College costs can be reduced by financial aid.
Going to college is not always as simple as getting good grades throughout high school, scoring well on your SATs and getting accepted to the school of your choosing. Even after the hard work associated with getting into college, the bigger challenge comes when it comes time to figure out pay for your advanced education. Financial aid is needed by many to afford college. If you apply for financial aid and receive a negative ruling, you can appeal the decision if you disagree with it.
Instructions
1. Read through the negative ruling letter sent to you by the agency or college. See if you were denied or not qualified for enough financial aid based on information you provided which may be inaccurate. One example could be a negative financial aid ruling based on your parent's income for the past three years. If your parent who is the primary earner in the family has recently lost his job, you would have been rated based on the income of the family before the loss of the job.
2. Contact the college financial aid office. Ask to speak to someone regarding the ruling you received. Get the person's name and note the time you spoke. Ask to have your case explained to you either over the phone or in person. Ask the person to explain the appropriate steps to launch a formal appeal. Know that those working in a financial aid office understand the process of granting financial aid, denying financial aid and appealing decisions.
3. Draft a letter to the office to the financial aid officer at the school, using the person's full and proper name. Use clear, concise and direct language. State specifically in your letter that you want your case to be reviewed and you are formally requesting an appeal. Mention any changes to income for both yourself or your parents or guardians. Make sure to stress in the letter that you need to appeal as you are financially unable to pay for schooling without financial aid. Also ask for information on other potential sources of financial aid.
4. Send the letter with a copy of all relevant financial information to support your case. For example, send current paycheck stubs for yourself and parents, any letters showing that you or one of your parents now receives unemployment and copies of tax returns for the prior three years for yourself and your parents. Include a copy of the negative ruling letter as well. Request that someone contact you within four to six weeks.
5. Wait four to six weeks for an appeal to be launched. If you have not heard anything back by the end of the six-week period, call the office directly and ask to speak to someone in the financial aid ruling or appeal department. Tell the representative that you requested an appeal, yet have not heard anything. Follow up on all requests made by the financial aid office and provide additional information and documentation as requested.
6. Consider asking for a modified financial aid package if your appeal was denied. Request extra streams of revenue to pay for college such as reduced rate and deferred student loans and work-study programs provided by and managed through the college's financial aid office.
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