Most families never appeal their financial aid offer, and the ones who do often receive more. An appeal is simply a polite, documented request for your school to re-review your award because your situation changed or the offer does not reflect your real ability to pay. It is free, and your financial-aid office is there to help.
Ask what their appeal is called (special circumstances, professional judgment, or an appeal form) and how they want it submitted. Every school has its own process, and following it is half the battle.
State what changed, when, and by how much, in plain numbers. Keep it calm and factual. Ask for a re-review, not a guarantee.
Documentation is what moves an appeal: a layoff notice, recent pay stubs, medical bills, or benefit statements. Numbers with paper behind them are far more persuasive than a story alone.
Send it the way they asked, note the date, and check back politely after a week.
The aid office decides at its own discretion, so no one can promise an increase. But a clear, documented appeal is the single fastest lever you have, and it costs nothing to ask.
Your school's financial-aid office assists with appeals at no charge, and you can always start at studentaid.gov. If you want a head start, AppealMyAid drafts an appeal built around your school's own policy for you to review and send in your own words.
If your situation changed, you can appeal. We draft it around your school's own policy.
Start my appeal