Appealing Financial Aid

<p>So Fordham is my absolute first choice. A few months ago I received my estimated awards paperwork and it was very disappointing. Since then I have spoken to numerous people in the financial service dep., written numerous letters and have been told to wait until I receive my official awards. Well today, I received them it didn't change at all. Unfortunately my family is in that bad spot of being upper-middle class but still not being able to afford $50k a year. So I am wondering if anyone has had any luck with appealing. Is it worth waiting another two weeks and going through this whole process or should I just give up...</p>

<p>Any insight would be helpful thanks.</p>

<p>It never hurts to appeal. But it’s often a matter of hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. F likes to put its money into merit awards rather than financial aid. Find out who your admissions officer was, call and thank him, maybe even pop over there if you are local and meet with him, and ask for advice as to how to best handle the appeal, and the work your way over to the financial aid office. </p>

<p>But start looking at your affordable choices as well.</p>

<p>I appealed my daughter’s $13,800 purely merit aid by showing them 5 other offers she had gotten that were higher, and they told me they don’t compete with other schools for merit awards.</p>

<p>I appealed my D’s $6300 last week. Much like My3 and you, scd, we are upper middle class and can’t really afford it. The only “argument” was that my D had three higher offers which I mentioned in my letter. FA called me yesterday and asked me to send copies of the offers and stated that they don’t compete with other schools. The woman with whom I spoke was just gathering data and filling out the form to send in to the board. I suspect that I will get much the same response that My3 got.</p>

<p>Well, they didn’t even ask me to send proof of the offers (I just listed them, and provided only the name of the school in one case) – really, they just dismissed the appeal.</p>

<p>That won’t be the only deciding factor for us, but it would’ve been helpful to have them match at least one of her other offers, maybe the one closest to the Fordham offer.</p>

<p>My3Daughters:</p>

<p>Reappeal it and send the full offers. Fedex it if you need to.</p>

<p>My3Daughters & scdp342 - is it possible for you to visit them? So many people are calling the financial aid offices at all the schools that these people need to know you have narrowed your school choice down to 2 or 3. A face to face conversation with any schools financial aid department will show you REALLY want to attend & they will give you their time.</p>

<p>Also, at Fordham, I was told the 1st financial aid package you receive does not take any special circumstances into account. Doesn’t matter how many calls or letter you have sent. They hold all that aside, & look into it after (don’t ask my why!) but you should have a re-evaluated decision before 5/1. Keep checking your portal.</p>