pay the way
leftover dollars
Scoring More Financial
Aid During
It’s not just what happens to your popsicle by the
pool! “Summer Melt” is what colleges call the
period of time after May 1st when students may
change their minds about what college they want
to attend or “melt away” after deciding they cannot
afford college at all, resulting in some newly
freed-up financial aid opportunities.
MELT
This means you might be able to swoop in and
scoop up those unclaimed dollars! Here’s what
you need to know:
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Timing is EVERYthing.
We don’t recommend asking for more money immedi-
ately after May 1st, or Decision Day. Give it time (late
June/early July) for those students who were uncertain
to commit to another school choice, leaving their
financial aid/scholarship packages up for grabs.
Turn on the Charm.
Always start off by thanking them for the generous
financial aid package/scholarships that the school has
already awarded you. Express genuine excitement
about attending their school; be enthusiastic! Then
and only then should you proceed to ask if there is a
possibility that they may be able to offer you further
financial assistance.
Be Prepared to Follow Through.
Make it clear that you are interested in both further
financial aid and information about any unclaimed
scholarships you may qualify for. Additional scholar-
ships may mean additional applications/essays, etc. If
the Financial Aid Office goes through the trouble of
letting you know about additional opportunities, make
sure you follow through and fulfill all of the require-
ments!
Summer 2018
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Provide Justification.
Has your family’s financial situation changed? Maybe a
parent has lost a job, or maybe there are some medical
bills or other factors in play that aren’t reflected in your
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
documents. Now is a great time to let the Financial Aid
Office know so they can better assist you.
10-20%
of eligible students
“melt away” the summer
before their freshman
year of college.
Source: https://blog.ed.gov/2013/07/summer-melt/
www.potentialmagazine.com