How To Effectively Appeal Your Financial Aid Offer

Let The FAFSA Guru guide you in writing an appeal letter.

In this short course I will teach you step by step, how to write an effective financial aid appeal letter that could help you get additional aid in the form of FREE money, not loans.

Many families are not aware that they can appeal their financial aid offer. As a financial aid professional who used to review financial aid appeal letters I can attest that using a specific strategy is extremely important.

In this 4 part course I will teach you:

  • About the two different types of financial aid appeals and which one to use based on your circumstances
  • A proven strategy for best positioning yourself in a financial aid appeal letter
  • What financial aid administrators look for in appeal letters
  • Exactly what an appeal letter should consist of and how it should be organized
  • The do's and dont's of writing an effective appeal letter

As part of this course, I will review your financial aid appeal letter after you've drafted it and offer feedback prior to you submitting it to college financial aid offices.


Testimonials:

"Hi Tina. With your help we have appealed the offers of 9 schools. To date, we have heard from 7 of them and have received significant additional grants or scholarships from 6. Thanks!" - Ryan G.


"I'd like to say thank you for your help with writing the financial aid appeal letter. We are down to making a decision between 2 schools. We sent the appeal to Millikin University. After writing a letter based on the advice and examples you gave, Millikin came back with an additional $8,000 in aid on top of what they had already provided! Which was great news and means we are able to afford Millikin if that's his decision. We appreciate your expertise and guidance!" - Jason Tehonica


“As a result of doing a financial aid appeal consultation with The FAFSA Guru and getting her assistance in drafting the letter, our daughter was awarded an additional $5000 for all for years of college, totaling an extra $20,000 in financial aid! It was the best $99 we ever spent! I highly recommend her to help you with the financial aid appeal process”. Scott Kelton


"Sending a quick thank you for all your expert advice on financial aid appeals! I’ve been taking your online class (Financial Aid Coaching) since August 2020 and I’m so glad I did. My friend referred me to you and it paid off! I wrote two appeal letters for my son (only to the schools that were the most expensive). The first one was unable to offer any more than what they had initially offered. But the second one, (which is the school he accepted admittance to and wanted to attend), just got back to us yesterday and offered $8,000 more!! We are thrilled. We feel like this is only the beginning, because we haven’t even heard back on any scholarships that he applied for yet. I could NOT have done this on my own. Thank you for sharing your wisdom. - Carla Jackson-Tucker

"Hi Tina, I just want to thankyou regarding the fantastic information regarding appealing your financial aid offer. I wrote an appeal letter using your digital course and we just received an additional $4700 in school grants! Now my daughter can attend her dream school!" Thank you so much! - Cheryl Banziger- Contrini


Your Instructor


Tina Steele
Tina Steele

I began my career in higher education just out of high school when I landed my first "real job" working as a Financial Aid Advisor in a local Truck Driving School. I quickly realized that I loved working with and helping students navigate the overwhelming financial aid process making it less stressful for them, and so my journey began.

Since then, I've worked in the areas of admission, financial aid, student advising, college transitions and have taught college courses at both the public and private level. Much of my experience and expertise is in the area of financial aid.

After working in higher education for over 30 years, I’ve seen the gap between the financial aid guidance students and their families need and what’s available to them. College personnel are overwhelmed and while they do their best to help student's and their families the are super busy and can't always provide more in depth assistance that many families are looking for, 800 numbers are frustrating, and private educational consultants charge thousands of dollars for their services, leaving most families unable to access the help they need.

As a mother (and stepmother) of six children, I’ve seen every side of the process. I launched The FAFSA Guru to provide guidance, support, resources, and a helping hand at an affordable rate for every family preparing for college. I have helped thousands of families navigate financial aid, making sure they get all the money they can and are entitled to. It is my passion, and I’m so grateful to spend my days doing what I do.

I specifically designed my services to be affordable and do not require families to sign on for any expensive packages.

I assist families across the U.S. (and even some in other countries) navigate the overwhelming financial aid process and help them maximize their financial aid packages and I do this virtually via zoom or over the phone. I offer a wide range of services.

I am passionate about helping families better understand financial aid and glide through the college planning process more smoothly.

I live just outside of beautiful Portland Maine with my husband Clint and 2 of our combined 6 children, and have seen 4 of our children through the college planning process, with two more heading off soon, so I understand first hand the frustration that comes along with that.



Course Curriculum


  Welcome to this course!
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  Step 1. Financial Aid Appeal Webinar
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  Step 2. Financial Aid Appeal letter Outline & Template
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  Step 3. Drafting Your Financial Aid Appeal Letter
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  Step 4. Final Step - Submit Your Appeal Letter to The FAFSA Guru for review
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Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I want additional help with my Financial Aid Appeal letter?
The FAFSA Guru will work with you one on one and help you draft your financial aid appeal letter and offer a 10% discount on her consulting services.

Get started now!