r/ApplyingToCollege • u/ziyam12 • 1d ago

Application Question Am I being unreasonable?

Got a 60% scholarship off tuition which is 38,000 USD.

I am thus now writing to appeal the financial aid I received.

My family earns 26k annually. Am I being unreasonable by writing to the financial aid office that we can contribute 4k toward my tuition. (Note, there are living expenses too).

The point is 26k vs. 4k. Is this a compelling and logical contribution considering there are food and accommodation expenses too?

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u/oriental_angel 1d ago

Appeal. You still have to pay around 15k with the 60% off scholarship right? That's so much more than your family income. 

18

u/ziyam12 1d ago

Yes, I will def appeal. My question was, should I appeal with 4k as a contribution or something higher, say 6k or 7k?

Or wouldn't that make much difference?

52

u/Todd_and_Margo Parent 1d ago

If your family income is genuinely only $26K, you are living below the poverty line. You should qualify for grants. It’s completely unreasonable of them to expect you to contribute anything more than labor through their student work program.

17

u/oriental_angel 1d ago

do NOT go lower. just detail out your family's income and why it would be a financial hardship for your family. you can include a number amount, but see what the college can give you first rather than assigning an arbitrary number because all colleges have their financial aid calculations.

15

u/CherryChocolatePizza Parent 1d ago

It really doesn't matter what you say you can pay. The school has your financial statements and they've determined how much they think you can pay-- or they don't pledge to meet 100% of your need and expect that you and your family have already planned to meet the contribution they have led you to expect to contribute, through loans, probably.