<p>I've posted similar problems with my school's financial aid office, and here I am again with another question. I completed my grad school program last May but am finishing up with a graduate certificate that will take about a year, if everything goes as planned. The financial aid office gave me a professional judgment increase to my budget for the 2010-2011 academic year, and the counselor I was working with said she could and would do the same thing for this academic year. Unfortunately, she got promoted to another department before she got that completed back in June. She told me who to contact and said this other counselor would take care of it. This new counselor hasn't taken care of it. I emailed her four times between July 1 and August 15, the start of Fall classes, and she responded to each email with "I am working on it". I did make sure she had any documentation she needed, which she has had since July 1. I finally emailed the last time on Aug 15 asking for any update and she never answered me, so I went to campus on Monday Aug 22 to meet with her. I explained everything again, she again said she is working on it. I expressed concern since we are so close to disbursement and she then said that she is not sure she can do a PJ twice, so she has to ask her boss. After I picked myself up off the floor - because in all the emails I had sent in the past six weeks, she never indicated she might not be able to do it - I again stated that the previous counselor had already told me it could be done and that she would do it, she just got unexpectedly promoted. I explained that when I met with my advisor and we planned my course, it was all contingent on getting the aid I'd been awarded, including the housing and mileage adjustment, because I had been told it would be done. I asked her to contact me as soon as she knew for sure and she replied that I'd get an email when awarded, so I clarified that I would like her email me if I'm not going to get the funds. She said okay. I haven't heard anything back yet. I am certain that the previous counselor wouldn't have told me she would do it if there were any rules preventing that, so I am almost certain this counselor just does not want to do it. Does anyone know for sure if the same PJ can be done for more than one academic year, if the student still qualifies? </p>
<p>I am really torn on what to do. I have an email composed to the new counselor and CC'ing her boss, listing the timeline of events and emails, and including the emails I have from the previous counselor confirming that I would get the same budget adjustment. I want to included all the emails I have from the new counselor that simply say "I am working on it" with no mention of possibly not getting it, but I didn't do that. The reason I haven't sent the email is because we are supposed to get the initial disbursement tomorrow or Monday (they won't say which, of course), and I am terrified that if I complain right now something will happen to delay my disbursement, and I can't have that happen. I think it is horrible that I have had such a bad experience with this FA office that I am afraid to communicate with them around disbursement time, but that is how my experience has been. I truly am afraid to make any waves before disbursement. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to handle this? </p>
<p>I want to clarify that if I had ever been told that I might not get the PJ again, or if the previous counselor had not already stated several times that I would definitely get it, then I would have allowed for that possibility when planning my course schedule. In all my conversations with the previous counselor, all she ever said was that of course I could get it again and that she would take care of it. In all my email correspondence with the new counselor, she never stated that I might not get it, and I directly asked that question in every email. If I hadn't gone into her office Monday I would still think it was being processed and would be done in time. I guess that is my true complaint, I relied on what I was told. I just don't know what to do now. </p>
<p>"I have an email composed to the new counselor and CC’ing her boss, listing the timeline of events and emails, and including the emails I have from the previous counselor confirming that I would get the same budget adjustment. I want to included all the emails I have from the new counselor that simply say “I am working on it” "
Send it on MON BOTH by email AND print out a copy AND MAIL it to her boss CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED, if you don’t have your funds by Mon. In addition, I would add the “gist” of your last face to face conversation the new counselor in the email .</p>
<p>If you still have contact info for your old counselor, copy her in on your correspondence with a request that she provide whatever assistance she can. She may be your best ally, and might be able to resolve things with a mere phone call.</p>
<p>Here is the thing … PJ’s are NEVER guaranteed. That is because by definition of Professional Judgment, it cannot be guaranteed. Unfortunately, this means that there are no set rules, and one officer can do one thing that another officer will not do. It’s all in how you look at it & how it is justified. </p>
<p>I can tell you that I rarely approved PJ’s for housing. An expensive rent or mortgage would be owed regardless … so the average was what I used (and if the student argued that they had to pay more to move near the school, my answer would be that there are less expensive living situations available). I would approve excess mileage, but it had to be in excess of the transportation allowance already in the COA budget. I had a coworker who did approve living expenses from time to time. That was her choice, but my interpretation of the regs was such that I did not make adjustments for housing. The reason I am saying this is because it is possible that you may not get the approval even if someone else would have given it to you.</p>
<p>You CAN receive a PJ adjustment to COA every single year, if it is documented and approved each year. Given your original discussions, the PJ from last year, and the discussions you had through the summer, I would think that it is possible you could receive the adjustment even from someone like me who might not ordinarily approve housing increases … simply because you entered the program with that PJ & schools do not want to lose their students. On the other hand - and this is why I don’t like to do housing PJ’s - schools don’t want their students borrowing too much money. It’s not good for the students … and it raises the risk of default, which can impact the school’s ability to continue offering federal aid.</p>
<p>My suggestion is to gather your emails, make an appointment with a “manager” (that is what we would tell students to do if we knew they needed someone higher up for their particular issue), and be very nice & polite. Explain that you want to continue, and that you began the program in the first place because you thought you would be able to continue to borrow a certain amount of money.</p>
<p>Thank you for the suggestions. Since I feel like I do have to wait until after the upcoming disbursement, I am going to include all the emails from both the previous counselor and new counselor, as well as the conversation we had Monday. </p>
<p>I did email the previous counselor, who is the queen of professional courtesy. I explained without going into much detail that the adjustment still hadn’t been done. I also asked if she could possibly direct me to a different counselor than the one I’m dealing with now. She responded within the hour that since she left FA they haven’t filled her position, so the current FA counselor is the only one in the office, and she is very busy. She then said that she can’t be much help with FA matters now, and apologized for that. I completely understand her response, she can’t really do anything now. I have saved all her emails and I’m sure if the FA director would contact her she will back up what I have said all along, but I don’t think she wants to be involved with the FA office now. I don’t blame her for that. </p>
<p>I did call the Dept of Education to ask how often a budget adjustment can be done, and it most certainly can be done once each academic year, which is what the previous counselor said all along. I am sure that the FA office does not have to do them each year, but since I was told it would be done and relied on it, I really think they should honor that, especially now that classes have started and I am stuck with this schedule for Fall. I contacted this new counselor immediately after learning that my counselor had been promoted, so if she really had questions or concerns, she could have asked the previous counselor at that time, but now six weeks later and two weeks into the semester is a little late. </p>
<p>Kelsmom, I was posting while you were. Thank you for replying, I remember how helpful you were in the past. I did figure that it was discretionary, which is why I said if I had been given even an inkling from either counselor that I might not get it, I would have adjusted my degree plan. And I contacted the new counselor several times asking just that question, so she had several opportunities to let me know it might not go through this year, yet all she ever said was “I am working on it”. That is why I am so frustrated, I would have planned accordingly if I had known.</p>
<p>I think this particular school may do at least the mileage adjustment more often, because they market to an entire tri-state area, with many students traveling several hours for classes. They do try to accommodate those students by offering blended online classes, but they then charge a lot more per hour for those classes, so you pay for the additional gas or you pay in additional fees. Anyway, the previous counselor was the one who suggested the housing and mileage increase, I had no idea it could be done and wouldn’t have even known to ask for it. I know she ran it by her immediate supervisor at the time she did it last year, and it was okay then. </p>