Section 479A of the Higher Education Amendments of 1992 authorizes the financial aid administrator to exercise Professional Judgment on a case-by-case basis for special or unusual circumstances.  A student who feels that the information reported on the FAFSA does not accurately or fully reflect their current financial position should discuss their situation with a member of the Financial Aid Department. The student will be required to complete a Professional Judgment Form (or Personal Statement) and provide any documentation to support their request.

Examples of situations that might warrant a Professional Judgment include:

• Request for reconsideration based on extenuating circumstances due to loss of income, death, change in marital status, unusually high medical bills, etc.
• Request for review of dependency status due to special circumstances under which the student feels they should be considered independent.

Examples of required supporting documentation might include check stubs or other proof of income, unemployment receipts, medical bills, childcare bills, death certificates, divorce or separation documents, marriage certificates and/or statements from the student and/or third parties.

The ACHS Financial Aid Committee will review all submitted documents and make a determination about further processing. The student will be notified of the decision and the resulting change in eligibility, if there is one.