Asking for a new financial aid offer?

Does anyone know if it would be reasonable for me to talk to the dean of admissions at the school I’m most interested in about the financial aid package they sent me? I have just heard from Hopkins (one of the other schools I’m trying to decide between) and they have also offered me a scholarship that would at least bring my debt down to about the school’s average. Cornell is still my first choice, but they offered me no financial aid at all. I spoke with their financial aid director, and she was unsympathetic. I wonder if it would be worth my while to explain my situation and how I’m trying to decide to the admissions dean (whom I’ve been in touch with about other things and seems available for discussion).
I am just not sure though–maybe this would only irritate Cornell. Anyway, I am really debating whether I can spend $100,000 just to live in New York.
By the way, I apologize for these posts–it’s probably annoying to hear me go on and on about this–but getting the OPM perspective really does help me and I hope I can return the favor by helping others.

I can’t imagine it would hurt to ask. I don’t think they would pull their offer of admissions if you did either.
I say go for it, you’ll never know unless you ask.

When I was stationed on a navy ship, and someone wanted to do something that might get them in trouble, we had a saying "What’s the worst they will do to me - send me to sea on a nuclear cruiser?"
Well, you are in the same boat. If you ask for a new financial aid offer, the worst they are going to do is offer you no financial aid. Hey - that’s where you are now!
They aren’t going to rescind your offer of acceptance, so as the above poster says, you have nothing to lose. Go for it! And good luck, I’d be curious to see how you fare.

Quote:

When I was stationed on a navy ship, and someone wanted to do something that might get them in trouble, we had a saying “What’s the worst they will do to me - send me to sea on a nuclear cruiser?”



A favorite saying of a friend, a saying which I have taken to heart and recommend highly, “If you don’t ask, they can’t say ‘yes.’”
Cheers,
Judy