▸case-01 My dad was laid off from his job in February 2024, dropping our family income from $95,000 to $42,000. I was accepted to NYU for Fall 2024 (Student ID N18293041), but the current aid package leaves us with a $15,000 gap we can't pay. I have his official termination letter and final pay stub. Can you help me write a formal appeal letter to NYU's financial aid office asking for more grant assistance? Please include a list of supporting documents I need to attach and a timeline of how and when I should follow up with their office. | fail→pass | 15,146 | 10,224 | -32% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,774 | 2,932 | +6% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-02 In January, my mother had emergency surgery resulting in $22,000 in out-of-pocket medical costs not covered by insurance. This reduced our available family contribution for my upcoming year at the University of Michigan (ID 49201948, Fall 2024). I need an extra $10,000 in grant money to make attendance possible, and I have the hospital bills and insurance explanations of benefits ready. Please draft my formal aid appeal letter, along with an evidence verification checklist and a plan for post-submission follow-ups. | fail→pass | 17,756 | 11,927 | -33% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,197 | 3,210 | +0% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-03 I was accepted to UCLA for Fall 2024 (ID 30581920), which is my dream school, but USC offered me a grant that is $12,000 higher per year ($28k at USC vs $16k at UCLA). I have the official USC financial aid award letter. I want to ask UCLA if they can increase my grant aid to close this $12,000 difference. Please draft a full appeal submission for me, including the formal letter to the aid office, a breakdown of necessary attachments, and a detailed schedule for checking in on the file status. | fail→pass | 15,991 | 10,851 | -32% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,764 | 3,020 | +9% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-04 I am filling out my initial FAFSA for the first time as an independent student because I am estranged from my parents. How do I request an initial dependency status override on the Federal Student Aid website before receiving any aid award? | pass→pass | 10,713 | 14,828 | +38% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 1,938 | 3,237 | +67% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-05 My county property tax assessment increased by $40,000 this year after a revaluation. I want to file a formal appeal with the local tax board showing comparable home sales in my neighborhood. Please outline the steps and evidence required for a real estate tax assessment appeal. | pass→pass | 15,750 | 18,185 | +15% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,854 | 3,947 | +38% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-06 I was placed on academic probation after my GPA dropped below 2.0 last semester due to illness. I need to write an academic standing appeal to the university academic standards committee explaining my study plan and medical recovery. How should I structure my academic reinstatement letter? | pass→pass | 13,717 | 11,627 | -15% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,355 | 2,849 | +21% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-07 My parents separated in November 2023 and finalized their divorce in January 2024. My original aid package at Boston University (Student: Maya Lin, ID BU90214) for Fall 2024 was calculated using both parents' combined income of $140,000, but my primary household income with my mother is now $58,000. I need $12,000 in additional grant aid. Draft my aid appeal letter, document checklist, and follow-up plan. | fail→pass | 14,195 | 10,314 | -27% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,711 | 2,900 | +7% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-08 I received a financial aid award from Stanford for Fall 2024 offering $35,000 in grant aid. MIT (ID 8830192) offered me $22,000 in grant aid. MIT is my absolute top choice, but my family needs MIT to match the $13,000 gap in grant funding. Draft my complete appeal package. | pass→pass | 15,142 | 12,302 | -19% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,586 | 3,199 | +24% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-09 In August 2023, severe flooding caused $45,000 in uninsured structural damage to our primary home. My original expected family contribution at Vanderbilt (ID V849201, Fall 2024) was $20,000, but repairing our home consumed those liquid savings. I have insurance denial letters and contractor repair estimates. Please write my financial aid appeal letter, document checklist, and follow-up plan. | fail→pass | 15,599 | 10,355 | -34% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,774 | 2,854 | +3% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-10 Write an appeal to Penn State (ID 9182371, Fall 2024) for Alex Reed. Alex's mother lost her job in December 2023, reducing family income from $75k to $30k, leaving an $8,000 gap. Please ensure the emotional tone remains strictly controlled with at most one human personal statement while establishing facts. | fail→pass | 7,510 | 10,523 | +40% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 1,579 | 2,953 | +87% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-11 Draft an appeal letter for Jordan Lee (ID 551920) at Emory University for Spring 2025. Jordan's father suffered a permanent disability in June 2024, lowering income from $90k to $40k. I want to ask Emory for 'whatever aid or money they can possibly offer to help us survive this semester'. | fail→pass | 10,679 | 9,840 | -8% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 1,982 | 2,833 | +43% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-12 Create the follow-up section for a financial aid appeal submitted to Georgetown University on October 15, 2024. What exact timeline and phrases should be used to keep the file moving? | fail→fail | 13,164 | 8,848 | -33% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,348 | 2,451 | +4% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-13 Draft the evidence checklist for a financial aid appeal where a parent became disabled in April 2024 but the official Social Security Disability determination letter has not arrived yet. How should the evidence checklist handle missing required proof? | pass→pass | 15,653 | 12,876 | -18% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,720 | 2,792 | +3% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-14 My small retail business was forced to close permanently in January 2024 due to bankruptcy, dropping household income from $110,000 to $35,000. I am attending Cornell University (ID 748291, Fall 2024) with a current gap of $18,000. Draft the full appeal package including title, letter, evidence checklist, and follow-up plan. | fail→pass | 17,288 | 12,537 | -27% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,081 | 3,194 | +4% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-15 Starting in February 2024, my family assumed $1,500/month in mandatory assisted living expenses for my grandmother, creating an unexpected $18,000 annual expense. At Northwestern (ID 1928374, Fall 2024), my current gap is $9,000. Draft the financial aid appeal submission. | pass→pass | 10,830 | 10,996 | +2% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,026 | 3,053 | +51% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-16 In September 2024, my older sibling unexpectedly had to enroll in a high-cost specialized medical rehabilitation program ($25,000/year out-of-pocket), reducing our family's ability to pay my tuition at Duke (ID 839201, Fall 2024) where I have a $12,000 gap. Write my complete aid appeal. | fail→fail | 12,070 | 12,587 | +4% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,281 | 3,173 | +39% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-17 Carnegie Mellon offered me a $20,000 merit grant for Fall 2024 (ID 661928), but Case Western offered me $32,000 in grant funding. Write my appeal to CMU requesting $12,000 in additional grant aid based on Case Western's award letter. | pass→pass | 9,974 | 9,781 | -2% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 1,840 | 2,467 | +34% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-18 Write a financial aid appeal letter for Sarah Connor (ID 109283) at Columbia University (Fall 2024) who had a job loss in March 2024 ($85k to $40k, gap $14k). Ensure the letter follows the four-paragraph standard structure. | fail→pass | 8,790 | 8,796 | +0% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 1,622 | 2,580 | +59% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-19 I am submitting a financial aid appeal to USC (ID 2938401, Fall 2024) on May 1, 2024, due to a $15,000 medical bill from February 2024. Write the appeal package and ensure all follow-up plan dates are real calendar dates. | fail→fail | 11,904 | 12,150 | +2% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,310 | 3,638 | +57% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-20 My parent was involuntarily demoted in January 2024, reducing salary from $98,000 to $52,000. I am at UC Berkeley (ID 902184, Fall 2024) facing a $10,000 gap. Prepare the formal appeal submission. | fail→pass | 14,298 | 13,037 | -9% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,616 | 3,476 | +33% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-21 Tragically, my father (the primary household earner) passed away in November 2023. Household income dropped from $120,000 to $30,000. I am attending Harvard (ID 401928, Fall 2024) and need $25,000 in grant support. Write the appeal letter, evidence checklist, and follow-up plan. | fail→pass | 17,178 | 11,499 | -33% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,080 | 2,957 | -4% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-22 My dad lost his job in January 2024 (income dropped from $80k to $35k, documented by layoff letter). We also feel that inflation has made groceries really expensive and my uncle told us he might not help us pay tuition this year (no documents for these). Draft my appeal letter to Ohio State (ID 718293, Fall 2024) for an $11,000 gap. | pass→pass | 12,768 | 13,428 | +5% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,411 | 3,323 | +38% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-23 My parent's overtime pay was permanently eliminated in February 2024, reducing income from $65,000 to $48,000. My gap at Purdue (ID 392019, Fall 2024) is $5,000. Draft the appeal letter making sure the ask is for the proper aid category. | pass→pass | 12,397 | 10,877 | -12% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,496 | 3,053 | +22% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-24 Draft an aid appeal for Tulane (ID 501928, Fall 2024) after a natural disaster damaged our family business in March 2024. We are attaching an SBA loan application denial, tax returns from 2022 and 2023, and a profit & loss statement showing a $30,000 drop. Make sure the letter includes an Enclosures list. | pass→pass | 9,522 | 11,333 | +19% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 1,847 | 3,092 | +67% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-25 Draft an appeal letter to Johns Hopkins (ID 610293, Fall 2024) where the student received a $20,000/yr grant from JHU but a $30,000/yr grant from WashU. The student wants to say 'If you don't match WashU's $30k, I will be forced to enroll at WashU instead'. | fail→pass | 8,669 | 10,177 | +17% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 1,710 | 2,951 | +73% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-26 In December 2023, my parent began ongoing dialysis treatment, resulting in $15,000/year in out-of-pocket expenses. My gap at Stanford (ID 1102938, Fall 2024) is $15,000. Draft the financial aid appeal package. | fail→pass | 16,297 | 11,433 | -30% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,713 | 2,973 | +10% | 0 | 0 | — |