<p>I'm OOS and thinking of attending Michigan. My family's EFC is 6.5K, and I was offered $5500 in loans. I know UM doesn't meet the full need of OOS students, but 6.5K and 50K is a big, big difference.</p>
<p>So I'm calling in to ask for more aid.</p>
<p>How do you folks suggest I ask? Any tips from people who have done this before? Or is writing a letter more effective? Please let me know if you have any suggestions that could help. THANKS!</p>
<p>Isn’t the EFC per year? If your family’s EFC is 65k, then UMich tuition is less than that.</p>
<p>If your EFC is 65k and you received 5500 in Loans, Mich determined that you do not have a financial need as your family’s EFC is higher than the cost of attendance</p>
<p>I’m confused: Is your EFC 6.5K (6,500) or 65K (65,000)? It makes a big difference. :)</p>
<p>Basic tips:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Have it clear in your mind, before you make the phone call, whether you’re asking to be considered for merit aid, need-based aid or both.</p></li>
<li><p>If it’s merit aid, you’ll want to research beforehand how your stats stack up to UM’s published guidelines for the students they generally admit. If your stats are at the low or middle range for UM, merit aid is unlikely to be offered to you.</p></li>
<li><p>If it’s need-based aid, you’ll want to have some very concrete numbers in hand when you call. You should be prepared to discuss how much your family can afford to pay, how much you/they are willing to borrow beyond that, and what the absolute minimum amount is that you’d need in order to make UM affordable for you.</p></li>
<li><p>That being said, do NOT frame the conversation as “I need $30,000 free money or I can’t attend!” Have the concrete numbers at your fingertips in case you’re asked about them, but don’t bring it up unless they do first. Financial aid officers don’t much care for being handed ultimatums–not at the beginning of the conversation, anyways. :)</p></li>
</ol>
<p>A good way to frame it is, “I’d like to request a review of my financial aid file to see if it’s possible for me to receive any more financial aid.” That way, you’re clearly asking for help, but you’re not demanding it.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you. UM’s a fantastic school if you can swing it, but it’s not the only school in the world.</p>
<p>It looks like his family’s EFC is $6,500…not $65,000.</p>
<p>Frankly, it doesn’t matter that your EFC is much less than UMich’s cost. You’re OOS. They need their aid for their needy instate kids. That’s what the Mich taxpayers expect. </p>
<p>Did you run the UMich NPC calculator? If not, do so…see what it says. </p>
<p>You can call, but you likely won’t get much more…maybe a couple thousand in work-study.</p>
<p>With a low EFC like that, applying to an OOS public wasn’t a good idea unless you had very high stats and would get merit money.</p>
<p>Good luck with that. We are IS and had a similar EFC and my D had to come up with 2/3 of COA her 1st year. I would plan on going elsewhere.</p>
<p>I would suggest you look elsewhere. You could ask for more, but really…you are looking for over $40,000 in additional aid. That’s just not going to happen.</p>
<p>Apologies, I misread the number!</p>
<p>Thanks choryphee for the helpful reply.</p>
<p>To clarify, I am indeed looking elsewhere as well–but I think it would be foolish not to give the Office of FA a shot given my position. If anyone has some other tips on asking for financial aid over the phone, please to give a holler.</p>
<p>Much appreciated.</p>
<p>Um, we are IS and they don’t meet need. What chance do you think you have of getting any substantial aid? :o</p>
<p>Ask, just don’t expect anything ;).</p>
<p>You knew applying as an OOS student you wouldn’t get great aid, right? State schools use taxpayer money for their own citizens. You don’t pay taxes to Michigan, right? So they won’t want to use any on you.</p>