Appealing the Financial Aid Offer 

Shelly Humbach • April 11, 2018

‘Tis the time of year when many college bound students are weighing their options and trying to make the smartest (right) decision as to where to matriculate in the fall. Hopefully the choices are wonderful and while it’s great to have choices, sometimes they create another level of stress in this already stressful college application process.

Every year I have students who are clear on their first choice college, yet the financial aid offer is not enough for them to be able to attend. What, if anything can be done to garner more money? Families have the option to appeal for more financial aid; a process is in place and a financial aid officer has authority to make changes to their award.

Here are my five top tips on appealing and maximizing your chances of getting more aid:

1. Do The Math. Analyze and weigh the net costs of each school. How much grant and scholarship aid does the college need to offer to make it worthwhile? If the Cost of Attendance (COA) is $60,000.00 per year and the school offers $10,000.00 per year in grant and/or scholarship money, is that enough to make it work for your family? However, if you were awarded an additional $5,000.00, might that be doable?

2. Be Knowledgeable. Research the school’s financial aid policies and know the stats on what percentage of need the school typically meets and its students’ average grades and test scores on Collegedata.com . Call the appropriate financial aid representative then follow up with a letter, reiterating your circumstances and request. CC your contact within the admissions office. Make your case and fortify it with facts and a compelling story. Show the college that you are striving toward a partnership with a win-win end result.

3. Be Prepared. There are two basic reasons colleges might agree to raise their aid awards: because you have less money for college than it appears from your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) due to a change in financial circumstances, or because a competing college has made a more attractive offer. You can try either or both arguments with any college, but make sure you have the documentation* to support your position.

4. Timing is Everything. File your appeal prior to depositing and before May 1, National Commit Day http://www.fastweb.com/college-search/articles/gear-up-for-national-decision-day and ask for an appointment with a financial aid officer so you can discuss the appeal in person or by phone. A single follow-up meeting reinforces your commitment to the school in a legit fashion, sans the annoyance factor.

5. Know The Lingo and Ask The Right Questions. Ask for a “professional judgment” review (that’s the term in the federal law for such appeals). Besides explaining and documenting the reasons to support the appeal, be bold in communicating to the college that it is the student’s first-choice school.

6. Ask about “second chance” aid. Is there is anything the student can do in the next few weeks or months to qualify for merit awards? Would good grades in the final high school semester qualify the student for a grant? Or, if more freshman-year aid is out of the question, are there any scholarships the student can shoot for in sophomore year?

As my mother always said, “Ask. What’s the worst that can happen? They say no.” But if you don’t ask, you may be squandering thousands. Ouch.

*College officials frequently approve more aid to students who provide bills or other backup to show their FAFSA overestimates their ability to pay. For example, the family may face unusually high medical costs or a parent may have recently lost a job.

What should your high school student be doing with their precious summer?

By Shelly Humbach • April 16, 2025
Wait for it……they should be having fun.

The Common App and AXS Companion: Deadlines, Dates, Resources and FAQs

By Shelly Humbach • October 23, 2023
"The Common Application, often referred to as The Common App is an online platform that facilitates the college application process for students."

Harnessing the Power of AXS Companion: Take on the Common App with Ease

By Shelly Humbach • October 23, 2023
"The AXS Companion provides step-by-step guidance, tips, and expert advice to help you tackle every section of the Common App with confidence."
understanding financial aid: everything you need to know

Financial Aid 101: Understanding the Basics

By Shelly Humbach • April 27, 2023
Navigating Financial Aid can be a confusing process. Make sure you understand the financial terminology before entering the lengthy process of applying for scholarships and financial aid. Learn more in this comprehensive guide.

You’ve Been Deferred. Now What?

By Shelly Humbach • February 24, 2023
In the Spirit of - More College Admissions Fun - Let’s talk about Deferrals
3 Items Icons

3 Priority Action Items For Every Parent of a College-Bound High School Senior

By Shelly Humbach • December 7, 2022
Incredibly, another year has come and gone; another year of navigating life in the midst of Covid and now flu and RSV. Such fun. Thankfully, many high school seniors are still college bound. Here are three priority action items every parent or guardian should take long before their student launches. FAFSA and Net Price Calculators Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) . Even if you know or suspect your family will not qualify for federal aid, you should file the FAFSA. Why? ~In case circumstances change. Hello, pandemic. ~Just because parents weren’t eligible to receive financial aid one year doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t be eligible in a subsequent year, if their financial situation has changed. ~If you think you may require financial aid at any point in your child’s education. ~Anyone who expects to have more than one child in college simultaneously. Filing the FAFSA opens the door for all kinds of aid. Federal grants do not need to be repaid, federal student loans have low interest rates and work-study programs can be a convenient way to simultaneously fund an education and build a résumé. Complete the Net Price Calculator for each school on your student’s list. This calculator is found on every college website (search it). By providing personalized estimates, net price calculators offer a more informed way of deciding which colleges you can afford. Knowing your net price gives you the best idea of what you’ll pay for a particular college; makes comparing colleges easier; and widens your choice of colleges so you can focus on fit instead of price. Mental Health Care in College Make plans to have proper, sufficient and accessible mental health care support in place for your student before they leave for college. Let’s face it, the launch is just around the corner. Take advantage of the luxury of time and plan to have support firmly in place. Do not assume that colleges have the mental health care support your child may need. They are literally buckling under the weight of demand and negligible funding. Many times, care and support must be secured off-campus. Support Your Student Applying to college in 2022 is beastly and requires serious stamina and perseverance. College admissions deadlines are voluminous and fluid. The pandemic has wreaked all kinds of havoc on the process, requiring more diligence and follow through than ever before.

The Power of Paying Attention

By Shelly Humbach • October 26, 2022
When my first child was born, in 1991, the circumstances were not as I imagined. Born at 29 weeks, she spent the first six weeks of her life in the NICU. One of the blessings that came from this experience was the pediatrician that we were referred to - one that specialized in the care of premature babies. Dr. Gordon Blakeman saved my little family in many ways and perhaps the most profound was that at every appointment, he asked a series of questions, and listened to the answers. Do you have dinner together, as a family, and not in front of the TV (today that would include and without devices?) Do you read to your child? And later, does your child read to you? These questions may seem basic and the answers may seem obvious. But are they? I urge you to get real with yourself. The world has become exceedingly digital (you know it’s true) and indeed this is good in many respects. But I will argue till I’m dead (and then I shall be the voice in my children’s head) that the act of paying attention, full, uninterrupted attention, to your child is the most powerful and everlasting gift you can give them. And as this article below highlights, parenting teens is tough and when you lay a solid foundation and regularly practice focused communication it becomes bearable. The crowning jewel is when your adult children seek your company and time. The reciprocation is divine. How to Have a Better Relationship With Your Teenager

AXS Companion for the Common App

By Shelly Humbach • September 19, 2022
Talk about a brilliant collaboration! The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), in conjunction with Oregon State University have created a fantastic new tool - the AXS Companion.

The Legal Documents You Need Before Your Kid Leaves For College

By Shelly Humbach • July 3, 2022
The Legal Documents You Need Before Your Kid Leaves For College

Straight Talk on Transparency

By Shelly Humbach • April 24, 2022
Ron Lieber (He/Daddy/Abb ) nails it again with straight talk on transparency regarding the cost of college which at most institutions of higher learning continues to be coated in mud. Kudos to #muhlengerg , #whitman and #wooster for cost transparency and their pricing or merit-aid pre-read. I ask/cajole/push/pressure (call it what you want) parents to commit to asking the tough questions up front.  Are you planning to purchase something (a degree) that may cost upwards of $80,000 per year? And don't you think it makes sense to know, to the extent you can, exactly how much this thing is going to cost? And isn’t it insane that colleges expect you to commit to purchasing this thing, without KNOWING HOW MUCH IT IS GOING TO COST? It is beyond time to demand that colleges use plain language, with clear definitions when it comes to college costs. To quote one of my favorite lines from a movie, Denzel Washington's character in the film, Philadelphia repeatedly says, "Explain this to me like I'm a 4-year-old".
More Posts