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<p>When I wrote an appeal letter (to CMU, not Pitt), I just stated the facts. The cost of CMU was much too high compared to what my parents could afford. The FAFSA bizarrely calculated that it was OK for my parents to spend 1/3 of their total post-tax income on me (even though I had another sibling IN COLLEGE), and that the current funding that they had given me was inadequate.</p>
<p>If you can put it in terms like that (I really need X amount of dollars compared to Y amount I received for reasons A, B, and C) I think you might see a change. No promises. My own letter did not do much except change a few of my loans into grants, but maybe Pitt will react differently.</p>