<p>So I am a 2010 HS graduate, so I started college two years ago in summer 2010. recently transferred to UCF (central florida) from a community college in spring 2012. bright futures have sent me an email during the summer to notify me that i have lost my bright futures due to being a part time student (i withdrawed from a class in fall 2011 and spring 2012) so i ended up doing 10 credit hour in the fall and 9 during the spring. am i ineligible to renew for the rest of my college career? i had not realized that i had to fulfill at least 24 credit hours to keep my bright futures...i learned that the hard way now :( is there any way i can appeal? i have done 2 summer classes so hopefully that can be made up. though i have called them and students with part time CANNOT be eligible for restoration, which sucks because i went through all that work for nothing.../end rant.</p>
<p>I’m sorry that you’re having this unhappy situation. Most people learn to read and value the “fine print” by having some horrible life event. While this particular mess is agonizing right now, there are still paths available to become educated. </p>
<p>Here’s a few steps that will help:</p>
<p>1) Read through the website and any materials you’ve been sent to understand the program throughly (a little late, but still a good idea). </p>
<p>2) Make a list of the names of people you’ve spoken to and see if you can understand where they fit in the system. </p>
<p>3) Understand that there are often exceptions made to official rules but you need to understand what it takes to be an exception. Take yourself into the UCF financial aid office and have a talk with one of their staff. Find out if they know of any exceptions and what that looked like (exceptions for some one who was sick? who worked full time? who had great grades?). With that information you can next</p>
<p>4) Go back to Bright Futures and work up a notch (if you got an admin assistant before, request to work with a district manager). Put forth a professional package of why you fit any exception criteria. Explain (without whining) why it was you fell short of the 24 credits and ask if there is another path forward (For instance, is there any high school class that can give you college credit? Did you have a high SAT score that gave you an
English or math credit? Is there an online class you can complete this month? Be pleasant but persistent.)</p>
<p>5). Ask for their advice. </p>
<p>6) Grow up. I’m not trying to be nasty. You post a furious rant that has poor grammar and punctuation. The rant makes you sound like you are immature and entitled and not very bright. This is not the reputation you want to take into the Bright Futures office to request an exception. You are going to go much, much further if you present yourself as highly capable, attentive to details and taking responsibility for your own paperwork and future. If you don’t see the poor grammar, punctuation, and rambling sentence structure in your post, then please print off your rant and work with someone to understand how to convey your thoughts well. </p>
<p>I truly wish you well. Please know that finances are tight for everyone. The students who are going to navigate the current challenges well are going to be those who conquer challenges with maturity, competence, and attention to detail. Don’t make it easy for others to trash can your life by handing them fury or sloppiness. </p>
<p>I always feel a bit bad when I post something that can read as a harsh judgement – at the same time, I see you tripping over yourself and so will anyone on the appeals desk. You’ve got to be professional to be treated professionally. Good luck.</p>
<p>sorry, i had typed up that thread when i was rushing and did not check for my grammar and punctuation, i apologize. it has been a very frustrating semester. nonetheless, thank you for the suggestions. any try is worth a try. i am out of the country at the moment but will get back to the financial aid office when i get off. </p>
<p>i do not have any valid excuses per se, but in my self-defense it was the whole transitioning schools.</p>
<p>Thank you for hearing me. Transitions are hard, always. At the same time, use this experience to master future transitions. It’s the details that eat one’s lunch. Sometimes it’s learning that the rent deposit takes twelve weeks to be refunded – or that parking permits are only issued in March. </p>
<p>You are doing a good thing by asking for advice. People love to give advice. Next time you have a transition, don’t be shy about saying “I’m moving. What do I need to know? What trips up others who have made the same transition?” Ask those questions of everyone and you may identify (and skip) some of the stumbling blocks. </p>
<p>Please do persevere. Getting a degree is worthwhile for almost everyone.</p>
<p>Sorry, it took me so long to reply! I just read over what I typed and I cant believed the things I have typed o_0. Anyways, I had talk to an adviser and she had helped me come up with legitimate excuses that may have hindered my bright futures (disability of my father, finacial situations, etc). I am typing up my essay (in a professional manner :p) this weekend and hopefully they will give me reconsideration!</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>bump. I don’t understand I am now in a very similar situation but every FA advisor says I’m ok. Did you never pay back the money that you owed bright futures for the classes they funded you but you dropped from?</p>