One of the most common questions parents and adult students ask is whether or not they can negotiate for an improved scholarship or financial aid package.
The answer is "yes" for some, and "no" for others, depending on a number of variables.
It is accurate to say, however, that in some instances, meeting with a financial aid or admissions counselor can lead to a better financial aid package than the one offered initially.
Virtually all colleges and universities require students seeking financial aid to answer questions on a federal form (called a FAFSA) designed to provide an indication of a student's need for financial aid. Some private colleges also use a second form to obtain additional relevant financial information.
The financial information on a student's FAFSA is fed into a formula to determine whether or not he or she is eligible for federal grants and/or subsidized (low interest) student loans. Understand that other kinds of aid, including many scholarships and unsubsidized loans, do not require established need, but federal grants and subsidized loans do. You also need to realize that federal dollars can not be used to award more dollars than required to meet a student's full need.
Thus there is only one way to get an increase in federal funds. If you can demonstrate to a financial aid counselor that your financial status has changed significantly since submitting the FAFSA, or prove the existence of special circumstances, you may be eligible for additional dollars. If you have a case to make, be prepared to submit documentation and you may be successful. Your word alone will seldom if ever be enough.
Institutional financial aid, however, can be a different story. Individual colleges and universities can offer you grants and scholarships even if you have no financial need. But, not all choose to do so. The very most selective colleges tend to offer money only to those with demonstrable financial need (and meet the full need of all students).
Many colleges, especially privates not in the highest tiers, have created well funded scholarship programs designed to help them enroll students who, without a scholarship as a difference maker, might choose a more selective or lower priced alternative. These colleges tend to be especially happy to offer no-need scholarships to students of high achievement and potential.
As a result, students bound for colleges in this category may have some luck in upping their financial aid package if they can point to other institutions which have offered them better packages or make a convincing case that the initial financial aid package presents a difficult financial challenge. These kinds of appeals should be made to an admissions counselor or to the Dean of Admissions.
Do not think of a request for more aid as a negotiation, and do not approach it as such. Instead, ask an admissions officer (counselor, director, or dean) for help...help that will enable the student to attend the college without creating severe hardship for his or her family. If you have a good case to make...if you can demonstrate that the financial aid package offered to you puts a college or university out of reach, you may well get the additional aid you need.
