Need help writing an appeal letter for more merit aid - anyone had success?

congrats on her acceptance! yes u should DEF mention other school offers in the appeal. my son got an extra $7k/yr just by showing them that his 2nd choice gave him more $$$. just be super respectful about it, don't make it sound like a threat that she'll go elsewhere.

I work in financial aid at a university (not yours obviously) and can share some general appeal advice. For merit appeals specifically: 1. Be factual and concise - admissions committees read dozens of these 2. Include *copies* of competing offers (not just amounts) 3. Highlight any achievements that weren't on the original application 4. Explain why this specific school is the perfect academic fit 5. Have the STUDENT write part of it - this makes a huge difference 6. Submit it within 14 days of receiving the original offer DON'T mention financial need in a merit appeal - that's a separate process through financial aid.

Just wanted to add that we went through this last year with my son. His first merit offer was $6,000 and after appeal they only bumped it to $7,500. Then we found out from other parents that the SECOND appeal is where they really negotiated! We did another letter in April (right before deposit deadline) and suddenly they found another $5,000/year! So don't give up after the first try.

I tried appealing merit aid and got NOWHERE. Complete waste of time. They just said "our initial offer reflects our best assessment" blah blah. I think it depends on how much they actually want your kid. If she's just barely in their stats range, they probably won't budge. If she's at the top of their range, they might.

When we did our merit appeal, we were getting absolutely nowhere with the financial aid office phone line - constant transfers, voicemails that never got returned, and conflicting information. I finally used Claimyr to get through to a real person who could actually help (claimyr.com). They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I got through to the right person, they explained that merit appeals go through the admissions office, not financial aid. Completely different process! I would have been sending our letter to the wrong department. Definitely worth the time saved.

One IMPORTANT thing no one mentioned - the appeal letter should focus on why they should invest MORE in your daughter, not why you need the money. We made that mistake initially. Our successful letter included: 1. Her specific academic goals and research interests at THAT university 2. Why their specific programs aligned with her future career 3. Leadership positions and recent awards (stuff that happened after application) 4. Brief mention of competing offers LAST (as context, not as leverage) Daughter got an additional $6k/year. Good luck!!

wait but i thought FAFSA with the new SAI system was supposed to make everything affordable??? My cousin got way more aid this year because of the SAI changes so maybe you should double check your FAFSA first?

Ok here's my ACTUAL appeal letter template that worked for us. I took out our personal details but this structure got us an additional $9k/year: Dear [Admissions Committee], [Student name] was honored to receive admission to [University] and the merit scholarship of [amount]. As [University] remains [Student]'s first-choice school due to [2-3 specific academic programs/opportunities], we are writing to respectfully request reconsideration of [his/her] merit scholarship amount. [Student] has received the following merit offers: - [University 1]: $XX,XXX per year (total $XXX,XXX) - [University 2]: $XX,XXX per year (total $XXX,XXX) Since submitting [his/her] application, [Student] has also achieved the following: - [New accomplishment] - [New award] - [New leadership position] [Student] is committed to contributing to the [University] community through [specific contributions]. While the other offers are generous, [University] remains [his/her] first choice for [specific reasons]. We appreciate your consideration of this request. [Student] would be proud to join the [University] Class of [Year] and contribute to its legacy of excellence. Sincerely, [Parents] [INCLUDE 1-2 PARAGRAPHS FROM STUDENT IN THEIR OWN WORDS]

As someone who just went through this process successfully last month, I want to add a few practical tips that really made a difference for us: 1. **Timing matters** - Don't wait too long, but also don't rush it immediately. We sent ours about 10 days after the initial offer, which gave us time to craft a thoughtful letter. 2. **Get the student involved early** - My daughter actually initiated the conversation with her regional admissions counselor during a campus visit. That personal connection helped when the formal appeal came later. 3. **Be prepared for a phone call** - They called us within a week to discuss the appeal rather than just sending a written response. Have your talking points ready! 4. **Consider your deposit deadline strategy** - We were honest that we needed to hear back before committing elsewhere, but didn't make it sound ultimatum-ish. Our initial offer was $12k and we got it bumped to $18k. The key was showing genuine enthusiasm for the school while being factual about the financial reality. The template Grace shared is really solid - definitely use that structure! Good luck with your appeal - your daughter's stats are strong so there's definitely hope!