<p>I believe there was a student who posted on here last spring who appealed her FA pkg and received slightly more aid (i.e ~$5000 in grant aid) but it was enough along with her other aid to make the school feasible for her.</p>
<p>Given that all you received was an unsubsidized Stafford (and everyone who files a FAFSA is eligible for one of those), the FA dept perceives your family as being able to pay the full cost. If you feel you need substantial aid (in the $10,000+ range) to attend UR, an appeal is unlikely to garner you that unless you have something really unusual in your family’s financial situation.</p>
<p>(BTW, most private colleges & universities expect up to 1/3 of the a family’s pre-tax income to be used for college costs. It comes as a shock for most people.)</p>
<p>Your best recourse is to prepare a strong argument about why your CSS doesn’t accurately reflect your family’s finances. Do you have high medical bills that aren’t covered by insurance? A special needs sibling? An unemployed parent? A parent who lives somewhere other than the primary residence for employment reasons? An insurance award for injuries that’s being held in trust?</p>
<p>Collect your documentation, including copies of of the pertinent expenses, prepare a spread sheet and make your best argument. Stick to the facts and go light on the emotional appeals.</p>
<p>FWIW, some of the arguments that the FA dept will not consider include: a lack of savings for college; a high cost of living where you live; private school costs for siblings; a step or non-custodial parent who will not contribute to education costs.</p>