<p>Sorry about the influx of questions, but I've tried to contact the Financial Aid offices, and I get a "disconnected" tone. So I contacted the New Student Affairs department and they transferred me to some man who insisted on transferring me to the number that wasn't working. He said it was due to high traffic of people trying to call the number and that I would have to just keep trying. So I finally got through, but I don't even get to speak to a real person. This is such a joke. </p>
<p>So my questions are:
- I completed my FAFSA and I have a list of Aid offered to me such as Estimated Federal Stafford Loans and such. Obviously you still have to apply for these loans though to receive them, so my question is is there a link to a list of loans I can apply to on the UT Website? Or will I just have to go out on my own to seek these loans? I ask because my sister is currently in the same process as I am, albeit at Baylor, and they sent her an e-mail to a list of Loans she could apply to. So my question is, How do I actually receive this aid?</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Is there a Change of Circumstance Form that I should fill out online? My step-dad isn't making as much money as he used to, but I don't know if I would just need to wait until next year's FAFSA to correct this issue.</p></li>
<li><p>My Financial Aid for the Spring was rescinded because I didn't reply in time, but it allows me to request that it be reinstated via AskDON. Am I just supposed to post my own question on AskDON requesting that my Aid be reinstated? I did this about two weeks ago, but my question is still "unresolved". It allows me to also reinstate it by calling the Financial Aid offices, but I never get to speak to a real person; it's just a recording talking about FAFSA and such.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>yes there is a special circumstance form that you can fill out, look on the website and you’ll find it. i filled it out like 2 months ago and they still havent gotten back to me. i called them yesterday and they said that they’re behind and trying to process everyones financial aid as fast as they can. My financial aid for spring was also rescinded but the counsler said that it will be reinstated when they’re done processing my information. Also, she told me that if they’re not done processing my information by the tuiton bill deadline, then i need to do this thing called “tuiton loan” and the financial aid people pay it off when they’ve finished doing my financial aid</p>
<p>You will see something about a “FINANCIAL AID NOTIFICATION”. You do something with that, like click on it, “sign it”, process it, confirm it, or something. I forget what it was called. From there, it simply lets you sign up for the loan. You pick a bank, sign up through a provided link, sign the Master Promissory Note (online), and your money gets sent. I started on the UT CASH page, and got all my financial aid stuff done through there. I never had to “apply” for a loan elsewhere, other than the links it gave me directly.</p>
<p>“My Financial Aid for the Spring was rescinded because I didn’t reply in time, but it allows me to request that it be reinstated via AskDON. Am I just supposed to post my own question on AskDON requesting that my Aid be reinstated? I did this about two weeks ago, but my question is still “unresolved”. It allows me to also reinstate it by calling the Financial Aid offices, but I never get to speak to a real person; it’s just a recording talking about FAFSA and such.”</p>
<p>I did the exact same thing for my summer aid and it took more than a month for them to reinstate it. if you contacted ASKDON it will get done, just really really realllllllly slowly. </p>
<p>The UT tuition loan is AMAZING. Take one out if they dont get back to you. </p>
<p>I’ve done it twice I think since before fall of freshman year my loan check didnt come in on time. And then in the spring I decided at the last minute I wanted to take summer classes.</p>
<p>You have 90 days after you do the loan to pay it back to UT. Also, it helps your credit if you pay it on time. UT automatically paid it when I got my aid for the summer.</p>
<p>Thanks mf91, I was able to find the appeal form. How were you able to request that your Aid be reinstated? Do you have an appointment, or did you call yourself? May I ask who you called, because I wasn’t able to speak to a person when I called the Financial Aid office. </p>
<p>And Why Two Kay, I’m on the CASH page where it states my awards for Fall 2009, but there is no “Financial Aid Notification”. Also when I click “What Do I Need To Complete?” it states that I currently have nothing to complete which I feel is a bit misleading. If I click on the awards in the “My Financial Aid” page, it simply gives me information about the loan such as interest rates and completion requirements (general information). I can’t find where to sign up for a loan.</p>
<p>If it already shows up on the My Financial Aid page, it appears that you have already accepted, filled out, and will receive the financial aid. My aid appears there, but I still have things on the CASH page relating to banks and FERPA authorizations. There is nothing on your CASH page at all?</p>
<p>However, if you didn’t actually do anything… then maybe there is a glitch or a problem.</p>
<p>Edit: for example, here are what my pages look like. On the “What Do I need to do” page, if I click on the “Sign MPN” part and login to my bank’s website, it simply tells me that I have signed it and funds will be released when UT requests them (when I actually owe something.)</p>
<p>That’s strange. I mean, your Financial Aid Notification has been activated, which is what put all of those things there. I assume your “Awarded” and “Pending Release” (e.g. accepted) columns have the same number in them? Do you remember activating your Financial Aid notification and/or setting the amounts for those awards? (Since you could have turned down an award or lowered the amount you want for a loan.)</p>
<p>If not, something is definitely messed up. Either that, or somehow your MPN has already been signed, and UT has already received the funds, which means you already have a loan taken out. But this makes no sense, since you obviously don’t remember doing so, and you have no idea where the loan is.</p>
<p>Actually I remember accepting them because I remember being informed that I could lower the amount if I necessary, but I never recall going through any banks. I assumed this was all just Aid that I COULD receive, but not necessarily going to. </p>
<p>The amount pending release is $0 in all the columns except for the scholarship, which is the same amount in both columns.</p>
<p>i just called the financial aid office and waited about 20 mins for someone to answer. the first 2 times i called i got a busy dial tone but then by the third time it finally started ringing</p>
<p>@M-5: Well, there you go. You accepted $0 for everything except the Scholarship. Therefore, the CASH page does not see you as needing to apply for the loan, since you did not accept the loan. You lowered the value to $0, and by doing that you effectively said “I do not need this money, give me only what I put a value for.”</p>
<p>I recall accepting the aid, but at the time, I wasn’t aware I was accepting the loans. If I remember correctly, I accepted them in their full amount. Anyhow, if I did in fact put $0, is it not possible to accept the aid anymore?</p>
<p>The amount in the second column is what you accepted them as, I believe. Since the amount pending release is $0 for the loans, and since the Master Promissory Note request is not present on the other CASH page, I want to say that you did indeed not accept them.</p>
<p>I would contact Financial Aid ASAP, although that’s easier said than done. It might be too late though, I’m not sure.</p>
<p>mf91: When you called the Financial Aid office, how were you able to talk to a real person? I’ve gotten through, but it’s just a recording and they give me no number to talk to someone.</p>
<p>I called earlier today and finally got everything sorted out. But the recording only states up to number 3, although I didn’t press any number and just waited a while and it continued to ring again until someone answered.</p>
<p>M-5: why don’t you try emailing finaid? i think they’re allowed to discuss the processing issues regarding financial aid (i.e. applying for loans, requesting changes to aid package, etc.) through emails as long as you don’t directly talk about specific amounts of money.</p>
<p>about your financial aid being rescinded…the same thing happened to about 600 other people, including myself. According to them it was a mistake. When i called through the phone they said they’d fix it but weeks past and nothing changed… During orientation i went over to the financial aid office and they reinstated it within a minute…And by the way, for future problems… whenever you’re on an automated system and you want to speak to a representative all you have to do is press the number 0… alot of times it puts you through a lot faster than otherwise.</p>
