All About Financial Aid Appeals

As schools wrap-up their spring semesters and students turn their sights to the fall, it’s become apparent that the financial implications of Coronavirus are going to hit hard. Students who have never qualified for financial aid may now qualify for thousands, and students who were barely making tuition payments with their current aid status may now need to consider alternative financing or suspending their enrollment. That said, there is one option that shouldn’t be overlooked as a method to increase your aid and potentially save yourself a few thousand dollars on your tuition bill this year.

What is a Financial Aid Appeal?

The Financial Aid Appeal process exists to help students make their case as to why they deserve more financial aid. If you get a financial aid award that’s less than you hoped — or if your financial circumstances have changed since you completed the FAFSA, which in this time period...pretty much applies to everyone — AND you need less than $7,500, your first action should be to appeal your financial aid.

The Appeal itself is an explanation, usually written to the financial aid office, as to why you will need more financial support to attend a semester/year of school. Your financial aid office will likely have its own process, so you’ll need to call them to find out more about what the steps are.

What Could Constitute an Appeal?

At this point, your best bet is to appeal for as many of the following situations as are applicable:

• Job loss or decrease in income 

• Divorce or separation of a dependent student’s parents

• Death of a dependent student’s parent

• Special needs or disabled children

• Unreimbursed medical and dental expenses

• Catastrophic loss, such as damage or loss from a natural disaster

• Textbook costs beyond the standard allowance in the cost of attendance

• Change in the student’s marital status

• Dependency override

• End of child support, Social Security benefits for a child or alimony payments

• Pretty much anything related to the Coronavirus

Common appeals at this point will likely center around students or family members losing their job and thus having less money to contribute towards school.

When Should I Appeal?

IMMEDIATELY! Call your Financial Aid office to learn more about the process.

What Does the Appeal Process Look Like?

Below is a brief overview of what the process is going to look like for most students:

Templates

Looking for some examples of what you can use when writing up your aid letter? Look no further! Check the below templates and use what works for you:

• My parent/guardian lost their job

• I lost my job

• My parent/guardian was sick or passed away due to Coronavirus

I Have More Questions

We’ll be reviewing the entire Appeals Process and providing tips and tricks on Friday, May 22 at 12pm CT and we’d love to see you there! For more information and to register, please check out the link below:

Additionally, you can contact us at anytime by reaching out to Mike Jank at mike@a-m.money

COVID-19 REFLECTIONS: Quarantine Time - Finding Your Vibe

As the days continue to go by and more information is being put on the news, it’s more than safe to say that a lot of us are feeling the quarantine blues AKA cabin fever. There’s something about just being in the house and not being allowed to gather that bothers some of us, because if I’m speaking for all the teens and young adults out there, I know we can all agree that we’re ready to break out. However, it’s absolutely necessary to take these precautions in order to keep everyone safe and healthy. 

Just because we’re confined in the house, doesn’t mean we can’t switch it up on a day-to-day basis and have some fun. I think a lot of people are overlooking this time in the confinement of our own homes. We should be enjoying our families and getting to know them more and get closer to them. We should also be discovering ourselves and working hard to make sure that we continue to strive and thrive. I know that’s a little optimistic, but I have a few suggestions to make your time a little more valuable, and a little more fun. 

Tip #1: Rediscover an old passion of yours 

Sometimes we take for granted our many talents, and when we get a little busier, we start to disconnect from that part of ourselves. The first way we can look at quarantine is that it’s giving us a way to redefine and relive what we fell in love with and why we fell in love with it. I know for me, I rediscovered my love for writing. I’ve always been a writer, and I actually have been writing since I was in the fourth grade. I lost track of it because of school and work and I started making up all these excuses why I wasn’t putting my energy in my passion, but then I realized my passion is who I am. I’m a writer, I’m a poet, I’m a novelist and I’m rediscovering what all those titles mean to me.

Tip #2: Family Fun Nights 

I’m really big on family, and I try to make sure that I’m bonding with every one of those family members that I hold close to my heart in some way. Sometimes you have to have those laughs and those moments of pure silliness in order to make yourself comfortable with where you are. Sometimes have a game night every now and then. I know for me and my family when I break out the Monopoly or a quick game of spades, it’s over with. My older brother even taught me how to play dominos so now I’m into that too. Try learning new things from your family that they enjoy so you can all enjoy different things together. 

Tip #3: Pushin’ for some cookin’ 

It’s safe to say that everyone has joined the home cooking train these days, especially since restaurants are closing and most of us are trying to refrain from going out too many times throughout each day. I love mixing it up in the kitchen. It’s soothing to me, especially when I’m cooking and I’m having my music going whether it’s my gospel or my old school R&B. You just have to find your niche, and even if you’ve never touched a pot or pan in your life, just try it. I feel like this quarantine is making us all a little braver as well, so start pushing those fears aside and let’s get those aprons! 

Don’t keep any of these things up just for the quarantine. I feel like now that people are starting these self-discovery journeys and getting back to the true essence of themselves, I feel like all of these things including the tips that I just provided for you should be practiced once we’re all in the clear to start getting back to the ways of the world. Don’t just talk the talk for the quarantine, walk the walk once you get out that door. Let’s do this!

Faith Smith, Valparaiso University ‘22

COVID-19 REFLECTIONS: Pick your "hard"

The biggest test students are about to face yet: Survival of COVID-19®. We students have more room to fail right now and that’s not even including actual course work difficulties. What odds are we up against? Well, they are still rather 50/50 despite it feeling otherwise. I say this because of a quote I’ve read recently, “Struggling is hard. Achieving your goals is hard. Pick your hard”. That there sounds very “50/50” to me. 

The betacoronavirus disease, COVID-19 for short, is a virus that is affecting the respiratory system of its victims and possibly killing them, which is becoming more frequent that we care to acknowledge. It has turned into a pandemic that is surely bringing fear and uncertainty across the world. The virus is a huge concern but for those of us who have not contracted it, it’s the precautions that are taking the biggest toll on us. This is where student troubles come in at. 

When this all started a lot of colleges were on spring break and then abruptly told that classes would not be resuming just yet for our safety. Social distancing has caused universities to cease all gatherings and in-person contact. Subsequently, some students living on campus have been displaced and a great majority of them have made their courses for the semester online. For some, this is exactly what they needed to be more successful. For others, this is a nightmare.

I personally have never signed up for an online class because I do not possess the discipline to stay on task and manage my time if there are no in-person meetings. I am also way too inquisitive of an individual to be comfortable being limited to how intimate my class setting may be; there is truly something prized about raising your hand for impulsive questions versus typing a laundry list of questions in an email and its follow up questions. This rings true for my peers across the world. Focus and discipline are issues for us in this time. 

With classes being virtual (video) via “zoom”, we have an abundance of time on our hands. Online courses affect our time management, engagement/ motivation, eating/ sleeping habits, productivity, graduation dates and mental health to name a few. With virtual lectures being optional for some, “optional” doesn’t take a high priority in such a time- students are missing lectures. What isn’t optional here are the assignments and if you aren’t good at managing your time and keeping up with dates, then points and grades can easily slip away from students. The motivation to keep up with online classes is at an all-time low as well. Some students’ busy schedules have calmed because of all this and they are taking the to time to care for themselves rather than keep class as a stressor for them. Due dates have moved farther away, and the urgency in their work ethic has been lost. A lot of students are classified as “physical’ or “social” learners. Taking away in-person meetings are affecting the amount of material that can be learned (and learned alone to make matters worse). Loss of routine has caused sleeping schedules to be broken and eating habits to be laxer than our heath can afford at this time.

Imagine being a displaced student and still have it expected of you to succeed during this pandemic for grades that will make or break your transcript.

Imagine losing your job because it is nonessential and being expected to give priority to coursework while not knowing if your landlord will pardon your rent or if you will have enough to feed your family. Imagine being the only one in the household with an essential job, having the weight of caring for yourself/family and still be expected to succeed this semester. Imagine not having a computer because you used one at the library every day and they are all closed now. Imagine fighting to live in the dorms for fear of home life and now you must return to a home that is unsafe or non conducive to your success. Imagine having too much time on your hands to fall into depression (or a deeper one) or self-harm. Imagine having too much time to think so you are sleeping to shut the noise off and subsequently declining your progress. Imagine having to drop out of courses and still expected to pay off your tuition bill. Imagine coming so close to graduating and it’s been pushed back a semester. Imagine catching this virus without healthcare and the medical bills still being expected to be paid or the lack of medical attention sought out for the same reason.

I could continue this rant, but we don’t have all day. The question is, now what? Even the government is fickle about what information is true or should be shared. I feel we may have more problems than solutions. There are a few tips for students I will suggest that I think are most important (without repeating everything that’s circulating). Nonetheless, now more than ever, it will be so much easier said than done. For starters, limit your consumption of the news about this pandemic.

This is not an ode to “ignorance is bliss” but a testament to “that was enough for now”.

Amongst that, take your classes and only work on one subject/course a day. Try not to do a bunch of different subjects a day because the jumping around will overwhelm you. Take one subject and work at your pace throughout the day or maybe even just the mornings. Which leads me to my next point, give yourself credit for all the steps you’re actively taking to make progress. That may be something as small as doing your hair really nice for yourself because looking better helps you feel better thus, improving motivation. Lastly, I would suggest getting due dates and tasks onto sticky notes as it helps when you can physically touch all those thoughts floating in your head. It’s also more satisfying to remove the stickies once something has been accomplished. 

What you are reading is my input into the time capsule. There are so many perspectives to look at this with: the elderly, the incarcerated, the undocumented, the healthcare workers, the homeless, etc. In the future when they ask what happened to us students during COVID-19, this will be one of many pieces they reflect on. 

Takira Brown, Roosevelt University ‘21

COVID-19 REFLECTIONS: Focusing At Home With Online Classes

Education is important. Don’t even get me wrong. But I’m sure by now all of you have been moved for the most part to online classes. I’m sure I can also be convinced that while you’re taking online classes, you’re at home. Of course with being at home, if you’re a college student like me, most likely you’re not in your own apartment. Instead, you’re at home with your parents and siblings if you have anything or any other relatives. Either way, most of you may be around people while you have to keep up with your classes. 

I know for me, my household can get crazy. With babies running in and out of here for me to babysit and then my parents or my sister can walk in at any given time while I’m online doing class virtually, it can be a hot mess. The distractions are at its all-time high. Even while I’m doing this blog, someone is trying to get me in conversation or my baby cousin is trying to play with me. It’s crazy, and I know it’s hard to keep up with the work, period. 

Some people may not have the proper internet access to attend the virtual classes nor to access their assignments through Blackboard. Trust me, I understand your pain and frustrations with this whole new setup. It’s a lot to take in and it was so sudden. I honestly dislike this new method of schooling. I feel like since everyone has to communicate via the Internet in some form of fashion, it’s harder to keep up with emails and assignment due dates. Professors already have their own households to worry about, and since they have multiple classes an abundance of students, their responses to emails are delayed which is also very understandable but frustrating at the same time because communication gets lacked. 

I also think it’s harder to attend these virtual classes because the Wi-Fi is unpredictable. Sometimes it runs slower because there’s so many people on it. Sometimes it cuts off and you miss certain aspects of the lecture. However, something that really helps with this is that all the professors are understanding. They make sure that the students are accommodated for so that if there is any trouble experienced, it won’t be held against us. 

I just wanted to open up a space for us to discuss this. Again, these are certainly uncertain times and it’s hard for us to understand what’s going on. Every time we turn on a news channel or look on social media, there’s a new announcement about extending the quarantine shutdown. It’s inevitable at this point, but once again we need to continue to stick together and make sure things run as smoothly as they can at this point. It’s a lot to take in, especially when it comes to school. My heart goes out to all the seniors out there this year, those both in high school and college, because senior year is one of the most important years of your life with both. Not just because you’re graduating, but also because of the festivities that everyone looks forward to. For high school, there’s homecoming, prom, and graduation itself and for college, it’s those alike. Times are still rolling, so we will continue, but trust and believe you’re not the only one feeling this. 

Faith Smith, Valparaiso University ‘22

Understanding “more than just grades”

Two words: STUDENT INVOLVEMENT. These words were introduced to me a little late in the game. I’m a senior in college learning the importance of “more than just grades”. Student involvement is just as the name suggest: the inclusion of students into a formal community with the intent of furthering their people skills or academic interests. This plays a role in opportunities you may gain or miss out on.

On a college campus, this is usually present via social or academic clubs, sports, arts, or any other formal organization where like-minded people congregate. Yeah, I bet you knew that already too. What I didn’t think qualified for student involvement was engagements outside of school yet, it absolutely counts. This could be volunteer work that is non-academic, leadership taken in a fundraiser, being a part of a book club that reads novels written by Black women (if you wanted a specific example for the road), etc. Ok but SO WHAT, right? I’m right on track for graduation, grades are good… I’m literally being a model student. Welp, that’s exactly what some employers and graduate/professional schools say when they read resumes and transcripts, “So what?” 

Let’s pause for a second.

I’m the type of person who really enjoys isolation and minimum human interaction (if we’re being frank). Thus, I am not eager to join anything for an extra-curricular purpose. Why does that matter? Well these things are outside of my comfort zone, but it doesn’t speak to the fact that I may identify with one of these organizations. This leads me into explaining why some institutions put a preference to individuals who have been involved in something. Let’s resume.

Personally, I dream of going to (and graduating from) medical school. So, if I knew everything in the world about medicine, does that help me be a good doctor? Does that help me read a room or vibes/ demeanor of people? Does that help me create safe spaces for my patients or co-workers? Does that help me know when to lead and when to follow? Does that help me know that everything isn’t done by the book? The answer is…. NOPE. Interacting builds character, experience and knick-knack skills that a book can not teach you. An employer or school would prize a candidate with associations to groups or experiences rather than one who has none of that because it builds an expectation.  The expectation is then satisfied simultaneously because they know someone on a sports team, if you will, SHOULD be able to listen to authority, work well in teams, perform well when put in the hot seat, have a sense of camaraderie, time management skills, etc. When you know a person has achieved a certain level of these things it shows a well-shaped candidate but also…. it’s nice to know that’s one less thing they must teach you. So, for me, the student, I agree with what they’re aiming for. It just sucks for me that I’m hearing the IMPORTANCE of all this so late.

When is the right time to start? Well, I would say start during your summer breaks. JOIN SOMETHING or (for our advanced readers) START SOMETHING!! I wish this wasn’t something you just learn via word of mouth. The importance of student involvement should be something shared widely, not a secret gem floating around. This trickles down to high school students as well because undergrad schools are the same.

I would hate for someone to be in my boat and realizing their degree/diploma just might not be enough.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk!

Takira Brown, Roosevelt University ‘21

COVID-19 REFLECTIONS: Don’t Bottle It Up, Vent It Away

I know what you’re thinking: what in the world crisis is going on these days? I get it, and trust me, I understand your frustrations. With the corona virus outbreak, every day we’re getting new information that’s more overwhelming than anything. At this time, people’s livelihoods are affected because of the closing of jobs, limited resources, and being unable to be around the people you love the most because of social distancing. 

Everyone is frustrated. That’s something that can’t go away. Everyone is also fearful because we have no idea what is going on or what will happen next. It’s a lot to deal with, and something that’s also getting affected the most is our education. 

As a college student myself, I’m more of a hands-on person, which means I learn the best when I’m in the classroom doing the work and seeking help from professors during their office hours. Unfortunately, with everything that’s been happening, it was announced yesterday over the news that all schools in Indiana are suspending in-person classes for the rest of the semester, which means all of my classes from here on out will be online. 

I see many problems with this. First, for some of my classes, I had tutoring, which means I was already trying to work on bringing my grades up, specifically in my science classes. However, now that I’m no longer doing in-person classes and we have to practice social distancing, I no longer have access to the proper tutoring, which means I’m completely on my own at this point. I have my professors through email, but they have so many other students to keep up with as well as their personal lives and their children to look after and keep safe, which means they won’t be available at my every need and call. 

It’s times like this where instead of staying to ourselves and bottling up everything, we should vent it away and leave it where it is. Stress levels are high. No one knows the future of their financial standings. This is a tough position to be in for everyone, and it’s affecting every part of our lives. It’s what we do as American people. 

My heart and prayers go out to everyone that has been affected by this virus whether it’s health-wise or financially. Since this is a place of venting, I would like to hear some of your frustrations. Don’t be afraid to say what’s on your mind, let’s talk about it. 

I hope everyone does their best to stay healthy and safe. Keep your children close and make sure you’re checking on your loved ones. These are trying times, but do not be discouraged. We will get through this, and once we get to the end of the tunnel, our sun will shine brighter than ever. I believe in you and me.

Faith Smith, Valparaiso University ‘22

Bachelor’s Degree Addiction

Three seconds to think, GO! You graduated high school, now what? College! Ok, get a bachelor’s degree. Times up. You’re in college… but so is everybody else. Hmm, interesting. 

Let’s begin here. “They” have been promoting the necessity of going to college so well that the thought is second nature. Ask any child, maybe 10 years and up, what do you do after high school and it’s likely to be the same answer our elders have- get a degree. It says, in so many words, that you can’t be taken seriously in this world without one. So many entry level positions that are easily mastered with maybe a week or two of on-the-job training are requiring these four-year degrees. Guess who eats it all up? We do. We accept this for law, and we pass up all the other opportunities out there. We have associate degrees, trade degrees, certifications, licensures, etc. There are more ways to survive than four-year degrees. These are pursued, sure, but they’re like the ugly friends in the group- they don’t get that much attention.

Making yourself go to college (and finishing), has its perks for sure, but at what risks? How will you pay for this degree? Is this option suitable for different lifestyles and family sizes? What was your mental health like before and after “higher-ed”? Will you finish? Wh-

* BREAKING NEWS: BACHELOR’S DEGREES ARE BEING VIEWED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TOTEM POLE*

Then there’s that. This part is what kills us. We are foraging for these degrees so frequently that it has become the new norm and employers aren’t impressed. You start to stand out less and your goal has become their minimum expectation of you. Just when you thought you had “surviving” figured out. So, back to the biggest question we started with: now what? 

How do we calm a person from fearing they won’t be good enough without a bachelor’s? Do we need policy change? Do we need to change high schools as an institution? Do we change higher education? (This is a separate conversation by itself)

What does no fear and no fret look like for you?

Takira Brown, Roosevelt University ‘21

Scholarship Guide: How to tell if it’s a scam…

If you’re concerned that the scholarship that you found is a scam, go through this list.

No Provider Contact?

Always check to see if the scholarship website or paper application lists the provider’s contact information. There should be a physical address, email and phone number available, just in case students have questions about the program or required documentation. If the email bounces or you cannot reach an actual person by telephone, the program may be a scam.

Application Fees?

In most cases, free money should be free. Period.  Some literary competitions may require a small fee, but these programs usually involve large manuscripts and the fees are used to pay for experts in the field to review and select winners. Whenever a provider requires a fee, ask what the fee covers. If the provider cannot give a reasonable explanation for the expense, don’t apply. Another red flag is any provider that requires a credit card to process the application.

Fishy Website?

Most scholarship programs are hosted on the provider’s website or through a scholarship management system. Be wary of any program that includes outdated information or resides on a website that has typos. Websites that direct students to various broken links or are overrun with advertisements are another indication that the scholarship may be bogus. Legitimate programs will include current information on eligibility, rules, deadline dates and have a link to the application (online or paper). 

No Past Winners?

If a scholarship has been offered for more than one year, the provider should include information on past recipients, or have an address (or email) listed where students can inquire about previous winners. Legitimate providers are always happy to share this information and promote past winners. Students should also inquire about the selection process, such as how winners will be chosen and when they will be notified. If a provider is unwilling to give this information, don’t apply.

Guaranteed Scholarship?

Any scholarship or college counseling service that guarantees students will win an award is not legitimate. The only ‘guaranteed’ scholarships available are offered when colleges give awards to students who meet specific criteria. These types of scholarships are typically merit-based (grades / test scores) or need-based (income). Scholarships take time and effort, and if you are willing to do the work, you’ll typically have the best results.

Scholarship Guide: Time Management

How are you going to manage your time applying for scholarships? How many scholarships are you going to apply for? 

Set a goal for how many you want to apply for. If you want to win 5 scholarships, that might mean applying to 30!!

Here are some ideas for how you can manage your scholarship applications:

1. Spend 1 full evening every month (4-5 hours) applying for scholarships, working on their essays, etc.

2. Spend 2-3 hours per week. Whenever you sit down to work on scholarships, start a stopwatch and just stop it when you need to. When you pick back up, restart it.

3. Make it a routine. You can spend time on Tuesday & Thursday to research and bookmark scholarships that you want to apply for, and then work on applying and submitting them on Monday-Wednesday-Friday.

4. Keep track of your progress using a Scholarship organizer! Here is an example of a spreadsheet you can use to help track your progress as you go.

Whatever you do, work out a routine that makes sense for your schedule and doesn’t stress you out. If you know you can’t commit to working on scholarships every day, subscribe to some newsletters and scholarship blogs so that you can look through them when you have time, like when you’re on the train.

Scholarship Guide: Essays... Yes or No?

Write a cause and effect essay and have an English teacher help you edit it and evolve it over and over. Most scholarships ask you for this kind of essay so you can shorten it or lengthen it and use it over and over. There are a few essays you should write and be able to use them over and over.

No matter what the essay is, short or long, have at least one person read through and edit it. You don’t want to immediately lose out on a scholarship because of a spelling mistake.

Write something original to yourself, and appropriate for the prompt.

Here are 3 things you may want to avoid in your scholarship essays:

1. Spitting Back the Essay Prompt

   • Can you imagine how boring it would be to read the same opening sentence over and over again? There’s no need to include this for any reason. Trust me. Scholarship providers know what their scholarship prompts are and don’t need to be reminded. 

2. Using Quotes

   • Don’t get me wrong, an obscure quote can work well in an academic paper, but in general you should avoid using them in scholarship essays. Why? Chances are the quote you will choose is going to be used by several other students, which means your ‘original’ essay isn’t so original anymore. If you must use a quote, use one of your own. That might actually get someone’s attention!

3. Introducing Yourself

• Unless the scholarship essay instructions specifically state that you must include your name in your paper, don’t start your essay by introducing yourself. It may actually disqualify you from advancing. Many scholarship committees conduct blind readings. This means a reader cannot have any information pertaining to you. Even if the scholarship prompt asks you to share some information about yourself, refrain from starting your essay in this fashion. Instead, begin with something memorable from your life that will leave a lasting impression with your reader.