“‘Not enough students know you can appeal the financial aid you've been offered,’ explains Abigail Seldin, who founded a free tool called SwiftStudent that helps students through the process of asking for additional funds. The application form for federal student aid, known as the FAFSA, relies on tax data from two years ago. A lot can change in that time — especially today, with high unemployment and a tanked economy.

“‘Because of this, most schools have built-in an appeals process, but it's complicated and happens at the school level. ‘So much of our financial aid process is a formal process,’ says Seldin. ‘Students who may not feel comfortable asking for help, who are first-generation, are less likely to go reach out and ask for more resources, let alone resources that they don't even know exist.’

“She says she's hoping the SwiftStudent tool will make the process more transparent, especially as families struggle with job losses, reduced hours and pay cuts and even evictions related to the pandemic.”

View the full article in NPR.

“A new online tool, SwiftStudent, offers financial aid offices’ advice for students appealing for financial aid, said Abigail Seldin, CEO of the Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation, which created the tool.

“‘Our goal is to give students the information they need to advocate for themselves,’ she said.”

View the full article in Bloomberg.

“A non-profit foundation today is releasing a new online tool that helps college students petition their institutions for additional financial aid based on changes to their circumstances such as a job loss or medical crisis.

The new website, SwiftStudent, will guide college students on how to file appeals of their financial aid awards using more than a dozen different types of templates.

The tool was developed by the Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation with the backing of a range of groups involved in college financial aid issues, including the National Association of Financial Aid Administrators, the National College Attainment Network and Reach Higher, the higher education initiative started by former first lady Michelle Obama.”

View the full article in Politico Pro.