is reading the boards

rustmonster · Answer

Didn't you name the school in another thread?

Hjort · Answer

If you are not going to attend unless you receive more aid from the school, you have little to lose and much to gain by approaching them for more money.

Xeo78 · Answer

Hjort,

Do you have anything to lose either way? What can the school do, retract the offer? If you ask nicely that is..

jamesrwright3 · Answer

I don't think they would retract the offer.
I am going to ask nicely. I think my stats deserve more money, and I have an app in at another school

GMATT73 · Answer

I have a friend at Thunderbird right now that leveraged the scholarship offer game against Simon. He was upfront about him desire to study at T-bird, but just couldn't foot the bill. After three months of haggling, T-bird called his bluff (for personal reasons he never wanted to attend Simon) and gave him a potential merit based scholarship contingent on the results of his first semester. Nevertheless, he still enrolled. Business is business, he just wasn't a good negotiator at the time.

jamesrwright3 · Answer

Not to be nosey but how much did your friend get at Simon? And did T-bird ask for documentation of Simon's scholarship? I don't want to get in a situtation where ADCOMS are calling one another to discuss my file

GMATT73 · Answer

He was offered a full tuition scholarship at Simon. I do not know whether T-bird ever asked him to validate such documentation, however you should take into consideration that he is from an significantly underrepresented minority.

jamesrwright3 · Answer

Not to keep beating a horse to death , but why would he turn down a full tuition scholarship to a good school? that must have been tough

GMATT73 · Answer

I asked him the exact same question. He said (1) over the long term, T-bird would pan out better for his international business aspirations, and (2) he was somehow convinced that he would receive a scholarship after his first semester at T-bird. 

Personally, I probably would have stuck with Simon. That was a virtually risk free $60K in his pocket. 

The same guy has now maxed on on Stafford loans and Stafford Plus to make sure he gets through the first year.

jamesrwright3 · Answer

Yep going into debt is scary-hence my apprehension about going into debt
I know someone from my old fraternity that went to top school-did investment banking beforehand. Came out and had a tragic situation involving his wife and child. He could not work-was disabled for all intents and purposes. His 90 K in debt ballooned up to well over 160k with interest and penalties and collection fees. The loan companies didn't care, and the courts could do nothing to save him as the laws don't allow discharge. He is not really sure what he is going to do. There is really no out for him other than leaving the country, unfortunately. He is considering doing that

Not Satisfied With Scholarship Award/Ask for more?

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