Many families have heard that the financial aid package they receive from a college may not, in fact, be the school’s final offer–that they can appeal to the financial aid office for a more favorable package. But what’s a lot less clear is exactly how a family should go about making that appeal. What factors are considered? How do you make an effective case? What can you do to improve your chances of getting the package you need to attend the college you want?
Industry-recognized expert Mark Kantrowitz just released a new book, How to Appeal for More College Financial Aid: The Secrets to Negotiating a Better Financial Aid Offer…and Getting More Financial Aid in the First Place! I’ve not yet read the book, but if it’s anything at all like the hundreds of articles, interviews, and other informational resources Kantrowitz has participated in on the topic of college financing, you can expect that it will be full of expert, unbiased advice with no selfish angle other than to help families.
The description of the book makes it clear that it’s not a lesson in negotiation for families who have already received a generous package. The most successful appeals almost always come from a clear, compelling presentation that financial circumstances within the family necessitate more aid for the student to attend that college. And this book promises to help families in that situation make the most compelling case.
If you’d like a quick primer on this topic and Kantrowitz’s approach, here’s a 2015 Washington Post article, “How to Negotiate a better financial aid package.”