Yes, that’s how they operate. They see another XX sum of money available (from other child not in school) and to them, it just means you can contribute more. The simplest answer is probably - you should not have told UPenn in the first place your other child was entering BASIC. That child is still on Penn State rolls, are they not?
Anyway how to approach it now?
U Penn is an Ivy. They have more money than God. The typical figure is that at least 50% of kids there don’t even apply for any financial aid. Have your child go of financial aid office and tell them 1) we were 100% honest in your reporting, now you are being penalized, 2) Dad is on active duty, 3) Sibling at Penn State joined NG because of lack of money, so family money isn’t there, 4) Child explains he/she having to deal with this myself, if I can’t resolve I will possibly need to drop out. They don’t want your child to have to drop out.
Explain, and argue and don’t give up, be polite yet firm. These are bureaucrats, so squeaky wheel gets the oil. Best immediate source is to have your child approach financial aid office. Have thoughts and argument well prepared. If you don’t get satisfactory result, take it up the chain, all the way to Univ. President if necessary.
I do not think an outside force like a Congressmen will help much, certainly not in the short term. Work the U Penn system.
Schools like U Penn love to tell everyone that they will meet the financial need of EVERY student. Make them live up to it.
PGR88.
Very good post and my child has already done most of what you suggest.
The financial aid office won’t budge. Their only response is “MORE LOANS!”
The UPenn VA office just punts everything back to the financial aid office.
I have emailed the President of UPenn. No word yet.
We have been polite yet firm.
I will become more squeaky as we go on.
News media is next.