True story: When I asked Northwestern for more money the school gave me more money AND THAT LED TO THE BEST FOUR YEARS OF MY LIFE. There is a problem, however, and it is a financial one. He has always wanted to be an actor, writer and director ever since he was five years old. Bonus info: She is VALEDICTORIAN! This could be for one day or several days, but I do not have steady or guaranteed income. Your school is the only school Paul wants to attend. I am a freelance graphic artist and only work when I receive a call for a project and am offered the job. Ask the college financial aid … Other payments such as the phone bill, internet bill, and groceries also add to the list. But it could help you secure more funding to help pay for higher education costs. Once you know where to send your appeal letter, you can work on drafting it. For example, you may be able to successfully appeal your financial aid award if your family’s financial situation has changed significantly since you initially completed the FAFSA. Or if one of your parents was unable to work for an extended period of time because of an illness or injury, you could also make a case for increasing your aid award. College is an expensive prospect, so when making your college decisions, affordability is a major consideration. Thank you in advance for taking the time to reconsider the amount you have offered Paul. Writing an exceptional aid appeal letter can make or break your application. He will walk down the halls of his school smile or say hi to anyone, teachers and students. Click here to hear my complete interview about how to win a financial aid appeal letter with financial aid expert Jodi Okun, who has helped thousands of families navigate the college financial planning process and contributed one of the financial aid request letter samples in this post. When writing an appeal letter, it helps to also keep in mind other ways to pay for college in case your school is unwilling or unable to offer more money. The FAFSA is used to determine what type of financial aid package students qualify for to pay for college. … only to find out the school isn’t giving you enough money (womp womp). He was voted Homecoming Court two years in a row. In Episode 103 of the College Essay Guy podcast I spoke with Jodi Okun, financial aid guru and author of the Amazon bestseller Secrets of a Financial Aid Pro. Then, compare interest rates and terms for private student loans carefully. Because, well, your college future might be on the line. I am writing to you because my income for this year (2016) has declined and this fact will not be represented when you examine the FAFSA for 2017-2018 – let me explain why. He is genuine, not at all phony. A successful appeal must demonstrate that you understand what went wrong, take responsibility for the academic failures, outline a clear plan for future academic success… The amount of aid you’re eligible to receive depends on: The EFC is an index number schools use to determine how much financial aid a student is able to receive. My father’s average monthly income is an estimate of $1,973.20 (see attached pay stub). But consider doing it. It’s really straightforward and explicit. In other words, I only receive a pay check when I work. If you’ve had trouble sticking to the guidelines of FAFSA®’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirement. You could also look into the possibility of paying for school out of pocket, either from savings or by getting a part-time job. A financial aid appeal letter is a written request asking your school to increase the size of your aid package when it’s not enough to cover your costs of attendance. None of the other schools offer what The New School can offer him. For example, if you’re asking for additional financial aid because of a change in income you’d want to explain how your family’s situation has changed. Appeal Letter to Financial Aid Writing Tips State under which scheme you seek the financial help. However, the … Next month I will be having a necessary hysterectomy and I will be out of commission for a couple of months and can not work. Since a financial aid appeal is a request for more aid, there’s no guarantee that your school will agree to give you the additional money you need to pay for college. Caveat: I had a zero EFC (Estimated Family Contribution), so much of it was need-based aid, but still! This is a very sweet paragraph--a mother advocating on behalf of her son. But the main topic of our conversation was appeal letters--what they are, who should write one, and what to literally say to a financial aid officer when calling to make an appeal. Listen to the whole podcast and check out the rest of the show notes (with times stamps, so you can fast forward to the part you want!) In fact, I only spent about $4,000 per year. Consider this scenario: your family … Your letter doesn’t have to be fancy; it has to be clear. Why would you need to file an aid appeal? Be as specific as possible, and focus on concrete incidents that affected your … First, it’s important to write your appeal letter sooner rather than later. Student loans, including federal loans and private loans, are one final option. How to Understand the Appeals Process During Financial Aid Suspension . This is similar to what the student in the first letter does: reaffirm interest. That is why I write … First, you can look for scholarships and grants you can apply for that might help with paying education costs. The first paragraph of the body contains information of the sender. Writing appeals can be tough job for newbies. The important thing is to keep an eye on deadlines since many scholarships and grants require you to get your application in by a certain date to be considered. (Think how it would have sounded if she’d added, “...and I also placed 8th in a local tennis tournament and started learning French.” The school would be like, “Um… great?” But the valedictorian detail is a solid reminder that she’s committed to her academics.). Accept your fate? You can do this if instructed to do so. Posted by just now. Does anyone know how to write a financial aid appeal letter? Appealing for merit aid will sometimes be a non-starter.