Myfamily is upper middle class, with a highhhhh EFC so I know that I will not be able to get much need-based aid. However, I cannot afford much either. I’ve heard that emailing colleges and telling them what awards you got in other schools can help convince them to give you more money. Has anyone tried this? Has it worked? I’m really desperate because my top choice right now is Syracuse and they gave me no money, and their COA is ver 70,000.
I would definitely recommend calling financial aid office if you’ve gotten a better financial aid offer at another school. Last year one school gave me about -10k more after reaching out and showing a financial aid offer from another school (granted for me they didn’t completely match the better award). I would take a screen shot or picture of your offer from the other school and send it to your financial aid counselor (and you could probably call the office of financial aid to find out who this is, or look on the portal).
A note though - if your other financial aid is merit based, school’s won’t match merit aid with financial aid. For instance, I chose my college in part because I got a merit scholarship, which was about 30k better than the financial aid awards I got at other school based solely on need. But I couldn’t send this offer to the schools only offering me need based aid, since financial aid is solely based on EFC.
Being in that middle ground where college is really expensive for your family, but you also don’t qualify for aid (or at least enough aid for your family), is really difficult and I totally feel for you. For me, it came down to going to a school I thought was still a great fit, where I would also not need to take out loans and financially stress my family. There’s something to be said for being economically unstressed in college.
It’s probably worth the call but be prepared for nothing. If the merit aid offer is from a peer school it’s more likely to happen.
First, you need to have a better offer from a peer or higher school. Second, don’t expect anything when you try.