Appendix C. The Negotiation Scripts
Chapter 18 told you why schools expect you to ask for more money. This is the part you copy.
Here are the 2 scripts that cover most of what you’ll actually send, short on purpose, because a long ask reads like a sales pitch. Fill in the brackets, cut anything that doesn’t apply to you, and send it.
One rule sits above both scripts. Read it now. Read it again at the end.
Every competing offer you name must be real. You must be able to show it. Not a number you rounded up. Not a school you’re “pretty sure” would match it. A real number from a real school, in writing. Admissions offices talk to each other more than you’d think. Name a $40,000 scholarship that nobody actually offered you, and you’re 1 phone call away from losing both offers. You’d also start your legal career on a lie to the people about to license you.
Script 1. The opening ask
Use this when: you have a real, documentable competing offer and you want this school to match it or close the gap.
Subject: Following up on my offer of admission
Dear [Name],
Thank you for my offer of admission to [School A] and for the [amount] scholarship. [School A] is genuinely my top choice, and I’m excited about the program.
I wanted to be transparent with you. I’ve received a [amount] offer from [School B], and the gap between the 2 offers is significant for my family. Before I make a final decision, I wanted to ask: is there any flexibility in my scholarship package?
Thank you for considering this. I’m happy to share the offer letter if that’s useful.
Sincerely, [Your name]
Why this works: it’s short, it names a real number, and it doesn’t beg. The school already has your file. It just needs the number and the ask.
3 more situations you’ll likely hit
The counter, if they come back short. If the school raises your offer but it’s still short of what you need, thank them for the move so you don’t sound ungrateful, then name the real remaining gap in dollars one more time. Stay polite, ask once, and stop.
The best-and-final nudge, if you’re close to their ceiling. Once you’ve gone back and forth already, ask directly whether the current number is final, tied to a real deadline from your other offers. It’s not a threat, it’s a request for their real number so you can make a real decision.
The waitlist letter of continued interest. If you’re on a waitlist at a school you actually want, say it’s still your first choice, add 1 real update since you applied (a grade, a new job, an LSAT retake), and say plainly you’ll commit fast if a seat opens. Keep it short. Don’t pad it with reasons you love the school; they’ve heard those already.
Script 2. The gracious no, that keeps the door open
Use this when: the school says no, the gap doesn’t close, and you’re choosing a different school. You still want to leave this relationship in good shape.
Subject: Thank you, and my decision
Dear [Name],
Thank you for working with me on my financial aid package over the past few weeks. I understand the [amount] offer is your final number, and I respect that.
After careful thought, I’ve decided to enroll at [School B] this fall. This wasn’t an easy decision, and I’m genuinely grateful for the time you and your team spent with me.
Thank you again, and I hope our paths cross down the road.
Sincerely, [Your name]
Why this works: law is a small world. The person reading this email might be your boss’s old classmate in 8 years. A gracious no costs you nothing and closes the loop cleanly. Don’t burn a bridge you might need.
The hard rule, one more time
Every offer you put a number on, in either script or any of the 3 situations above, has to be real and something you can show on request. No estimates, no rounding, no “around what I think they’d offer.”
This isn’t just about ethics, though honestly, that’s reason enough. It’s also practical. Admissions offices talk. A fake number that gets checked can cost you the inflated offer, the original offer, and your reputation with a school that was about to hand you a law degree. A real number, even a modest one, is the strongest thing in any of these emails. Use what you actually have. It’s enough.
These scripts handle the standard case: one or 2 real competing offers and a straightforward ask. If you’re juggling 3 or 4 offers at once, the dollar amounts are large enough that a mistake is expensive, or your situation doesn’t fit anything above, that’s when a second set of eyes pays for itself. For the full script library, every situation covered, plus the negotiation method behind it, see my book Anyone Can Choose the Right Law School.
