<p>I have read that the COA can be adjusted based on the professional judgement of the finaid dept. based on the personal situation of a student. Have any of you seen that happen? I know a computer can be considered, anything else you have heard of?</p>
<p>Not that the student I am talking with would try to fake it, but he is responsible for his own expenses and wants the highest work study possible and wants to know which real and true items in his life he can present to finaid for their consideration. He wants to do it right the first time.</p>
<p>COA = cost of attendence, right? I’m not sure I understand the question - typically the COA is a very accurate estimate made of of the total of tuition, room & board, books, travel, etc. I do not believe this number changes from one financial aid application to the next - typically it’s a fixed number for all students for one academic year. </p>
<p>Perhaps you meant the financial aid award can be adjusted based on the professional judgment of the financial aid office? As far as I know, work study awards are based on some federal algorithm; if the student files his FAFSA as well as his tax returns accurately, he’ll get (presumably) a financial aid package appropriate for his circumstances; then, if he wants to appeal, he can write a letter requesting a review, and I believe that is called a request for professional judgment.</p>
<p>All of this information should appear in detail on the financial aid section of the college’s website…</p>
<p>Generally, each school has a “budget” that is used as the cost of attendance. Many schools will have a budget for students that live on-campus and another budget for those who live off-campus. Adjustments can be made if a computer is needed, additional costs for transportation are to be incurred, childcare costs will be incurred. Each school has the right to determine what is included in their budget – I know that my school will allow increases for a computer (only one year), childcare (you have to provide proof) and additional transportation costs (for students that live more than 300 miles away).</p>
<p>At my school, FA is calculated on the basic “budget” calculated for all students and students would have to appeal that budget AFTER the FA awards is determined to increase it – which generally means that you just get more loans and/or work-study.</p>
<p>FinAid officers have latitude to adjust the FAFSA data input, as well as the Cost of Attendance, to meet unusual circumstances, and in response to a request from the student.</p>
<p>An increase in the COA will result in a dollar-for-dollar increase in aid, so is preferable to an adjustment in input data (the parental or student income data point, for example) which will only result in an incremental increase in aid.</p>
<p>Unusual transportation expenses due to a disability, higher-than-average health care expenses due to an illness, increased food costs due to a religiously-mandated special diet, or exceptional dependent-care expenses are all examples of situations that might warrant professional judgment to increase the COA, and therefore the finaid package.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.finaid.org/educators/pj/costofattendance.phtml[/url]”>http://www.finaid.org/educators/pj/costofattendance.phtml</a></p>
<p>If the student truly has necessary costs (things that have to be paid for in order for the student to physically complete the coursework) that are beyond those of the typical student (as determined by the school’s estimates of typical), they school can raise the COA for that student’s FA calculation. However like hsmomstef mentioned, that will only add eligibility for loans and perhaps (if not already maxxed out) work-study.</p>
<p>But let’s say the student is going to a FAFSA only school (for simplicity sake) and has a $0 EFC and received Pell Grants, and all other available Fed/State and institutional need-based and merit money. S/he is a few bucks short of the college’s COA and is given a small amount (below the max) of work-study to bring up the total package to the COA.</p>
<p>Looks like sblake7 got the medical issue while I was typing…</p>
<p>Now this student lives far away from this school 2000 miles - further than average as say it is a school that draws 95% of its students from within 300 miles. S/he would have reason to go to the FA office and ask for an increased COA and would probably get it. However, the school is under no obligation to increase his/her work-study just because of unmet need. </p>
<p>I think, given the time of year it is right now, there is some what-iffing going on here on how to get more aid. When a school comes up with its COA, it generally covers 99% of students legit needs.</p>
<p>About the only other significant legit costs for boosting COA not mentioned earlier might be medical necessity (e.g. needs single room because of live-in help - for quadrapelegics).</p>
<p>I think the bigger worry for the student is that many schools do not give aid packages to fill 100% of unmet need. And the other worry is that most of the aid is in the form of loans - especially unsubsudized loans. That is the more likely scenario than having a higher need than most.</p>
<p>The school’s COA is, like other schools, an average and does not in reality cover the student’s true cost of doing the school thing. He has a great package, but may need a little more in loans or work study to really make ends meet.</p>
<p>I knew there were some exceptions which add to the COA, like a one time computer purchase, and I thank you all for adding the other items I had not thought of to the list. I assume that it is simpler to add to the COA items the school is accustomed to adding rather than asking them to look too far outside the box :D</p>