"Yes, You Can Request More College Financial Aid—Even During A Pandemic"

“Few college students know that they can request changes to their college financial aid packages. The term financial aid appeal doesn’t even appear in the glossary of the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid website. A recent GAO report found that two-thirds of all institutions do not inform students that they can appeal for a dependent care allowance, which permits students with children to request financial aid to cover childcare during school-related activities. Today, more than 25 percent of all college students have a dependent child. 

Students can appeal their financial packages for a number of reasons, and the Department of Education provides guidance to financial aid counselors annually. At the Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation, we wanted to provide a similar resource for the 18.8 million Americans who apply for college financial aid each year. For the past six months, we have collaborated closely with 18 leading higher education associations, advocacy organizations, and colleges to build SwiftStudent: a new free, digital resource that helps students request changes to their college financial aid packages.”

Read more in Forbes.