How to Write an Appeal for Financial Aid Reinstatement

When you write an appeal for financial aid reinstatement, think like the person you're writing to. You need to convince a skeptical reader to give you a second shot. Let her know what you have done wrong and accept responsibility. Then inform her what you plan to do is excel. This lets her know that you are not an academic risk. If you can't finish college without financial aid, include that in your letter.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Take stock of your academic situation before you appeal for financial aid reinstatement. Review why your school made you ineligible for financial aid. Isolate the problems that lead to poor performance and ultimately to the suspension of your financial aid. Wait until you have conquered that problem before you try to appeal for financial aid reinstatement.

2. Brainstorm what you are going to say when you write. Make sure your ideas focus on the appeal for financial aid reinstatement. Make sure that you have made the lifestyle or study habit changes that will improve your academic performance. Write down ideas that support one major goal--that you have overcome the obstacles that prevented you from performing well.

3. Generate an outline that you'll use when you write an appeal for financial aid reinstatement. Consider what you're going to say to acknowledge your errors or weaknesses, and what you have done to overcome these obstacles. Include in the outline how you are going to continue to excel with your studies now that you've rectified your poor performace.

4. Write your appeal for financial aid reinstatement using your outline. Have a friend read your letter and critique it. Consider his advise and rewrite the letter until it is a complete and accurate account of why your financial aid award should be reinstated. If applicable, inform financial aid officials that you need financial aid to continue your studies. Close by thanking them for their time.

5. Set your appeal for financial aid reinstatement letter aside after you've completed it. Come back to it a day or two later and go through it with the view of making corrections and readjustments. When you are satisfied with what you've written, file it with supporting letters. For example, if your performance decreased because of medical reasons, include a letter from your doctor vouching for you.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a friend who works in a financial aid office, have her read your letter. She has seen many of these letters come across her desk. Follow her editing advice. You want someone who has sat on a committee that determines financial aid rein-statements. If you can, ask your friend to set you up with one of the folks that sit on the committee. Have her read your letter, and give you valuable feedback.

• If you didn't do well academically because of medical reasons, get a recommendation for reinstatement from your doctor. The people reviewing your letter want to make sure that you're not going to continue to under perform. These letters will ensure them that you have conquered the issues that prevented you from performing well.

• If you appeal for financial aid reinstatement, there is no guarantee that you'll get reinstated. If your appeal gets approved, you'll be last in line to get funding. What you get depends on what's left over when your account comes up for payment.

• If you're in a work study program, some colleges will require you to stop working until your financial aid is reinstated.

Resources

• Community College of Philadelphia: Appeal Form for Financial Aid Reinstatement