BC- stingy with merit aid?

[ljg]

So I just spent some time on the phone with a financial aid office at BC, talking about merit aid scholarships. As way of background, I am from Boston, did my undergrad degree in Boston, have my boyfriend/family in Boston and will most likely end up practicing in Boston. This makes BC highly desirable for me, even though I've been admitted to higher ranked schools.

I have received full tuition scholarships at BU and GW, as well as half tuition at Duke, so I thought it was worth a shot to call BC and see what they could do for me. The finaid officer basically told me that they don't consider merit aid a priority, and if they do award merit aid often times you won't find out about it until after the seat deposit deadlines have long passed. She also said it would make no difference to send in copies of the scholarship offers from other schools.

Can anyone confirm that BC actually follows this policy of giving little to no merit aid (as opposed to just taking a hard line over the phone)? Has anyone received/know someone who has received merit aid from them? Sadly, I don't think I could choose BC over Penn, or Michigan, or most of the other schools on my list if I would be paying full price at both...

[Zam]

nukelaw, who is a current student, got merit aid from BC last year by using his BU scholarship. He has said the key to negotiating with BC is to express that you are really interested in going there.

http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com/display.php?user=nukelaw

I am wondering what BC will end up doing this year because BU and GW have really upped the anti. BC seems like it is traditionally stingier than other schools in its rankings range.

I'm a little concerned that if BC doesn't start playing the aid game better it will end up hurting the school. W&L offered me a pretty hefty scholarship and I feel like I might be able to negotiate to get just a bit more; I'm not optimistic about what BC will offer me and that has contributed to me leaning away from them a bit lately.

[muffin83]

that's sad to hear...BC is still high on my list, but if they aren't competitive with my BU offer before seat deposits are due, i am gonna have to bow out

[Zam]

that's sad to hear...BC is still high on my list, but if they aren't competitive with my BU offer before seat deposits are due, i am gonna have to bow out

Well, it's still relatively early yet and hopefully BC will realize that they need to start forking over some of their endowment if they want to keep candidates interested.

[ljg]

Good to know that someone out there has in the past received merit aid. There's hope yet!

I know that BC doesn't have as big of an endowment as BU, which is why they focus on need based aid. But you're right, I don't know how they expect to continue to compete with other schools in the 15-30 range if they don't start giving out some major $$...

[kmksports27]

It seems like BC isn't too stingy according to LSAC.  If you go to their website and look at the ABA data info for each school it lists their financial aid info.  11% of students get half-to-full tuition paid for via grants.
i dont know if this link will work or not..
http://officialguide.lsac.org/OFFGUIDE/pdf/aba3083.pdf

one school that is quite stingy though is Villanova.  They give out little aid and enroll a huge entering class. 

all this on the .5 chance i get into BC 

[ljg]

I'm not saying they're stingy with need based aid....but I am saying it seems they're stingy (from my phone conversation with the finaid office) with MERIT based aid.

[CowboyLawyer]

I just sent out an email to BC letting them know about some other scholarships I have received. I sent it to the financial aid office so I hope it's going to the right place. I plan on making a followup call in about a week. Hopefully they aren't too stingy....

[kmksports27]

yeah i missed that part...sry =(

but yes good luck!

[WeeSqueak]

Oh I'm not happy to hear this.  I was hoping I might get lots of money from BC to help push up my GW offer.  I got nothing from BU which I was kind of surprised at.  Oh well.