Using Another College Offer to Get More Financial Aid
Learn how to use another college offer to ask for more financial aid and why comparing actual net costs is essential.
Will Schools Match Offers?
When one college offers a more generous financial aid package than another, families often wonder if they can use the better offer as leverage. Some schools have formal policies that allow them to consider competing offers, while others explicitly state they will not match awards from other institutions.
Comparing Apples to Apples
If a school does consider competing offers, they will almost always look at the true net cost, not just the headline scholarship amount. A large scholarship at a very expensive school may ultimately be less valuable than a smaller scholarship at a more affordable school.
Knowing the Policy
School-specific policy is the determining factor. Before sending a competitor’s award letter to a financial aid office, you must understand whether that specific college is open to reviewing it.
Need school-specific guidance?
SpendOptimal supports financial-aid analysis for more than 1,200 colleges and universities. Browse our school directory to see supported schools and selected in-depth public guides, or analyze your offers for guidance based on your family's situation.
Know what to do next with your offers
Upload your financial-aid offers. SpendOptimal combines your offers, circumstances, and available school-specific information to show where you may have a supportable reason to act.