Want to appeal my FA awards from a college. In the appeal, would it be in poor taste to mention that other colleges were more generous with their offers but that their school is my first choice, so I’d like to see if they can match the aid?
What is the basis for your appeal? Has anything changed financially since you submitted your financial aid forms?
How much more money do you need?
Are these other colleges peer schools with similar costs to attend and similar financial aid policies?
@thumper1 So I’m leaning towards going to RIT for engineering, but so far I’ve also been accepted to UMass Amherst and Buffalo who have given me better offers.
As for financials changing, my mom has heen unemployed for all of 2018 and my dad makes around 30k a year. I also have a twin who will be attending CU Boulder. However, the colleges requested my parents 2017 tax forms, which shows both of my parents as employed.
Absolutely you have had a change in circumstances if you mother is unemployed now. Go to the FA website and look for the form. It may request documents like her layoff notice, unemployment insurance payments, and any income since job loss.
Yes show them your offers. It’s up to them to decide if this is enough to give them more. Honestly for financials I think it’s best for the parents to do this. Schools don’t want to lose students if their close on the offers. Also ask for a housing grant /credit. Lots of schools have them but don’t advertise them.
One way to start is to say “I really want to attend but I need help financially to attend. I have some other offers. What can we do today to make X school a reality for me today”. Now the pressure and ball is on them not to lose you.
As stated they should be peer schools and better if they are in the same competing region for students. You also have more leverage if you are in demand. Like an athlete or a in demand theater person.
UMass and Buffalo(SUNY) are both public universities. RIT is a private university. It will not matter what either of these schools have given you in financial aid.
Are you in-state for either one of these schools? If you are instate for Buffalo, then that is your best bet, because you are getting TAP (NYS aid) Pell (federal aid) etc. if you are in NYS, did your apply EOP/HEOP?
Sounds like you are from NYS, so you need to take the UB offer anand run with it.
oh I don’t know if SUny buffalo is the best bed. Does Buffalo have coop programs like RIT? That can cut a lot of the expense and provide access to experience and jobs.
What is your home state?
You need to let them know that mom has been unemployed since 2017. What is your FAFSA EFC?
How is your twin affording CU Boulder??
Currently the family has a household income of 30K/year and there is a 12k gap in the RIT financial aid package.
Most of the aid at UB is entitlement aid, which probably already a part of RIT’s financial aid package because they are a NYS school. The reason I asked about HEOP is because I have students who are there through HEOP who have full financial aid packages with no gaps in aid. RIT is a FAFSA only school that does not guarantee to meet 100% demonstrated need.
What’s your net cost at each school? If UMass only gave you $10k/year how will you pay the rest?
Your parents are divorced so there are two households to pay for. Your mom’s been out of work for a year and you said your dad doesn’t work consistently, so it sounds like you need to pick carefully. In another thread you mentioned using loans to make up the difference. That’s not really wise.
I’m agree all College need to know about your actual financial need, but Umass Amherst normally don’t give a lot of aid, thats the reason students in state must pick the other Umass more generous.
I agree with @sybbie719 that UB is the best deal. It certainly does not hurt to approach RIT with your alternatives and see what happens, but keep the bottom line in mind. It’s what you have to pay out, whether from job proceeds or loans, that is the comparison number.