Financial Aid Appeal Denied

Paying for College
1

<p>Hello</p>

<p>Recently I filled out my FASFA this is the first year I've actually been eligible now that I'm 24. </p>

<p>I took classes in 2008 at the Community College, I was taking three classes and was paying out of pocket. I had to drop 2 out of 3 classes, just because I did not have enough to money for supplies or books. I passed the class I did not drop. I did not return to school after that semester.</p>

<p>In 2010 Spring I went to the Main Campus (University), I took 2 classes I failed one and passed the other. I paid out of pocket that semester. In Fall of 2010 I registered for 2 classes I withdrew from both classes, I simply just could not afford it and now I'm collections with an Agency and still owe the Main Campus Money.</p>

<p>This year since I'm 24, I filled out my fasfa I was approved and it was processed successfully. I wanted to go to the Main Campus I spoke with Financial Aid office, and I had to fill out an appeal form due to: Unsatisfactory Completion, and my GPA dropping. I received bad news last Thursday that I was denied. </p>

<p>So I called the community college they told me I could fill out an appeal form there and that I needed to update my FASFA form and change the school from the University to the College branch, I did this on the 2nd of August. Now I'm just waiting for the FASFA to be processed for the Community college, so I can fill out the appeal form. With the stroke of bad luck I have been having I'm really just kinda already have the mind set I'm going to get denied as well at the Community Branch.</p>

<p>However, if I am to get approved...will they put a hold on my Financial Aid until I pay the University that I still owe? I'm a little confused, because when I spoke with the girl at the Main Campus she told they would just pull out what I owe from my Financial Aid. I'm a bit skeptical its that easy...</p>

<p>Does anyone have any advice for me when I fill out my Appeal form at the Community College, and any info about the money I owe to the University if they will put a hold on my Financial Aid until I pay the Main Campus? I would not care if they would pull from my Pell Grant or my Stafford loan, however like I said...I just feel it isn't that easy.</p>

<p>I'm just really tired, and I'm telling myself not to give up..but I'm on the strand that I'm going to be working retail for the rest of my life, and I'll never have a decent job. </p>

<p>I have no kids, and I have a wonderful Girlfriend of 7 years..we're trying to change our lives around, and I'm just having a really hard time these past few weeks. I'm a hard working member of society and I would just like a stroke of good luck come my way for once. I moved out when I was 18..my parents were awful...they paid for all my sisters schooling, bought her 3 different vehicles during her time in High school..when she was going to college she turned around with the Tuition money my father gave her and bought clothing and materialistic things and dropped out of school. When it was my turn, it was the biggest pain in the rear to even for him to give me a dime...I've never gotten to choose my own vehicle...not like my sister who went through 3 different vehicles.</p>

<p>Now My parents are getting upset with me asking "what I'm going to do with my life, you can't work retail forever" I do not live in the same city as them, and I struggle every day with rent, bills...food. Anywhom...I'm dragging on.</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>-Tojo</p>

2

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<p>Yes, they will put a hold</p>

3

<p>Yes there will be a hold. And it’s FAFSA, not FASFA.</p>

4

<p>I want you to know that you are in the same situation as many young people. I know so many of them. They had no idea what they wanted to do right after high school, so just headed off to college. Whether it was a local college or off to board, whether parents pitched in and paid something, or nothing, whatever the story, that is what they did at some point in time, and borrowed or got other funds, or did not pay the full amount owed to the college and they dropped out, owing money. Sometimes the circumstances puts a hold on their financial aid because they did not get the grades and the number of credits completed that are in the conditions of the aid and grants they took. Sometimes, they just left things hanging financially in terms of what the college says they owe and what they owed. Sometimes they left school for illness or a crisis and did not make the exit provisions according to the college rules. </p>

<p>Whatever, the reason, when certain circumstances exist, and owing money to a college is one of them, those issues have to be addressed most of the time before a student can borrow more money, or get other government aid, and sometimes even accepted for a degree program. Those are the rules. </p>

<p>Also bear in mind that federal and state aid is not bottomless. There is a limit, so one should use what’s left wisely. When it’s been used, whether you got the credits or not, doesn’t matter. All gone. Happens a lot. Someone screws up in his late teens, and then 10 years later, no longer eligible for aid, and may owe back payments on loans to boot. </p>

<p>A good first step for you is to find out what you owe to whom, and what is left on your federal and possibly any state eligiblilty for any education funds. Then you need to make a plan as to how to pay back what you owe to have any holds released. Get what credits you did complete together, and once you pay off what you owe, see if you can get back eligibility for what’s left in the financial aid pot. You may have to pay out of pocker for the first few courses, terms, before you can get anymore money that way. But you need to know what your situation at hand is, to even make any plans.</p>

5

<p>I’ve never borrowed any money, All my the semesters I’ve served were paid out my own pocket. This is the first year I have ever been eligible for a Stafford Loan and Pell Grant.</p>

<p>My qualifying amount for the Grant was: 5,635$ and the Stafford was 9,500. I owe the main campus 1,195$ from the last time I went to school. </p>

<p>So let me make sure I’m understanding this correctly, They will not release those funds until I pay the other school correct? Even if I’ve never been eligible for the pell or the stafford loan until this year?</p>

<p>There is no way for them to simply take out money from the Pell Grant, or the Stafford loan to what I owe to the University? </p>

<p>I’m pretty new to all this stuff when it comes to Financial Aid…</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

6

<p>Havent you posted before? I seem to remember something about the sibling & a car…</p>

<p>No, they can’t take money that is owed from future monies to be received.</p>

7

<p>I do not know if the the federal funds will not be released, if the issue you have is that you owe money to a college when none of such funds went through the federal vetting system. Had you borrowed the money, that would be an issue. </p>

<p>You cannot use PELL or Direct loan federal fund to directly go to another school. The funds will go to your current school which will take out all tuition, fees, other direct billed things from your account. What’s left, you can ask to be given to you, and they will do so, usually after the drop date. What you do with those funds is up to you, and so yes, you can pay of the other school that way. But you can’t direct this year’s money towards prior year’s expenses. That is not allowed.</p>

<p>Since you did not take out any federal aid, in the past, I think it is possible and even likely that the money owed to your prior school will not jeopardize this year’s award. Sybbie and Kelsmom are the two that will know if it is possible or if there is a system where schools can put the quash on federal aid if owed if no aid was used at that earlier school. I don’t know of any. However, you certainly won’t get the credits, transcripts from that school until you pay off what you owe.</p>

8

<p>I really appreciate the quick responses, I guess the best thing to do is just call the Financial Aid office at the community college, and just simply ask. </p>

<p>I will update you guys, on what they tell me.</p>

9

<p>Op was at CC, where he took 3 classes and dropped 2; this alone would give him an unsatisfactory SAP.</p>

<p>THen OP went to main campus, left owing the school money. OP owing money is enough to put a hold on the registration and prevent OP from registering for classes. If OP is not an active student registered for classes, Op cannot get any financial aid.</p>

<p>Now OP wants to go back to CC. CC has every right to ask for transcripts and OP would have to turn in transcripts from main campus. Oh wait, he can’t because main campus will definitely not release transcripts as long as he owes money.</p>

<p>This is one of the main reason that the federal government is cracking down on students. to prevent students from hopping from school to school, getting finacnial aid, while not meeting SAP, doing unofficial withdrawls (not completing classes is unofficially withdrawing from school), and leaving schools with unpaid bills.</p>

<p>Op will have a hold until he pays what he owes.</p>

10

<p>I called the Financial Aid office, when I spoke with her; she said more than likely they would just pull from my Financial Aid of what I owe to the other Campus. However she did say that would be up to the cashiers; so she transferred me. They did not answer, so I left a voice mail of my situation and left my number. I’ll keep you guys in the loop.</p>

11

<p>Sybbie, I have known students who have left a trail of owed money to colleges. If no financial aid was involved, in the past, (I don’t know if any tracking is now done among colleges), college B could not care less if money were owed to Colleges X, Y, Z. Where it became of issue is if federal funds were used and there were some issues of dropping courses where those penalites came into play. You then cannot get financial aid until you get all of that cleaned up. You also cannot get your transcripts ususally from those colleges. But if you are taking classes without the benefit of those earlier transcripts, there is no issue that I can see. </p>

<p>However, Generaltojo, I do not see how a school will pull money from THIS YEAR’S financial aid to directly pay another school from previous years’ bills. That seems to be a direct breach of the use of those funds. They can be paid to you for COA expenses and what you do with the funds once in hand is your business, but I cannot see a school paying another school for prior year charges.</p>

12

<p>One school is not going to pay another school. If there is any monies to be refunded, that money is most likely going to go to the student. Call me skeptical (and perhaps I am), it would then be on the student if he receives a refund to clear his account with the school (which I doubt would happen, since he is here trying to find a way to get into a new school without paying the old one).</p>

13

<p>Hey cptofthehouse, </p>

<p>Would it make a difference if College A) Was considered (The Main Campus) and College B) is considered the Branch? </p>

<p>College A) Is New Mexico State University
College B) Is New Mexico State Dona Ana community college</p>

<p>My login for all my registration for classes information, email, and final grades, etc is on mynmsu.edu which College B) uses as well…so its pretty much interconnected…if that makes any sense at all…</p>

14

<p>They wouldn’t need for me to pay my balance to view my transcript, its all one system. So they could see my grades from the Main Campus…if I were to ask the Community College to take a peak at them…I can view my grades from 2008 when I went to the Community College and I can view my Grades from the Main Campus on the very same exact Portal without logging out and logging in a different name, or anything like that.</p>

15

<p>I’m sorry Sybbie your completely mistaken and wrong unfortunately. I am, and will pay the other college, if I’m to be approved of my appeal at the community Campus. I’ve been through a lot of hardships, and you simply cannot judge one’s intentions off a simple post. </p>

<p>I’m not trying to get into a new school, without having to pay the other campus. And techincally Sybbie, its not a new school I’m trying to get into when I’ve already been to the Community College that I paid out of pocket. Please re-read and refer to my first original post, and read the details, because I’ve explained everything to the tee of my college history.</p>

16

<p>How long have you owed the other school $$? Since at least 2010. You could have set up a payment plan for less than $100/month and have had all of this behind you. If you had not decided to attend school this year, would you have been concerned with paying them or has paying them now become a concern because there is a possibility that hey may not allow you to enroll if you owe them $$?</p>

17

<p>The whole reason for FAFSA is to help with school correct? I’ve been in retail for 7 years, I simply cannot afford payment plans. I’m in a very rough patch…obviously Sybbie if I paid out of pocket for the other years I’ve attended. I would of paid for Fall 2010 right away. Unfortunately my cards were not dealt in that fashion.</p>

18

<p>What you can get a school to do is one thing. What Sybbie and I are trying to do here is to tell you how the rules work.</p>

<p>If while you are on financial aid, if you drop a certain number of courses, or do not complete a certain number of courses, you are not eligible for financial aid because that is reported and tracked. If you were not on financial aid, I don’t know if schools share that info.</p>

<p>As for being permitted to register while still owing a balance within the same school system, that is up to the school.</p>

<p>However, using funds, federal funds, for balances due in prior years smacks of misuse. If the school wants to let your register, despite a balance due, that’s fine. That you can then apply and get fedeeral aid, still fine. The money in there has to go first to the current semester’s fees and charges and then the remainer dispensed to you as their administrative guidelines say, is the next step. To send the fund off to another branch for prior year charges, starts putting things in a gray area that can get a bursar’s office in trouble, IMO. But that is up to the school.</p>

19

<p>I understand. I spoke with the Cashiers and their telling me if my appeal goes through, that they’d directly take the funds out of the financial aid of what I owe to the main campus. This whole process is quite confusing. </p>

<p>As your stating; its primarily up to the schools, since obviously each college is different around the US. </p>

<p>Had the pieces fell correctly in place, and I was able to pay off my debt that I owe to the college while attending during 2010 Fall, out of pocket. I wouldn’t’ have to deal with this head-ache of a mess. </p>

<p>Any-whom; I appreciate the knowledge and information given to me, by the members of College Confidential. </p>

<p>Thank you for your time, and guidance. </p>

<p>Regards,</p>

<p>-Tojo</p>