What are the steps in appealing a financial aid suspension? How should I go about doing this?

Major circumstances: new born baby, step son moved in with us and he has learning difficulties..........so I spent all my time tutoring and discussing issues with teachers so he could be tested, transportation difficulties.....unbearable living circumstances.....our apartment went through some days during the summer with no air and the inside temperature in the house was about 104 degrees even at night time......do you think I have a good chancE? Should I be personal? Keep it professional? Has anyone had experience with this? WHat type of documentation should I provide? With out my education I am nothing. The semester before I made a 4.0, and two 3.0's in my other classes...should I bring that to attention as well? I am so lost!!! I cannot afford school without financial aid...and I cannot bare the thought of how in the heck I can repay the school and government for not meeting the grade. I was active in my 3 classes throughtout the entire semester -1 class i was not active.

Don't give up. As Financial Aid Director, I'm on the Academic Review Committee at my school. I think you have a chance to reestablish your eligibility. [Of course, the steps for appealing a financial aid probation or suspension will vary by school, so you should first contact your school to establish what their speciic rules are.]

I've found some good information here...

http://www.FinancialAidQuick.com/

Good Luck.

You need to find out exactly WHY you were suspended, first of off. In your letter, you need to show a clear understanding of why you were suspended so you can demonstrate that you wont do it again.

Because even if you got one A, two B's and then one F this would not take you below the 2.0 minimum for your schools Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.... at least for this one semester. So there is something else that is going on here.

What were your grades prior to this semester? Did you drop classes last semester and then not take the nec hours to make up for it? Again, find out exactly WHY you were suspended and write your letter to that. Did your school drop you from that one class making you below full time? There is more to this suspension than just the one class that you failed. Were you on probation the previous semester? Why?

Be sure you detail in your letter how you have taken steps to why this will not happen again. Listing support systems helps and listing a VERY specific academic goal helps also.

Documentation required is outside paperwork (not from you) to prove your case... like a hospital bill SHOWING you were in a comma on Tues and Thursdays during that class you never showed up to.

Or a news clipping and boarding pass that you were on a flight to NY City and your plane had to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River and you couldn't go due to debriefing policies from the airline but only on Tues and Thurs for that class you never showed up to.

Or a Itemized bill from the clinic showing you were in a full body cast and no wheelchair was available on site to get you from the Dr's office on Tues and Thur during that class you never showed up to but WAS available for the other classes you went to.

It's up to the committee, not us, to determine if you deserve another chance. Be sure to tell them you do!!