Parent PLUS Loan Rejected. What Now?

Getting a loan rejection letter can be very disheartening and exhausting after the work you put into helping your child(ren) pay for their education. However, there are still ways to gain more financial aid through what is called an “appeal” process.

Most schools have these in place and you can get the specific details through their financial aid department. The most common way this process is handled is by sending in proof of income and a formal letter stating exactly where your finances are at, and why you or your child needs more money for school. It is best to do this process as early as possible because as the months move forward toward the beginning of the academic year, the financial aid pie is allocated to students on a first-come basis.
Some things that you should definitely do/include in the letter:

1. Detail about change in finances — if you lost 20% of your income… say so. That would make a substantial change in your family’s EFC and could potentially net your child a lot more money.
2. A brief description of you and your child’s efforts to raise money for school. Be genuine. If you show that you are making an effort (applying for scholarships, asking banks, etc.) you are much more likely to get more in return.
3. Last, but not least: make the letter clean, grammatically-correct and professional. It makes your request look more polished and let’s face it… people are more inclined to read and give attention to something that is easily legible and compelling.