In some cases, filing an official financial aid appeal may even delay the deadline for putting down a deposit. Here, according to college financial aid and admissions officers, consultants and students, are the steps to take:Email, don’t call, and handle it yourself. “If there has been a significant reduction in income compared to your application, inform the school’s financial aid office; in some cases, financial aid can increase,” said Phil Asbury, Director of Financial Aid of Northwestern University in Illinois. The opportunity to increase need-based aid depends on the accuracy of your documented financial change and the financial ability of the school to make a change,” John Leach, Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment and University Financial Aid at Emory University, told CNN. Northwestern has a “priority deadline” so that the financial office can notify students early, but students can still apply for financial aid all year round.

---