Chris Taylor at NBC News wrote about how families can still save thousands on college tuition after the May 1 decision deadline has passed. One analysis found that successful financial aid appeals save an average of $5,100 a year, and most families never file one.
What I told NBC: most families treat May 1 like a finish line. It is not. Decision Day is not the end of the college cost conversation. It might be the beginning of the most important part.
Three things are still on the table after the enrollment deposit goes in. You can appeal your financial aid offer at any time. If your financial situation changed since you filed the FAFSA, a job loss, an illness, a divorce, aid administrators can work with updated numbers, and a well-documented appeal often succeeds. Local scholarships are still available. National scholarships get all the attention, but smaller awards through employers, community foundations and civic groups often have later deadlines and far less competition. I had a client last year whose daughter landed two local scholarships after her deposit was already paid. And schools are still competing for your student. If your child is on a wait list somewhere, or you have not given a firm no to the runner-up school, that school may still make a move, and your first choice may match it.
The last few miles of a marathon are often the most important. The same is true here.
Read the full article at NBC News →
