Parents get financial aid info for kids
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This Video Deals With Federal Aid For Students.

College Park, MD — Keep Me Maryland, a fundraising initiative launched last year by the University of Maryland in response to a growing need for emergency financial aid, received a boost of ,700, thanks to Maryland students, and two generous and dedicated donors.

The Student Government Association (SGA), in conjunction with the Department of Dining Services and The Maryland Fund for Excellence, spearheaded a meal plan funds donation drive to raise money for students and their families who might be struggling due to the economy.

More than 1,180 UM students donated a total of ,700 to help their fellow Terps. Nearly 300 students contributed the maximum. Longtime UM benefactors Suzanne and Murray Valenstein (’40) and Bob Facchina (’77) were inspired by the SGA’s and students’ efforts and matched the gift — bringing the total amount raised to ,700.

"Our students recognized a very real and pressing need in their community and with the leadership of the SGA and support of close friends of the university, stepped up to help," said Vice President of University Relations Brodie Remington, "This is another outstanding example of the entire university community’s commitment to supporting our students during times of need."

During the last year alone, appeals for financial aid had risen 60 percent compared to the previous year. Keep Me Maryland funds help families bridge the financial gap so Maryland keeps every student and their educations are not derailed by the down economy.

"Through this unprecedented collaboration between the SGA and the university, more students will now be able to stay in school without the day-to-day fear of not being able to afford their education," said SGA President Steve Glickman. "I look forward to implementing similar programs throughout the coming year."

Contacts: Beth Cavanaugh, 301-405-4625 or bcavana@umd.edu

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For 35 years, Don’t Miss Out has been the one of the most widely used, authoritative books available on financing a college education. Written from a consumer’s point of view, the 35th edition presents everything students and their parents must know. The book lists hundreds of scholarship, grant, and loan sources, and gives insider tips on personal finance techniques. Charts, tables & worksheets.

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(Vocus/PRWEB) April 11, 2011

The college financial aid offer letters are showing up at the student’s homes at this time, and many families are shocked by what they are seeing. Most often the colleges are expecting parents and students to pay more than they desire. Sometimes they are asking them to pay above what they can afford and well above the family’s expected family contribution as calculated on their FAFSA form.

“Don’t throw in the towel just yet,” says Scott Anderson, founder and CEO of eduLaunchpad.com. “There is still more that can often be done. Now is the time to get your appeals ready,” he adds.

The appeals process is essentially negotiating with the college, but Anderson recommends you do not call it negotiating. “Colleges get a little touchy if you talk about negotiating a financial award. They seem to think that they are not big business selling a needed service,” says Mr. Anderson. Instead, colleges and universities have an appeals process.

The appeals process can take on many forms. Some schools have their own paperwork they want students to complete to start an appeal. Other schools will accept just a letter from the student. Students need to check the colleges’ websites under financial aid to find out the process for each school. Mr. Anderson recommends that regardless of the specific process, all appeals should go to a representative in the college’s financial aid office if possible. The dean or administrator may be a good choice, but the better choice is whoever is responsible for your student’s financial award. A quick phone call to the financial aid office can get you that answer.

When making an appeal to the college, keep in mind that financial aid officers are people to. If a compelling argument can be made to a stranger as to why the student’s offer should be increased, then there is a good chance you will be successful with the college. It helps if the student applied to multiple colleges and has multiple offers on the table as well. Some schools will increase their offers simply because another school had a better offer. It is also important to have multiple choices to choose from. Maybe the student’s second choice school is going to cost $ 10,000 less than the first choice school. $ 10,000 per year can often change a student’s mind.

State your case clearly and succinctly. For instance, “my wife lost her job and our income this year will be $ 40,000 less that last year’s information on the FAFSA.” Or “My mother-in-law just moved in with us and we now have to support her.” Provide whatever supporting financial information you have available, but do not include information that does not pertain to your appeal.

“The number one rule of appealing a student’s financial offer is it never hurts to ask,” says Mr. Anderson. Families need to go ahead and ask. The worst thing that can happen is the college will say no.

http://www.eduLaunchpad.com is the most advanced college search engine on the Internet. It helps students not only identify which colleges they may be interested in, but which colleges will likely be the most generous towards them as well. Scott Anderson co-founded eduLaunchpad in 2009 and has over a decade of college financial consulting experience. Contact Scott for more information on preparing students and family finances for college.

For more information contact:

Scott Anderson, 563.359.1104

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