We hired an expensive college funding consultant to help with all the CSS and FAFSA filings, Scholarship and Merit Aid advice for my senior daughter. Usually, I would do it myself, but my father had just died on October 1 and I could not deal with all the deadlines.
The company was a nightmare from day one. I ended up working harder keeping them on top of things than if I did it myself. NOW - here comes the good part. They missed the deadline for additional documentation request for Northeastern University. They called me 5 days after the deadline and said “you may still be OK - but we missed it”. How is this going to effect our aid package - She filed EA and the deadline was 12/1/2018.
I am furious these guys are so inept - and didn’t do their job when I really needed them. We paid them $1,500! Is there anything I can do this to make it right?? I have already submitted everything requested myself - after a sleepless night and lots of document uploads, but what else can I do??
Call Northeastern and explain the situation and follow it up with an email. Their website says “The priority filing date for the CSS Profile depends upon your admission application status:” So 12/1 is the priority date for EA, not a hard deadline.
I would call the FinAid office at the school and explain your situation, that your dad passed away so you hired an outside firm to handle it and that company blew it. I would also demand a refund from the company.
Northeastern’s ED I decisions came out last night. Having followed Their decision threads her on CC for a few years it is not unusual for aid awards to come out later due to missing information.
Call the school. EA is not a binding decision acceptance that needs to be made ASAP. Your DD has until May 1 to make a matriculation decision. What exactly is missing?? Get whatever is missing sent to the school…now.
She won’t get her financial aid award perhaps as quickly but she probably will get an award.
Are you expecting to get substantial need based aid?
no, were not expecting substantial need based aid - but anything helps with a school as pricey as NE. I sent all the missing data - they requested prior year tax returns, all w-2’s, and business supplement info.( which was 5 pages)
The FAFSA deadline shouldn’t be a huge deal. This is a CSS profile school. They base most of their aid on that. The FAFSA is just used to see if you qualify for fed aid. You just qualify for loans thru fafsa
I just want to say I’m really sorry this happened to you. I was in such a fog after the death of my mom - I totally get your need to “outsource” this and I’m so angry for you that this company blew this deadline. It was their one job!
Im in contact with the CEO today of “company” I’ll let you know the outcome of the refund. It has been excuse after excuse - they were short handed, fired one representative on November 13, had technical issues with their questionnaire ( forcing me to complete it 4 times), etc. etc. If they refuse a partial refund - I’ll be happy to “out them”