<p>So, if we do not get the amount of financial aid that we were hoping for, does it help to talk with the financial aid personnels and inform them of our situation. Will talking to them or informing them really help or boost financial aid?? Should we do it? any insights or suggestions. thanks.</p>
<p>It can,but I would not hold my breath if you fall under pretty clear guidelines and precedents. But if you have an unusual situation, it would help to talk to financial aid, even before you get your package. It may be unusual enough for a counselor to pull your file and personally assess it at the time instead of having it go through the assembly line. It is easier to have their ear while they are making initial assessments than trying to appeal the decisions when they are being barraged with families who want another look at their packages. That is what happens at the end of the process, and the counselors there know it, expect it, and hunker down to endure it.<br>
At the end of the line, if a like school gives a far better package, and your student prefers the less generous school, informing them, could have them review your file. If they are using the same methodology and are competing schools, they may make an adjustment. If there is a mistake or misinterpretation, there will be an adjustment. A plain old appeal usuallly does not garner much more than additional loans, from what I have seen. BUt I have heard stories of those who did get more, so if you have an argument, why not try?</p>
<p>thanks and if you have any other suggestions to increase financial aid or other stories maybe of people getting more or less financial aid, it would be really helpful to me.</p>
<p>There is a possibility that financial aid officers will change your EFC if you can show proof of a major change in circumstances from your base year. For instance in our case my DD receives SS payments which will cease when she graduates from high school. If an adjustment is made (and I don't know yet but am going to ask) it makes a major difference to our EFC and makes us eligible for grants that we would not otherwise be eligible for. I think the term used is professional judgement adjustment or something like that. So if you are in a similar position it is definitely worth talking to the financial aid officer.</p>
<p>Private Financial Advisors: </p>
<p>The great unknown question that the OP asks: It is about the potential rewards or lack of after you paid for someone's expert advice. I personally would pay a doctor to tell me that I am in bad health. And will pay her (in my instance) even more, to tell me that I am in good health (which I am only reasonably so). </p>
<p>A few hundred dollars, perhaps a little more, to get an extra couple or more thousands. The problem with people who think they are not well off is that they refuse to invest a relatively few dollars to reap potential rewards of many many times more. The most you will lose is the fee and then you really don't lose it, because you will discover the answer to your question...CAN I GET MORE MONEY?</p>