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How to Ask for More Financial Aid and When It Actually Works

Betsy Stangel
Betsy Stangel

What families need to know before appealing financial aid

When college financial aid offers arrive, many families assume the hardest part is over. In reality, this is often where the most important work begins, and without guidance, confusion follows.

Financial aid offers are not standardized. Colleges present costs and aid in different formats, use different assumptions, and apply different policies. As a result, families can easily misunderstand what they are actually being asked to pay and whether an appeal is realistic.

Before thinking about asking for more aid, families need clarity. That starts with comparison.

Why Financial Aid Offers Look So Different

Two colleges can review the same family’s financial information and produce very different aid offers. This does not necessarily mean one is right and the other is wrong.

Some colleges rely primarily on the federal FAFSA methodology, while others use institutional methodology through the CSS Profile. These approaches can treat income, assets, home equity, and retirement contributions differently. In addition, colleges apply their own policies when determining how much institutional aid they are willing or able to offer.

Another factor families often overlook is how colleges treat outside scholarships. While private or community scholarships are a great accomplishment, some colleges reduce institutional aid when outside awards are applied, a practice often called scholarship displacement. Because policies vary widely, understanding how each school applies outside scholarships is an important part of accurately comparing offers.

This is why side-by-side comparison matters. Looking only at the bottom line without understanding what is included can lead families to draw the wrong conclusions.

Why Net Price Calculators Sometimes Miss the Mark

Net Price Calculators are valuable planning tools, but they are estimates, not guarantees. Differences between an estimate and a final award can occur for many reasons, including the academic year used, how closely the inputs matched filed financial aid forms, or changes in institutional policy.

When a calculator is used correctly and saved, it can still be helpful during a review. Colleges may assess whether the estimate and application data align and whether the difference reflects expected variation or warrants reconsideration.

What a Financial Aid Appeal Really Is

A financial aid appeal is not a negotiation or a demand. It is a request for reconsideration based on information the college can review.

Common reasons appeals are considered include changes in financial circumstances after filing, significant differences between comparable offers, or meaningful discrepancies between expected and actual costs when data aligns. Even in these situations, colleges are not required to adjust aid, and outcomes are never guaranteed.

Timing matters. In many cases, families should have most financial aid offers in hand by early March. This allows time to compare awards, clarify missing information, and submit appeals before enrollment deadlines approach.

Why Comparison Comes Before Appeals

Appeals are most effective when they are informed by accurate comparison. Families who skip this step often appeal for the wrong reasons or use arguments that colleges are unlikely to review.

At Method Learning, we help families standardize offers so they can clearly see true costs, understand how aid is structured, and determine whether an appeal makes sense. Sometimes the outcome of that process is reassurance rather than action. Other times, it leads to a thoughtful, well-timed appeal grounded in facts rather than emotion.

A Thoughtful Approach Leads to Better Decisions

Financial aid decisions are about more than one year of cost. They involve long-term affordability, potential debt, and alignment with family priorities and future plans.

The goal is not simply to ask for more money. The goal is to understand options clearly and make confident decisions based on reality.
Betsy Stangel

Betsy Stangel

Betsy has helped thousands of families through the college admissions process with more than twenty years of experience. She began as the coordinator of a comprehensive college advising program at a private 8-12 high school in Louisiana for twelve years. Following her tenure there, she embarked on her own private consulting business before partnering with Method Learning. During Betsy’s years of strategizing with families, she helped families navigate the entire college admissions process; however, she has a keen interest in advising on financial aid and scholarships. Betsy has also traveled extensively with large groups to visit colleges over the summers and is an expert in planning college visits and how to make the most of your time both in person and virtually. Betsy is a member of NACAC, IECA, and the OhioACAC. She is a firm believer in attending their sponsored professional development opportunities to stay up on current trends and changes in the college admissions and financial aid fronts. She has also presented at various conferences on best practices within the profession. Betsy has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Alabama and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University, New Orleans. Betsy is a New Orleanian transplant to the Akron, Ohio, area, where she lives with her husband, two children, and their two dogs. Betsy enjoys cooking and do-it-yourself projects.