Increasing Scholarship Without Real Leverage? Forum

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SowhatsNU

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Increasing Scholarship Without Real Leverage?

Post by SowhatsNU » Tue May 09, 2017 4:24 pm

Hi everyone, posting for a friend who's applying to an online MBA program, and since I've gotten a bunch of help here, I thought I'd post in the hopes of getting your wisdom as well.

Friend has a good job, but wants to pursue a grad program. Recently got accepted to an online MBA program, and wrote requesting a scholarship (wanted to "weigh all his options" and make "the most informed decision possible"), and fortunately got one, but only about 10% of the total cost.

I was wondering, is there any way to try to leverage this into something greater? The only thing I can think of is basically "if you don't make it a bit higher I won't be able to attend" (paraphrasing obviously). Truth is he could simply just stay at his job and apply for diff programs next year, so he does have "other options", but not the typical law school student who gets two diff schollys and leverages them against one another.

Thanks in advance!

Jchance

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Re: Increasing Scholarship Without Real Leverage?

Post by Jchance » Tue May 09, 2017 4:38 pm

Doesn't hurt to ask, but in term of leverage, the moment he pulls the "unless there is more, I won't attend"--he better sticks to it because it's an implicit rejection of the original admission+10% scholly

SowhatsNU

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Re: Increasing Scholarship Without Real Leverage?

Post by SowhatsNU » Tue May 09, 2017 5:55 pm

Well is there a way of implicitly implying he has other options without rejecting that scholly offer?

I'd assume if you say "I'm weighing my other options" schools would be expecting scholly letters from other schools

Jchance

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Re: Increasing Scholarship Without Real Leverage?

Post by Jchance » Tue May 09, 2017 6:10 pm

Without mentioning any other options or anything else, he can simply say something along the line of "I really like your school, but my current financial situation is limited. So if offered [more], I will accept." And typically, the ball is in his court so he better has a number in mind and be more specific about the "[more]."

Not much to play with here with this fact pattern.

SowhatsNU

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Re: Increasing Scholarship Without Real Leverage?

Post by SowhatsNU » Tue May 09, 2017 6:20 pm

Jchance wrote:Without mentioning any other options or anything else, he can simply say something along the line of "I really like your school, but my current financial situation is limited. So if offered [more], I will accept." And typically, the ball is in his court so he better has a number in mind and be more specific about the "[more]."

Not much to play with here with this fact pattern.
Ahh, I see, thanks for the input! How much do you think is too much here though? I feel like too high and you run the risk of nothing- is 15% doable?

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Jchance

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Re: Increasing Scholarship Without Real Leverage?

Post by Jchance » Tue May 09, 2017 6:23 pm

Nah, you pull the attorney's negotiation skills--if you would really settle for 15% (given that they are already at 10%), ask for 20%. They either give it to you or come back with their best number. You don't risk ending up with nothing, because likely they'd say: 10% is all we can do, sorry--can you (as in he, the candidate) make it happen and attend or not?

Idk what his numbers (GPA, etc.) are to value him as an incoming candidate to negotiate. But other business-track folks would know.

That said, without knowing more, I bet he can at least ask for half scholly and see what they say.

SowhatsNU

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Re: Increasing Scholarship Without Real Leverage?

Post by SowhatsNU » Tue May 09, 2017 6:29 pm

Jchance wrote:Nah, you pull the attorney's negotiation skills--if you would really settle for 15% (given that they are already at 10%), ask for 20%. They either give it to you or come back with their best number. You don't risk ending up with nothing, because likely they'd say: 10% is all we can do, sorry--can you (as in he, the candidate) make it happen and attend or not?

Idk what his numbers (GPA, etc.) are to value him as an incoming candidate to negotiate. But other business-track folks would know.
Thanks for this! Honestly I'd assume that since it's online, he could attend elsewhere next cycle, and since its online I get the sense that this MBA program is just a cash cow with insane margins.

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