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Originally published April 25, 2022

It’s the time of year when students begin receiving college admissions decisions and financial aid packages. Whether this will be a student’s first time in college or they are navigating the enrollment processes as a current or returning student, the availability of financial aid will likely be a leading consideration for enrollment. What options do students have when their financial aid award may not reflect their current situation?

Many students and families may not know they can appeal for more financial aid. The four tips below will help you take the necessary steps to secure all eligible financial aid.

Why should you submit a financial aid appeal?

Submitting a financial aid appeal is an extra step in the process — but it’s worth asking and advocating for what you need to succeed in school. Without sharing that your situation has changed since submitting a financial aid application, there is no way for the school to know.

Did you know that by federal law, there are certain reasons you can request a change to your financial aid package through what’s called a “professional judgment” or “special circumstances” appeal? Simply put, it’s your right to request more aid. Reasons to appeal your financial aid award include, but are not limited to, job loss, loss of a loved one, medical expenses, and childcare costs.

Where should you start when asking for more financial aid?

A financial aid appeal or request is available to qualifying students at all types of institutions (graduate, four-year, two-year, and trade) offering federal financial aid. The office of financial assistance may take some time to evaluate your request, so you should ask about the appeal options as soon as possible.

After you decide which school you will attend, your best first step is to review your school’s website to determine if they have a Special Circumstances or Professional Judgment form to start the appeals process.

If the school does not have an online form, there is a free tool, SwiftStudent, that offers downloadable templates for students to request adjustments to their financial aid award. Downloading a financial aid appeal template can be done in a matter of minutes. Students simply complete a form, and their responses generate an appeal letter they can use to let their school know their situation. The question prompts on the form also guide students through what supporting documentation they may need to submit with their appeal.

What do you need to request more financial aid?

Whether you are submitting your school’s online form or an appeal letter, you must include supporting documentation with your appeal. Supporting documents include bills, signed letters from caregivers, medical or service providers’ costs, court documents, termination letters, unemployment benefits, final pay stubs, or out-of-pocket repair costs after a natural disaster. Ultimately, it’s up to your financial aid office to determine the required documents. These documents aim to confirm the change in your financial situation.

Do not submit original documents, as the financial aid office will need to retain them for its records.

What’s next after you submit a financial aid appeal? 

– Additional Documentation: Your financial aid office may need additional documents or information to make a decision.

– Follow-up: Make sure to check your official school email address daily so you don’t miss a response from your financial aid office. You can also reach out to your financial aid office to check on the status of your request. SwiftStudent has a worksheet to help you keep track of your communication and conversations with the financial aid office.

– Appeal Decision: While there is no guarantee that your school will adjust your financial package, federal law allows financial aid officers to use “professional judgment” to update the information used to calculate a student’s offer of financial assistance. If your request is approved, the financial aid office will share how much more aid you can expect to receive, if any. If you are offered a loan, it’s important to consider the type of loan and how the amount will help you reach your educational goals. If your request is denied, it doesn’t mean you’re out of options. Ask your financial aid office why the request was rejected and what other community or institutional resources are available.

RELATED CONTENT: University Of North Carolina Expands Financial Aid In Response To Supreme Court

Family with one child viewing potential new home withsenior estate agent, father talking to agent while mother and son look out of window of spacious empty room, real estate, new life, beginnings By Jasmine Browley ·Updated February 28, 2024

The American Dream may be a bit more equitable than we thought, according to a new report from Zillow.

Homeownership, one of the most touted bastions of wealth-building, has notoriously been more challenging for Black Americans than white Americans. But new data from Zillow suggests the gap between the share of Black and white renting families that could comfortably afford a mortgage payment shrunk significantly during the pandemic.

The report points out that in 2022, nearly 40% of 138 million U.S. families didn’t own homes—of those, more than 6.3 million families were considered “income-ready” for a mortgage, or in other words ready to make a purchase if they chose to do.

Just 7.8% of Black families were income-ready for a mortgage, compared to 12.5% of white families — a gap of 4.7 percentage points. This gap has closed by significantly since it stood at 7.9 percentage points since 2012.

“Despite the significant decline in mortgage affordability in the past two years, millions of families who do not own their home have the means to afford the largest share of a homeowner’s cost — the mortgage,” said Zillow Senior Economist Orphe Divounguy in a news release. “While some families may choose to rent, many are simply constrained. It’s crucial to recognize the existence of additional barriers beyond monthly cost, including access to funds for a down payment and closing costs — as well as other barriers that significantly contribute to mortgage denials, like insufficient credit scores and lack of access to credit. These barriers especially impact people of color.”

While there has been improvement in closing the racial homeownership gap, it is still marginal. Across the U.S., homeownership among white families sits at 73% as compared to Black households (44%). This is also compounded by the pervasive racial wealth gap. As the Brookings Institute reports, between 2019 and 2022, for every $100 in wealth held by white households, Black households held only $15.

The post Zillow Says The Racial Homeownership Gap Narrowed Significantly In The Last Few Years—But It’s Now What You Think appeared first on Essence.

Originally Published Sep. 9, 2014

Imagine working your butt off for five years straight. Working 70 to 80 hours a week with little to no sleep is just the norm for you. Never mind the premature graying and migraine headaches that you’ve developed all for that magical moment of being named partner. Think about all that you’ve missed, from weddings to quality time with family, all for that anti-climatic moment. Was it worth it?

Now, if you are using money as a metric, I’m sure you would say yes.

However, if you factor in the hours of your life that you will never get back, all for a title and possibly a new parking space – was it all worth it? As a life coach, I primarily deal with individuals who are extremely successful outwardly, but have neglected themselves and others. That risk cost them more than just time. It also cost them relationships and moments of joy that far outweigh any paycheck.

I’m here to offer you some key tools on keeping balance in your life.  Make no mistake, I want you to get the title. I just want you to get that title with joy.  Here we go:

Time with friends and family

Never break or reschedule this time for work unless it’s dire. Show those who matter to you that you matter to them. Remember, consistency provides comfort, especially in relationships.

Fitness

You have to take care of you. Exercise provides a release and gives clarity. The endorphins released provide energy and mental stability.

Date Night

I don’t mean with your spouse or significant other. I mean you. Take yourself out and spend some time hanging out with you. Even if it’s just playing music in your room. Zone out and leave work at work. Turn off work mode and turn on life mode.  Find time to enjoy yourself.

Work Efficiency

Not everything requires hours of work. Find efficient ways to lighten your load. If you take some time out to carefully examine your work load, you will discover there are some smart shortcuts that will help you cut back hours you spend at work.

Definitive Desires

It’s important to know why you want that title. Is it to stunt on social media, is it to fulfill an insecurity of yours, or do you truly desire to use that platform as a means for change?  Knowing why we do the things we do will always help us in our choices.

Remember, we have the ability to not only change our world, but the world as a whole. Be great!

Article Written by Pervis Taylor

RELATED CONTENT: Eve Gets Candid About Life And Career In Upcoming Memoir ‘Who’s That Girl’

The opening of A New Kind of Wilderness is narrated by Maria Vatne. Maria is the mother of a family in Norway living outside of civilization. As she tells the story of her family you quickly draw the assumption that this is a documentary on living away from the hustle and bustle of society. Growing your own food, staying away from technology, and homeschooling your children. However, you are quickly shown still photos of Maria fighting cancer at home followed by pictures of her family without her.

A New Kind of Wilderness directed by Silje Evensmo Jacobsen delves more into the Payne family’s journey after a tragic loss to keep their way of life but also adapt to their current situation.

Maria was the main support financially for her family with the sale of her photography. Losing this source of income forces Nik to make the hard decision to sell the family farm. Nik and Maria had 4 children Ronja (from her previous relationship) Freja, Ulv and Falk. Ronja goes to live with her father shortly after her mother’s death. Nik is left with the daunting task of trying to homeschool 3 children, while providing a source of income for his family. He makes the decision to move closer into town. While Maria and Nik wanted to homeschool their children throughout their education, Nik quickly realizes he must send them to school at least 3 days a week so that he can work.

A New Kind of Wilderness showcases Nik’s struggle trying to maintain their way of life while also facing the reality of his situation. He doubts himself much more than he did when his wife was alive. He even grappled with the thought of moving the children back to the UK (Nik was raised there) so that he would have more access to childcare and better job opportunities.

In addition to Nik’s struggles a large part of the documentary is told through the eyes of Freja, Nik and Maria’s oldest. Maria’s death effects Freja the most out of Nik’s three children. You really see the stress she has worrying about her father, how they will live, and having to go to a regular school (to which she referred to as prison early in the film). 

Her relationship with Ronja is also a source of stress as the two seemed to drift further apart. The documentary does a great job focusing on this relationship as it is the most complicated relationship of the film. Ronja also a child albeit a teenager deals with her mother’s death by pulling away from her family. Being around the other children reminds her too much of her mother. She is not oblivious to the fact that her sister Freja needs her, and you see her try to navigate being there for her sister while taking care of her own mental health.

A New Kind of Wilderness was an enjoyable documentary about the importance of family support. A heartwarming story that will make you fall in love with the Payne family. And while I don’t believe this was the story Jacobsen set out to make in the beginning, it came together in a heartfelt way.

• DIRECTOR(S)SILJE EVENSMO JACOBSEN
• PRODUCERMARI BAKKE RIISE
• EXECUTIVE PRODUCERKIM CHRISTIANSEN
• CINEMATOGRAPHYSILJE EVENSMO JACOBSENKARINE FOSSERLINE K. LYNGSTADAAS
• EDITORSKRISTIAN TVEITCHRISTOFFER HEIE
• COMPOSEROLAV ØYEHAUG
• SOUND DESIGNERYNGVE LEIDULV SÆTRE
• COLORISTTOM CHR. LILLETVEDT
• FEATURINGULV VATNE PAYNEFALK VATNE PAYNEFREJA VATNE PAYNERONJA BREDA VATNEMARIA GROS VATNENIKOLAUS ITHELL PAYNE
• PRODUCTION COMPANYA5 FILM

• YEAR2024
• CATEGORYFEATURE
• COUNTRYNORWAY
• LANGUAGEENGLISH, NORWEGIAN
• RUN TIME84 MIN

The post A New Kind of Wilderness: A Touching Documentary about Moving Forward After Loss appeared first on The Nerd Element.