<p>I'm a senior, I register for my final semester of classes in a week and I found out yesterday that a financial hold had been places on my account. One of my scholarships, which pays for a large amount of my bill, hasn't been received by the school. I called the group in charge of the scholarship, and they tell me that it will be SENT within two weeks. They've had all semester - considering I gave them my transcript before I even left for school this year - to take care of this. I won't be able to register until the bill is paid in full. All of my other scholarships are in and there is no way anyone in my family can come up with the money in time (or at all). If I don't register and I don't take one particular class, I won't graduate on time. </p>
<p>My recommendation is to go to your Business Office/Bursar’s Office and explain the situation. At the college I work for, the Business Office can temporarily remove the financial hold so that the student can register in circumstances such as these. It would also help if you could get your scholarship representative to call or email the person you speak to confirm that the scholarship will be coming and giving an estimated date for receipt.</p>
<p>They won’t do that. This has happened before, when I was a freshmen. It came in before I registered, but I was on the last day, almost two weeks into registration. I’m scheduled for the second day this time.</p>
<p>Sorry they’re that inflexible! It’s obviously not your fault that the scholarship is late in coming. I’d be the squeaky wheel with the scholarship organization, and call them every day to see if the check had gone out yet. Any chance they would consider doing a wire transfer to your bursar’s office instead of a check to try and speed up the process? Might be worth asking about…</p>
<p>It’s different for a first year than for a senior. Just go in and go on and on about being a senior and needing these classes to graduate. They do things to insure this for seniors they don’t do for first years.</p>
<p>Also, go to your profs, who you may or may not know, and let them know you will need those classes to graduate and to save you a spot in the class, and why. Most profs have a certain amount of discretion with their upper level courses.</p>
<p>But get your dean involved if necessary. You are a senior. You can probably get something done.</p>
<p>Yes, since you’re a senior, go in and talk to them. Don’t take no for an answer. keep asking to speak to the “next higher” person. Someone there has the authority to help with this…the director, dean, or somebody.</p>
<p>In the meantime, if one of your parents has poor credit, have them apply for a Plus loan…they’ll get turned down, then you’ll get $4k more in loans…that might tide things over.</p>
<p>Yes, Mom2K emphasizes the important thing. keep asking to talk to someone higher up until you get the answer you want. Given that they have recieved these scholarship funds for you for four years, now, they have no reasonable case for denying a senior the opportunity to register for necessary courses. Keep saying, “I need these classes to graduate.” This is a magic phrase.</p>
<p>I just spoke to the collections department and they WILL NOT budge on this. At all. Nothing. I was told my only options are to either take out a loan or start a payment plan. Neither of these options will allow me to register on the day I’m scheduled. I can’t take out another loan on top of what I already have to pay back when I’m not even employed and probably have terrible credit to boot. They require half of the balance paid before they’ll set a payment plan, and even then they will not remove the hold until everything’s paid. My parents can’t come up with half, I can’ come up with half. I don’t think anyone in my family could come up with half on a moments notice. </p>
<p>I’m completely out of options. I feel like they’re forcing me to drop out a semester away from graduating. I came out of midterms with A in all of my classes. I can’t believe this is happening now.</p>
<p>Collections departments can be tough and unyielding. I don’t know if that department is separate or part of the bursar/business office at your school but I would try talking to someone in the regular part of the bursar/business office. They are probably the ones who referred it to collections, perhaps through an automated process. If you explain the situation to them, talk to a supervisor, they might get it back from collections and release the hold. </p>
<p>Also, as poetgirl said above, talk to the department/prof and explain the situation. They usually have the discretion to let a student in.</p>
<p>Go to the dean. You need to get heavy academic firepower on your side for this one. The dean may be able to get you registered. The dean may also know someone who can light a fire under the organization that is paying the scholarship.</p>
<p>The student loan mentioned before does not require good credit and it would be TEMPORARY until your scholarship check arrives, you get a refund from the school, then immediately pay it back. It’s only a tool to get you out of a jam if all else fails!</p>
<p>Talk to your dean and talk to the profs of the classes you want. Ask the dean to 1. assist you with the bursars office. 2. assist you in allowing your profs to let you have an extra spot.</p>
<p>That said, I don’t know how it works at your school, but my D has never had any problem getting into a class if she went and talked to the prof, sat in the first day, and talked to him after class. Bring filled out add/drop sheets with you, so it’s easy for the prof to sign. Hopefully it won’t come to this.</p>
<p>Good luck. I hate when things like this get in the way.</p>