<p>My DH is unemployed and I was just informed that my hours will be reduced. </p>
<p>So, our EFC is just not going to be easy to swing. D also got a much better offer from Williams, the difference of about 15k.
Also, she was just accepted to Amherst and we are hoping that offer is similar or closer to the Willims offer. </p>
<p>Anyone have success with the appeals process that would be willing to give me some tips about how to start the appeals process?</p>
<p>She will attend one of her other choices if we can not get an appeal approved, but I would like to try as Brown seems to now be her 1st choice.</p>
<p>Please feel free to PM me or reply here if you are comfortable to do so. </p>
<p>It’s pretty much a mystery to me as to how they make these decisions, but from what I’ve read here, appeals can sometimes work. Showing that you’ve received a better offer from a similar school or providing updates on recent changes in employment status are two examples that I’ve seen in the past. </p>
<p>I’m sure other posters here will have more specific advice, but I wish you the best of luck!</p>
<p>In your situation, an appeal should work (provided your husband was recently unemployed, and it didn’t show up on your taxes). Also, they are willing to reconsider aid midway through the year (they did for me when my dad’s income went down significantly) and they added the extra scholarship for 2nd semester to 1st semester. (so I got it retroactively, but it let me pay down some of the 1st semester accrued costs). Basically, they have some leeway to use (when you have work documents to show, for example, that you have to take furloughs) the expected current-year income rather than the previous year’s income in determining awards (but for most people this would be disadvantageous).</p>
<p>To be honest, I was shocked at the FA award that my D received from Brown. It was SO far below the FA offers from her other schools, all of which are Ivies. Is this typical for Brown, does anyone know?</p>
<p>2011VAMom: Yes, Brown will consider appeals and frequently increases the amount of aid. You should contact the Financial Aid Office at 401 863-2721 ASAP. Since you will be on campus for ADOCH, you could set up an appointment for that day, bringing all your financial info with you. Financial aid has people specifically assigned to meet with parents during ADOCH.</p>
<p>camathmom: Brown will consider other Ivies’ financial aid packages in appeals. However, Brown has a very well-defined financial aid policy – it has decided to focus its financial aid budget mainly on lower-income families, and not families with incomes over $100,000. So if you earn over $100,000 and got great deals from Harvard, Princeton and Yale, it is doubtful that Brown will match those. And I would not be surprised at all if Brown’s package is less. But if your income is under $100,000, and especially if it is under $60,000, then there is a good chance Brown would match the other Ivies.</p>
<p>Thanks fireandrain. I will call today and make an appointment for Monday morning and take all of our informatiom with us. My income was just over 100K last year but this year will be closer to 60k. I hate to even ask for an appeal, normally I would not and would hope to find another job or something to supplement our income.</p>
<p>But, this decrease in income will have a huge impact and I am concerened about gettting approved for a loan to bridge the gap.</p>
<p>I know that you said that Brown will consider other offers from Ivies - do you have any idea how they have handled schools like Williams and Amherst? </p>
<p>2011VAMom: My understanding is that Brown will look at aid packages from what it considers its competitors, and that includes Williams and Amherst.</p>
<p>I don’t want to get your hopes up – Brown is not as wealthy as Harvard, Yale and Princeton. But since you have a significant change in your income, and if you have the documentation to prove it, then I think you have a good case.</p>
<p>@fireandrain - thanks for the feedback. We are realistic and you are not getting our hopes up. I just want to put together the most detailed request for an appeal and I do not want seem ungrateful for the opportunities she has been given.</p>