coach, who they liked, and explored the campus with a student
guide who was also a basketball player. My client was able to
ask questions of the guide, the coach, the athletic director, and
others at the admissions office. The tour ended at the financial
aid office. The officer presented a financial aid package that I
felt was quite generous, filled with impressive grants, awards,
and loans, but no athletic scholarship. Her father knew not to
expect any, but did some negotiating using the college’s grants
as a basis. He knew from our discussions that he should negoti-
ate if he felt that she should receive more aid. They both knew
that this college was their first choice even though there were
two others that they were in serious discussions with.
He reviewed the award letter in front of the officer and
declared that it was close to what he had hoped but that he
“needed a little more help to get the package to match another
college’s offer that interested his daughter, as well.” The officer
asked which college, and found that it happened to be in the
same conference. “How much more have you been offered?”
It was approximately $1,000. The officer said that she would
review the package with the financial aid director and get back
to them the following day, which she did. “We can give you
an additional $500 in your academic award.” As I suggested,
he replied, “I’m sorry, but that is $500 that will be very dif-
ficult for me to pay, isn’t there anything else that can be
done?” He then shut up. The officer said that she didn’t have
the authority to offer any more and suggested that he call the
women’s basketball coach. He did and explained what had
transpired with the financial aid office and that even though
her school was their first choice she would be attending the
other school and playing basketball for them. The coach asked
him to give her another day before a commitment to the other
Solving the Division III Athletic Financial Aid Mystery 131