This is my first post, on this website - and I am not sure if I can/should post here… but, I have a question and while I’m not sure if anyone here will be able to assist… I wanted to at least try. The problem is that my college is not drafting on the funds from my Florida PrePaid Acct. I am not entirely sure but I believe FPP is basically a grant.
So, this is resulting in me not being able to register for classes and them sending the amount due to collections.
I have been trying to get them paid; my FPP Account is fine - I’ve asked FPP Personnel. This is holding up my ability to go to school and I don’t know why my school wont just take the money. I’ve called and asked them and have been given multiple answers all of which I am told later by the school themselves, is wrong. I’m at a lost here and I was hoping maybe someone had some insight as to options. I’ve reached out to the Director of Financial Aid at the school… about six times. Never getting an answer. I attempted to reach out to the Dean and was told it is not an option…
Sorry for such a long winded post - there’s a a lot and I’m not even sure I’ve provided the information needed to assist… but I would appreciate any assistance, thank you!
I am not familiar with FPP, but does the school accept it as payment and can a check to the school be issued instead of the school drafting the payment?
Usually there is a process. The bill is due and if payment is made late, you might be charged a late fee and/or be dropped from classes. There should not be a reason for the school to send to collections at that time, in my opinion.
Can you take out a student loan for the amount needed, and then see if you can be reimbursed by FPP?
So, yes - I’ve used FPP to pay for classes before. The issue is that FPP needs the school (a community college) to send them an invoice for it. For whatever reason, the school will not do it. I’ve asked and I get the run around everytime. I can take out a loan, though FPP won’t reimburse me. And no, it’s a local community college. By the way, thanks for your time!
Florida Prepaid is not a grant, it is like a 529 program that your parents paid into. Most Florida schools do get paid directly from FPP, but I’m pretty sure you have to direct them to do so because it is your choice to use the funds or not use the funds. A school could not, for example, just send a request to FPP asking for funds if you didn’t authorize them to.
At my daughter’s school, they have one person who deals with FPP. One. You need to find that person at your school. Call the payment office (sometimes called the bursar’s office or accounting office, but not financial aid) and ask if there is a form for you to sign to have your FPP fund pay your bill. If your school doesn’t deal directly with FPP get a copy of your bill and submit it to FPP with a request for them to pay it. If the school doesn’t deal directly with FPP, it may be necessary for them to issue the funds to you and then you’ll have to pay the school. That would, of course, take longer and the school may not float you a credit until you pay. ALL of the big Florida schools work directly with FPP and will wait for direct payment (not charging you a late fee or dropping you from classes).
Has FPP sent the school a letter requesting a bill?? After FPP sends the school the letter you will receive one from FPP stating a letter was sent. The letter does state that it can take 30 days to transfer the funds.
Is it the same cc that took the funds before?
You need to continue to try and find someone who will give you an answer. Have your parent/s call th school and FPP.
You said you called Dir of FA “never getting an answer.” Does that mean you spoke to that person and they could not answer your question, or they actually never answered your calls/messages?
You said you attempted to reach out to the Dean and “it was not an option.” What wasn’t an option? Contacting the Dean? Or you did contact the Dean and they said helping you was not an option?
Have you at any point physically gone to the FA office? Do that. Ask for a supervisor. Get that person to help you.
Thank you for all of the replies. Incidentally enough, the school finally recognized their mistake and resolved it!
After calling the Dir of FA, at least 6 times (never got anyone on the phone) I was told they were out of office and it’d be forwarded to whomever toke over her duties while she was out. It was resolved the next day.
For what it’s worth… I was told speaking to the Dean was not an option as in - they said No.
twoinanddone, this isn’t my money - it was provided by a third party a long time ago.
Perhaps I should clarify the institution that paid into it was the Hillsborough Education Foundation. So it isn’t my money, and I actually was speaking with the Bursar. Getting in touch with someone in AR simply resulted in me speaking with some customer servie rep who just “opened a case”.
It is your money. The account is yours even if someone opened up the account in your name. It doesn’t belong to the college or even to FPP. FPP is like a bank, holding the money for you for education purposes only. Almost everyone who has a FPP account had it opened by a third party - a parent, grandparent, or in your case a foundation.
The bursar is in (usually in charge of) the accounting office, not the financial aid office.