Financial Aid Denied Because of Depression

So I guess first I should give some background. I’ve had depression most of my life. It appeared in late elementary school and hasn’t gone away since. When I started college I had trouble handling the workload and it got much worse. I started skipping classes and had trouble doing normal things. Once I realized I was going to fail all of my classes I panicked. My family is very strict and wouldn’t accept any failures. I ended up trying to kill myself. It was a serious attempt and I was in the ICU for several days. After I got out of the hospital my doctor suggested I withdraw from classes even though it was weeks away from finals. I went through a medical withdrawal process and withdrew. I spent the summer trying to get help but didn’t connect with any therapists. I had a scholarship that required a certain amount of credits to be renewed so I forced myself to go the next semester and take a full class load. (I had appealed and gotten it renewed for when I dropped the previous semester.) I had no support and knew I was in a bad place but thought I should at least try. Within weeks I was back into old habits of missing classes and showers alike. However, at that point I had finally found a good therapist and doctor to prescribe medication, both of which I still have today. But it takes time to get better and just having support wasn’t enough. My therapist suggested I drop my classes the second time I saw her and I agreed. I spent the rest of the semester seeing my therapist weekly and trying different medications with my doctor. When the last semester came around I felt I was in a good place to start classes again. I took the full time class load again too. Things went well until corona hit. I had a brief hospital stay because of the stress but I now have a solid support system so I was able to get right back into my classes and make up my missed work. I ended the semester with all A’s. I’m planning on taking a full class load again however I was denied financial aid by my school because of my dropped classes. I wanted to appeal this decision but was told it would be automatically denied because I wouldn’t be above a 67% class completion rate. They won’t even look at the appeal or talk to me. It feels like I’m being punished for being sick. I just don’t see how they can do this. Any suggestion?

The school is required to limit aid if you keep dropping classes. That is a federal regulation. They do have the ability to give students a chance within their Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, but it sounds like you already had that chance.

I do not want to seem like I don’t sympathize or care, because I do. However, schools have to operate within federal aid regulations, which place limits on aid when the student has not been making progress toward a degree.

I suggest you talk with your academic advisor to find out what it would take to regain aid. Perhaps taking classes at a local community college might be an option. I think it’s wise to find out for sure what your school’s advisor says.

I wish you well. Take care of your mental health first and foremost.

There are federal regulations about making progress in school. They do not consider the reason for dropping classes. You’ll have to pay out of pocket for a few until you are back in compliance. You should ask the FA office to help you make a plan. How many classes to you need to take, can you take them cheaply at a community college, which ones should you take?

You probably didn’t get other responses because Kelsmom (on the other thread) and Twoinanddone’s advice is correct. You need to talk to the FA office and your advisor about making a plan because there are federal regulations that constrict what the school can offer. I wish your school had told you that in advance, but at the same time, you absolutely did the right thing getting your depression under control. Health is first and foremost. I’m very glad to hear that you are doing better.

Posted a really long post earlier but only one person replied so I’ll shorten it down. I dropped two semesters after a suicide attempt. The first semester was very late in the year and was a medical withdraw. The second was me just trying to push through classes and failing. I dropped them after a month. I’m now back on track with a therapist and medication that works for me. I completed the last semester with all A’s. However, just found out financial aid for next semester will be denied because I dropped too many classes while my depression was really bad. Trying to appeal but I was told it will be automatically denied because I won’t have completed over two thirds of my attempted classes. They won’t even consider my medical issues. I feel like I’m being punished for being sick. I’m still going to turn in the appeal and see what happens but do you guys have any suggestions?

Where do you think this money is coming from? While I am very sympathetic to your medical condition, you must think of it from the donor’s point of view. You have had two semesters worth of chances. Can’t blame the college endowment for wanting to switch to a horse that can make it to the finish line. It is their mission to educate, not to support “the sick”. That’s why here on CC we ALWAYS tell students to take care of their mental and physical health first. It is more important than the education. Colleges will still be there.

As other posters suggested, go part time, make sure you can handle the load. Then make adjustments as you go. It isn’t a race. Take care of yourself and take your time.

Can you retroactively get a medical withdrawal for that second term where you dropped all of your classes? I would pursue that option.

you need to find out what you need to do to satisfy your colleges Satisfactory Academic Progress. This varies by school. So contact them and ask what you need to do to get yourself in a situation where you have satisfied SAP.

And as noted by others…take care of yourself first. College will be there when you are able to return.