How to Negotiate With Your Colleges
It's not exactly a newsflash, but colleges are businesses.
That means, like every red-blooded, capitalist enterprise, they would prefer to get more money out of you than less.
They may not be terribly forthcoming about how to "appeal" or negotiate with them, after they dole out a financial aid or merit aid offer that leaves you wondering, "Where's the beef?" Here are my thoughts:
- Yes, you actually can negotiate your offer (many parents don't realize this)
- No, they won't rescind your acceptance or do some other dastardly, punitive thing to you just because you asked for more cashola
- The three most effective arguments you can make to a college about why it should give you more money are:
- Severe drop in income since the Base Year of your financial aid applications (for 2025 grads, the Base Year is 2023)
- Significant expenses that were not disclosed on the financial aid applications (But "We live in a high cost area" will not sway their opinion)
- Better offer from a competitor college (my favorite)
Having one or more of these arguments up your sleeve does not guarantee success, of course, but there's no harm in giving it the Old College Try.
A few final tips:
Be nice, not adversarial or obnoxious. If you're aggressive with your financial aid officer, you won't get very far.
Follow each college's protocol on its website. Some require you to fill out a Special Circumstances or similarly titled form. Others tell you to email them.
Don't go rogue and camp out in front of their office door. Demonstrate respect and empathy by playing by their rules.
If you want our help improving your scholarship or need-based offer here are the details:
- Andy "Let's Make a Deal" Lockwood
P.S. This is a done-with-you service. You watch our on-demand training and review our sample letters, we review and edit.
First 7 to sign up get a 1:1 consult.