<p>^^ Thank you for clearing that up, whartongrad08 (and Quantifier)! Much appreciated.</p>
<p>^No Problem. We still have to re-apply for aid every year. If perhaps your need stays the same in the following years but the donor’s funds have run out then you will still receive the same amount in grants except a part of it just won’t have a name attached that’s tall. Hope that helps.</p>
<p>I went in to talk to my fin aid representative about an insufficient aid package.
She said (and I quote): “How is this my problem?”</p>
<p>Well, that’s a bad sign. Did you try going up the ladder at the financial aid office? She’s probably not the final decision here; if there is an appeals process, at most colleges it’s handled via written application anyway so even if your financial aid “representative” is rather terse, you don’t necessarily have to give up if the school itself has a process. The only question I have is with this:</p>
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<p>I’m going to have to be honest with you. Most schools do not just increase financial aid packages just because the student asks them to. Even places like Harvard or Yale, with huge endowments, rarely increase financial aid packages and never just on the command of an applicant or a student. They usually ask for documentation of financial hardship of some kind such as what was just mentioned in the quoted post.</p>
<p>@Whartongrad, My family is a unique situation. Due to salary cuts, previous debts and entanglements, and other stuff, we are really not well off like the number suggests.</p>
<p>@ Quantifier: That is actually extremely helpful! Thank you, thank you, thank you!</p>
<p>@ necrophiliac: That was pretty much the attitude of the lady I met with before I applied. I really do think that it’s much harder than this thread suggests to convince Penn to increase a finaid package.</p>