I am not sure if I have a question. This may be just more of a complaint and rant. Or maybe I am posting in hopes that financial aid officers will read this and realize that this delay is a bit unfair.
My daughter filled out Non-custodial Parent Waiver Requests at 3 colleges she has applied to that require a noncustodial parent CSS profile. She filled out all 3 of them by October 5, within days of us submitting our custodial CSS profile. So all items were delivered to the financial aid offices by October 5.
One college, to which she applied Regular Decision, reviewed it within 2 weeks and granted the waiver. Another college, to which she applied Early Action, took about 6 weeks and a phone call, but they also reviewed and approved the waiver.
The third college is one to which she has applied Early Decision and admission decisions, along with preliminary aid packages, are supposed to be released in 2 weeks. They still have not reviewed it. We have called several times and are always told “the directors are meeting on this date” or “your director is out of town this week so it couldn’t be reviewed.” They have had it for almost 2 months now! The problem is that if they deny it at this point, there is absolutely not enough time to contact her father and try to get the information out of him and honestly I’m not sure she would ask him.
I worked as a work study student in the financial aid office when I was in college, so I know they are busy. I do understand. But the waiver is a one page document along with attached third party documentation. I think they really need to make it a priority to review them as they come in. A student who has met all of their deadlines and done everything by the book can end up left out to dry at the last minute.
Perhaps they will grant her request as the other schools have and this will be a moot point, but I still think the timeline for reviewing these waiver requests should be moved up.
Okay, I’m through venting now. 