{"id":19169,"date":"2017-04-25T15:23:31","date_gmt":"2017-04-25T19:23:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/?p=19169"},"modified":"2023-10-17T14:46:19","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T18:46:19","slug":"financial-aid-appeal-letter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/financial-aid-appeal-letter\/","title":{"rendered":"Financial Aid Appeal: How to Make Your Case and Get More Money"},"content":{"rendered":"

[alert-announce]*Financial Aid Appeal is not just for incoming freshmen; students of all grades can appeal their financial aid packages any time during their college years.*[\/alert-announce]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acceptance letters come with a price tag. <\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s not a surprise.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what may come as a surprise to many students and families is that colleges are more likely than you think<\/em> to say \u201cyes\u201d to your request for more aid. And that is exactly what a financial aid appeal is — a request for help.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before you appeal your financial aid package, though, here are three things to remember:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. You are not entitled to more aid (or even the aid that\u2019s already given to you). Colleges don\u2019t <\/span>have to<\/span><\/i> give you more aid; heck, they don\u2019t even have to accept you!<\/span>
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  2. A financial aid appeal is not so much a negotiation as it is a \u201creconsideration\u201d on their part. <\/span>
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  3. As obvious as it sounds, it is the responsibility of the student to initiate the appeal. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Note to Parents:<\/strong> <\/em>While you can — and should, if possible — assist your child through this process, please do NOT write the letter for them — colleges will not look at this favorably!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you’re wondering why colleges would give you more money, here are two obvious answers:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. They want you (which is why they’ve accepted you). And if they want you to attend their school, they would be willing to give you the means to do so. <\/span>
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    2. Colleges accept a certain number of applicants each year, and their job is not finished until the accepted students enroll in their institution; while they can always reach out to the waitlisted candidates, they will try their best to get the accepted students to enroll first.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      So as long as your request is reasonable, colleges or universities will likely<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>consider your request for more aid!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Here is a Sample Financial Aid Appeal Letter:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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      So … how do you go about writing a financial appeal letter?<\/strong> <\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

      Firstly, for need-based aid (or the reconsideration of it), contact the Financial Aid Office.\ufeff<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Here are the steps you should take to request more aid:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Research the grants and scholarships available, as well as the guidelines for appeal processes. <\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Go to the financial aid section of your school\u2019s website, or simply Google \u201c(School Name) Scholarships and Grants\u201d to find the page. Each school has different sets of scholarships and grants, programs and awards, and policies. Some scholarships\/grants are available to all students, and some have very specific and limiting criteria. The appeal processes also differ from school to school. Check to see if there are specific forms you need to fill out before contacting the school. It is your<\/em> responsibility to learn about the different options and requirements, so do your part before asking for help! And remember, there are merit-based scholarships as well as need-based ones.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2. Find the right contacts<\/b> (see the department listing on the school\u2019s website).<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n