<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. </p>
<p>In addition, she was just recently accepted to Amherst and we are hoping that the offer is similar or closer to the Willims offer. </p>
<p>Anyone have success with the appeals process in 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 all that I can 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>Check the financial aid packet that your daughter received from Brown. It should state how to ask for more aid (under “Special Circumstances” or “Exceptional Circumstances” or a similar heading). I have already written a few letters to schools, explaining that our income this year will be quite a bit lower than it was last year (i.e., as reflected on FAFSA); I gave the numbers and explained why our income will be lower. I decided not to compare aid packages in my letters, because I don’t think they’re sufficiently different to warrant that. If the particular school has offered my daughter a named scholarship, I mentioned that in the letter to that school. Good luck!</p>
<p>You could search this forum. It seems that people have different opinions about whether to mention other offers. Brown itself might state that it doesn’t look at other schools’ offers. One of the colleges my daughter was accepted by states that in its financial aid booklet. In your case, the difference is so significant that it seems worth mentioning.</p>
<p>I have 3 friends that have appealed for more aid in the past. They all did get some additional aid (like you, all had good, verifiable reasons for requesting a review of their aid awards), but none of them got a very big adjustment. Generally the adjustments were in the 3,000 to 5,000 range – not close to your 15,000 difference.</p>
<p>I hope it works out for your daughter at Brown, but there sure are worse things than going to Williams! Congratulations on her acceptances.</p>
<p>My son is at Amherst and they have been very generous with need-based aid in our case.</p>