I have been accepted to and put my deposit down to UChicago with 30k total scholarship a couple of weeks ago. Accordingly, I withdrew from all my other schools that I wasn't waitlisted for and declined all my other merit/aid scholarships. (Because it is relevant to my problem- I was offered 75k at both Duke and Northwestern, which I declined in favor of UChicago).

I just got in today off of the waitlist for Michigan Summer Start (I'm in-state) and spoke over the phone with the Assistant Director of Admissions. I indicated I was still interested, and when she asked me about scholarships I mentioned the 30k from Chicago. When she asked if they matched it would I go, I didn't really give an answer, but a few hours later received an offer for 36k.

While I would love to go to Michigan, I don't think 2k more a year is a large enough offer to move me from Chicago. But as a waitlisted admit, I'm wondering if I have any room to negotiate and/or what would I say? (I think that Chicago would be a better value for that amount of money, due to greater opportunities in various fields, and they also have an EXCELLENT LRAP program which is important to me). I'm also annoyed that I can no longer use the larger scholarship offers I got at comparable schools to negotiate anymore, and feel that that hurt me in my initial negotiation.

If anyone has ever had to negotiate off the waitlist or has any advice, it would be MUCH appreciated. Thanks.

1. Think of the number that would get you to go to Michigan over UCHI.
2. Give them that number (or a little more if you feel greedy).
3. See what they do.
4. Act accordingly.,

Email them your Northwestern and Duke offers and see if they will match those. No need to volunteer the info that you withdrew, although they can probably figure it out easy enough.

So I did renegotiate with my other offers, and Michigan ended up raising my scholarship amount to 20k per year, for a total of 60k. This makes Michigan the cheaper choice by over $40,000, but I'm still hesitant to just withdraw from Chicago. I was pretty excited about going there right up until Michigan called me with this offer, and everytime I think of a pro or con for one school, I think of a pro or con for the other....Chicago >>> Ann Arbor, but Michigan is definitely more suited for me regarding my PI interests as well as international human rights work. I'd have a (small) shot for clerkships at both.

Have to decide by Monday, but it's completely up in the air right now.

If you turned down Duke and NU at those prices, I don't see any reason to take Michigan at that price.

That was part of my original reason for renegotiating up from the original 36k offer...but with the 60k scholarship, my total COA is lower than what it would have been at either NU (157k) or Duke (142k) had I accepted their offers.

TBH, I wasn't very interested in Duke at all because I am from Chicago/Detroit and went far away for UG so I'd love to stick around now, and Durhman as a location was just not appealing to me at all. As for NU, Michigan's total COA would be 20k cheaper- definitely enough for me to consider their offer a better one.

I'd probably take Michigan but I think 45K about the right cost for skipping CCN for lower t14. Any lower and it's usually better just to go CCN, any more and T14 is better. So I don't think there will be a clear winner here.

Chicago.

We don't know what Michigan's placement is like. It was terrible for 2011, and I'm sure that was just a fluke, but I wouldn't bet $150k on their 2011 placement being a fluke without confirmation about 2012. We know Chicago's placement for 2011 and 2012 were good.

This.

Considering I really want to do PI (and also am very interested in a specific PI-oriented externship at Michigan), could anyone justify why Chicago at 60k more by graduation would still the better option for me personally? I feel like a lot of people's opinions are solely based on rankings or biglaw placement.

I think you're right. But I can't really help you on PI. All I can say is I think you'd enjoy your time at Michigan a bit more. I'll super biased, though.