| Parents and students often ask if it is possible to | | | | Financial aid offered to you by the college you attend |
| negotiiate with a college to improve the initial financial | | | | is not necessarily subject to the same regulations as |
| aid package they have been offered. | | | | federal dollars. Colleges and universities can and do |
| The answer is "yes" for some, and "no" for others, | | | | offer all kinds of scholarships to students who have |
| depending on a number of variables. | | | | no financial need. The very most competitive |
| But, it is sometimes possible to meet with a college | | | | colleges, however, award money almost exclusively |
| admissions or financial aid counselor and come away | | | | on the basis of need, and meet 100% of every |
| with an improved scholarship or financial aid package. | | | | student's need as determined by the FAFSA. |
| Virtually all colleges and universities require students | | | | Other colleges and universities, especially second and |
| seeking financial aid to answer questions on a federal | | | | third tier privates, often use institutional scholarships |
| form (called a FAFSA) designed to provide an | | | | to compete with more selective and/or less |
| indication of a student's need for financial aid. Some | | | | expensive colleges. Such schools are generally very |
| private colleges also use a second form to obtain | | | | comfortable using their own dollars to sweeten the |
| additional relevant financial information. | | | | pot for high-achieving students. |
| The financial information on a student's FAFSA is fed | | | | Thus, a good student admitted by such a college |
| into a formula to determine whether or not he or | | | | may be able to wind up with an improved financial aid |
| she is eligible for federal grants and/or subsidized (low | | | | package if he or she can produce award letters from |
| interest) student loans. Understand that other kinds | | | | other colleges which offer better packages, or if he |
| of aid, including many scholarships and unsubsidized | | | | or she can convince an admissions counselor, director, |
| loans, do not require established need, but federal | | | | or dean that the original financial aid package would |
| grants and subsidized loans do. You also need to | | | | make it difficult (or impossible) for the student to |
| realize that federal dollars can not be used to award | | | | attend the college. |
| more dollars than required to meet a student's full | | | | Do not think of a request for more aid as a |
| need. | | | | negotiation, and do not approach it as such. Instead, |
| Thus there is only one way to get an increase in | | | | ask an admissions officer (counselor, director, or |
| federal funds. If you can demonstrate to a financial | | | | dean) for help...help that will enable the student to |
| aid counselor that your financial status has changed | | | | attend the college without creating severe hardship |
| significantly since submitting the FAFSA, or prove the | | | | for his or her family. If you have a good case to |
| existence of special circumstances, you may be | | | | make...if you can demonstrate that the financial aid |
| eligible for additional dollars. If you have a case to | | | | package offered to you puts a college or university |
| make, be prepared to submit documentation and you | | | | out of reach, you may well get the additional aid you |
| may be successful. Your word alone will seldom if | | | | need. |
| ever be enough. | | | | |