<p>How do you go about finding out if the college you want to attend can increase the amount of their financial aid package? Do you just call financial aid dept. and explain your situation, or to your admission counselor? Will it help to even ask?</p>
<p>IF you do not ask, you will not get any. You contact the financial aid office. You can do this via e-mail (as the director of financial aid along with an e-mail address is most likely on your award letter).Explain your situation for wanting or needing more aid. Then follow up with a phone call. It always help to ask because even if the school says no, you have brought closure to the situation and are not left wandering what could have been.</p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Do you think it's better to initially contact the financial aid office by phone or by email?</p>
<p>"negotiating" with the financial aid office is rather common...However, a few key things to remember while doing this:</p>
<p>1) Have parents call, don't do it yourself (they will likely be paying the bill and usually have more leverage when dealing with fin-aid)</p>
<p>2) Tell your parents never to use the terms "negotiate" or terms like it ("negotiating" is more or less just asking politely for more money in light of extenuating circumstances or, perhaps, a better offer...but when calling make sure nothing is said like "We have a better offer from X school, so match it or we will not attend..."...Dealing with the office in a polite way is the best way</p>
<p>3) Consult a financial aid book or site for more info. on "negotiating for a better deal"</p>
<p>...if things are handled in a polite and courteous way, the school will not rescind any part of your package, trust me...they get calls like this all the time...good luck!</p>
<p>Is it acceptable to request more money from a school that is not your number 1 choice? I ask this because my #1 school would not offer any more money and if my #2 offers a reasonable amount more, making the financial gap wider than it already is with my #1, I may choose to go to my #2. I ask if it is acceptable because I think it would be frowned upon if they indeed offered me more money, but I still wound up not choosing them. What do you think?</p>
<p>Even if they offer you more money, you are NOT obligated to attend. Don't feel guilty.. this whole process is such a game.</p>
<p>We filed a financial aid appeal form after a totally unacceptable financial aid award and got a LITTLE more money, but not as much as we would need. Is it over, or is there anything else I can do? At this point, I don't have any pride left...would groveling help?</p>