Exhausted financial aid

Paying for College
1

Hello Everyone,

I am a 43 undergrad. I had gone to school in the 1990s and took maybe 8 courses with a 1.0 GPA. I went back, part time, in 2013 and have maintained a 3.75 GPA. I recently found out I exhausted financial aid. I have been a little upset at the office of financial aid right now so I may sound bitter.

I have a disability and have had one for a few years. On the outside I look healthy. That doesn’t mean I am well. For example, I recently found out I have a degenerative nerve disease due to the disability.

I have been killing myself slowly, by pushing myself to focus and maintain a high GPA. In 2016, I found out I couldn’t work in my present career. The need to graduate was even greater.

I appealed FinAid Office August 11th. It is now October 15th and they have yet to contact me. For weeks I was calling them and waiting in limbo. I finally got someone to explain, 2 weeks ago, that financial aid was exhausted. Then I got the same line, “let me send an email for a status update”

I have written in to the Dean of Student Affairs, the college I attend in the university and made many appeals over the past few weeks/months. I always get turned down for scholarships. The internal Office of Scholarships is IN the office of FinAid yet they don’t share information. I missed the fall quarter deadlines for internal scholarships because my paperwork had not been processed.

I receive and email to the Dean on Friday letting me know that “some good news would be coming soon”. I replied saying I am not ungrateful but no amount of good news will help me at this point. I need that letter showing exhausted funds and why my appeal was denied. This is for SSDI, to restructure my mortgage, and appeal to a non-profit to help me get caught up on the mortgage. The mortgage lender is the one who will dig deep to ensure I can repay, if I am in school, how much time I have left, and if I can graduate. Same process as when I got my loan.

This is an open question: I’ve considered all options. The school will place me in collections by the end of the year if I don’t pay this quarter’s balance. I already pay $400 a month for a high interest loan to pay a balance from 2 years ago. Not making that mistake again. If I get a job, I will need to take time off. It will be longer than 6 months so I can pay off those high interest loans and then school loans kick in. That pushes me back even further. I am 43. Do I keep buying their “oh but you should stick it out” line? Do I just say, “I guess this was never meant to be?” Do I complain to the University presidents office? (people have been fired for less. I do feel someone needs to be fired in FinAid office for dropping the ball)

I don’t know. It’s impacted my grades and I did drop one, making a D in another. I simply don’t care anymore. No amount of good news is going to “make this better” As far as I am concerned, 60 days means “automatic denied” and I have to explain that to my mortgage lender. (they really want to see a letter) Not sure what to do anymore.

2

I am not quite sure why you are upset with the financial aid office because you have exhausted your aid. The school is not informed that you have exhausted your aid until the point comes when it is exhausted. Pell lifetime usage information and aggregate federal loan limits are readily available at www.studentaid.gov. Your financial aid usage and progress to limits is readily available to you at www.nslds.ed.gov. I am not trying to be mean about it, but students must monitor this information themselves, particularly if they have been in school a long time - you are one of thousands or even tens of thousands at your school, but you are one of only one in your own life. You are your best source of information. I realize you have a rough situation, but blame is not helpful.

From what you have posted, it doesn’t sound like anyone in the financial aid office could be fired over this. It would be a better use of your time to focus on what you can do to deal with the situation at hand. Ditch the I’ve-been-wronged attitude and find someone at the school who can help you determine whether or not you will receive adequate assistance to be able to stay in school. Larger schools may have a customer service manager in the aid office, an Ombudsman in the Dean’s office, a retention office, a disabilities office, or an advising office that may be able to assist you in figuring out viable options. Maybe the Dean will meet with you, if you explain that you are at a crisis point right now & need to discuss your next steps.

It sounds like everything is sort of imploding for you right now, and I don’t mean to make light of your situation. Ask for help from the standpoint of a student who is trying hard to stay in school.

3

Find out from an advisor what your options are and how many more credits you need to graduate with a bachelor’s degree.

And how much money you might need for that.

If no more aid is available you might need to get a job you are able to do and save up enough money to finish.

Do you have an office of vocational rehabilitation in your town? Maybe they can offer some assistance.