I am negotiating with DePaul University to get me more aid. I have very extenuating circumstances in personal family life and I think they would give me more aid. To do this I will have to fill out a form and letter describing the circumstances. I was thinking about mentioning how much more would be ideal for me (about 10k). Is this a good idea?
What you need to explain are additional achievements that were not noted in your previous application, to give them a reason to re evaluate their offer.
Do you have superior offers from comparable schools you would like them to match?
@Mastodon97 - That’s a tricky question. I’d suggest not giving them a specific number unless they ask. I say this only because people have occasionally posted that they appealed a FA decision and ended up with more than they expected, so they were glad they hadn’t provided a specific dollar figure. I think it’s rare that this would happen, but you never know. What you do need to have prepared, though, are very specific dollar figures for the extenuating circumstances, whether they involve a decrease in income or an increase in expenses (or both). And be able to document everything.
Good luck!
@emeraldkity4 - What you’ve posted here has NOTHING to do with the OP’s question, which concerns a financial aid appeal, not additional merit aid.
Dodger mom, where did they mention that it was need based aid?
Is it a school that meets 100% of need?
Did they file PROFILE?
@dodgersmom
It would be really ideal if they gave me about 10k. DePaul actually has separate forms for extenuating circumstances and financial reasons (loss of income, etc) and I will be filling out both. They don’t mention whether or not if I should mention how much I want. I feel like saying X amount more in the letter would actually make their jobs easier. Also, I think that I got both merit-based and need-based aid but I’m not sure because I am all new to this financial aid stuff!
How much grant aid is the school giving you now?
Are you hoping for additional aid to cover your calculated family contribution? Per FAFSA?
@thumper1
They are giving me about 15k right now.
@Mastodon97 - There’s no real reason not to say it, if that’s what you feel comfortable doing. There is always the very, very slight chance they’d offer you more than that, if you didn’t quote a number . . . but that’s really highly unlikely. So just be upfront and tell them what’s going on and what you need.
Good luck!!!
One concern . . . do you have a backup plan, just in case they’re not able to provide that much?
Please don’t say you’ll take out private loans . . .
@dodgersmom
If they don’t give me the 10k, I will have to take out 18k yearly loan and I am planning to do that with the Federal subsidized, unsubsidized, and parent plus loan.
One question. I am going to go to Law School after undergrad. In my letter, should I mention that I plan to go to law school and because of the extra debt that I would have from law school maybe they would look favorably on giving me that extra 10K?
They don’t care about your law school plans, and their aid is not designed to help subsidize your graduate studies.
You are almost wanting them to double your grant aid.
How many years will you need to take out these huge loans for undergraduate school?
If you are an incoming college freshman, isn’t it a little late for this request. Your matriculation decision is due tomorrow.
@thumper1
They messed up my whole account and delayed even longer to provide my financial aid award. I actually just received it on Tuesday. And I am planning to actually transfer to a different school (With hopefully better aid, I know for transfer students, aid is limited.
Sounds like a possible debt-saster.
@Madison85
18k yearly loan is a “debt-saster” ? It seems reasonable to me.
$72K loan comes to >$830/month for 10 years. That doesn’t seem reasonable to me.
Mastodon97. You don’t think it’s huge debt because other than the $27,000 in Direct Loans, the rest will be either in your parent name or cosigned by your parent.
That is a lot of debt for undergrad school. A lot.
I should have mentioned this before, apologies I misspoke. If I get the 10k more. I will be down to 20k yearly in loans. I will be getting 10k extra additional from family. So I will be down to about 10k per year in loans. Is 40k a lot in loans still?
Why wouldn’t you get the $10,000 extra from your family anyway?