Can I appeal a financial aid package? If so, when and why?
From the Pros
From Springfield Academic: Yes, you can appeal as soon as you receive your package offer. Typically, families appeal because they have had a financial change, i.e., divorce, loss of job, medical expenses, etc.
From Alison Mills, Director, Financial Aid, Lincoln Land Community College: A student can request a special circumstance appeal if certain information on the FAFSA is not reflective of the family’s ability to pay. For example, recent unemployment of a family member.
From Mary Beth Stephens, MBS College Coaching LLC: Yes, and you can appeal at any time. However, as has been indicated in the latest college scandal, only federal dollars are required to be awarded if a student qualifies for federal money based on the FAFSA. The institution decides on any need-based aid they want to award. It’s this aid you can appeal. The financial aid office is not like a car dealership. They can and do say, “No.” to an appeal. What does work is demonstrating that there are special circumstances that were not reflected in the original financial aid application – a divorce, loss of job, death of a student’s parent, and other situations.
From a Mom
From Angela Try: A financial aid package “merit award letter” is not always a “done deal.” We went back to several schools our daughter was serious about – asked and received more.
From Lisa Whelpley: When our son got down to his top two universities, there was a $4,000 difference between his first and second choices. In mid-April, I contacted the admissions officer of his first choice, by email. This was my first contact with her. I’d let him do all communications with admissions officers prior to that point. I explained to her that it was coming down to dollars, and that his second choice was $4,000 more. One day later, my son had an email offering him $3,500 per year for each of the next 4 years. That sealed the deal, and he accepted the offer with his first choice school!
