GradBetter is a powerful tool that helps students understand how much merit aid they might receive from colleges—and even helps them appeal for more. If you’re applying to college or in the final stages of comparing offers, this guide will walk you through how to make the most of your GradBetter account.
GradBetter Student Tutorial
How to Create a GradBetter Account
1. Create Your Account
- Visit GradBetter.com and sign up as a student or parent.
- Students can invite parents to join their account, and parents can do the same.
2. Complete Your Profile
- Fill out your student profile, including:
- GPA
- Test scores
- State of residence
These details are required to unlock Merit Insights, which show you potential merit awards from schools on your list.
3. Build Your College List
- Click on Favorites in the left-hand menu.
- Add the schools you’re applying to or interested in.
- Once added, you’ll be able to compare how much merit aid each school may offer based on your academic profile.
Awards & Appeals
If you’ve already received merit-based scholarships, great news—you might be able to get even more just by asking. GradBetter gives you the tools to do that.
1. Upload Your Scholarship Offers
- Go to the Awards section in the left-side navigation.
- For each college that awarded you merit, upload a PDF or screenshot of your award letter.
2. Compare Your Offers
- Head to the Appeals tab.
- Use the Compare and Factors tools to understand where you stand.
- Click Explain to learn more about each factor affecting your appeal chances.
3. Write Your Appeal
- Once you’re ready, go to the Compose tab.
- GradBetter provides pre-written email templates to help you write a compelling and professional merit appeal.
GradBetter puts the power in your hands to better understand your merit aid—and potentially increase it. By uploading your award letters and using the built-in appeal tools, you can make sure you’re not leaving money on the table.
Ready to take control of your college costs?