▁college , ▁the ▁student ▁has ▁financial ▁need ▁( as ▁the ▁term ▁is ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁financial ▁aid ▁system ). ▁▁ ▁Stud ents ▁can ▁file ▁an ▁appeal ▁with ▁their ▁college ▁financial ▁aid ▁office ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁seek ▁additional ▁financial ▁aid , ▁though ▁the ▁information ▁about ▁the ▁process ▁is ▁not ▁always ▁clear ▁or ▁available ▁online . ▁ ▁Swift Student , ▁a ▁free ▁service , ▁provides ▁template ▁letters ▁for ▁college ▁students . ▁ ▁Some ▁well - to - do ▁colleg es ▁have ▁need - based ▁aid ▁of ▁their ▁own ▁to ▁dist ribute , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁federal ▁and ▁state ▁aid ▁( if ▁any ). ▁These ▁colleg es ▁require , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁F AF SA , ▁the ▁CSS ▁Profile ▁financial ▁form , ▁which ▁goes ▁into ▁greater ▁detail . ▁ ▁Need - based ▁aid ▁Need - based ▁financial ▁aid ▁is ▁awarded ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁the ▁financial ▁need ▁of ▁the ▁student . ▁The ▁Free ▁Application ▁for ▁Federal ▁Student ▁A id ▁application ▁( FA F SA ) ▁is ▁generally ▁used ▁for ▁determ ining ▁federal , ▁state , ▁and ▁institution al ▁need - based ▁aid ▁el ig ibility . ▁At ▁private ▁institutions , ▁a ▁supp lement al ▁application ▁may ▁be ▁necessary ▁for ▁institution al ▁need - based ▁aid . ▁ ▁A ▁recent ▁tr end ▁shows ▁that ▁what ▁is ▁purely ▁need - based ▁aid ▁is ▁not ▁entirely ▁clear . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Post second ary ▁A id ▁Survey ▁( N PS AS ), ▁S AT ▁scores ▁affect ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁institution al ▁need