I'm in the middle of financial aid hell.

[lizziegrace]

Classes start for Lelapin in less than two weeks. I filed a "Parent Resource Appeal" in June. They signed off on it on July 2. It was supposed to take 4 weeks. TEN weeks later, I get a letter requiring me to submit "last day worked" information. Lessee, I cashiered at a major chain-grocery store. That'll be easy - not. A previous employer had to be threatened with legal action in order for me to get unemployment. (I was fired for being out a week with the flu. Funny thing, 6 other people had it and 3 of them were out for 2 weeks each...) That'll be easy too! I have fully documented my income for this year. Pay stubs, letters from the temp agency, everything. I am so close to the edge right now, financially as well as emotionally, that I don't know what I'm going to do.

She's supposed to move into the dorm next Sunday. I cannot even pay a small portion of the tuition due so she can do that. She'll lose her room, her classes, everything.

:(

[datasuspect]

1. is she a dependent student?

i have a trick up my sleeve for this situation, but it is unpalatable, legal, but unpalatable.

it did work to change my status from dependent to independent.

[lizziegrace]

2. She's as dependent as they come

She makes $6/hour at a convenience store and has only worked a few months this year. (We only have one car)

[ZombieNixon]

3. First off...

:hug:

I wish I had some advice, but I'm new to the financial aid game and I lucked out with scholarships and grants, so I guess all I have is sympathy.

:hug:

[lizziegrace]

5. I'll take it!

Thanks.

:hug:

[ZombieNixon]

7. I suppose you've already looked into this, but...

does the school maybe offer some kind of payment plan through the quarter that would let you put down a smaller tuition deposit at the beginning and pay off the balance in installments? :shrug:

[lizziegrace]

8. Two payments, 30 days apart

First due before she can move into the dorm ($10,000/3 quarters/2 payments is $1500/payment)

I don't make that much in a month. :(

[ZombieNixon]

9. Is it just a matter of coming up with the requisite funds...

or are you also running into bureaucratic hell? :( :hug:

(I'd like to give you our financial aid department; they're very good and accomodating, even if their hold music sucks.)

[lizziegrace]

11. Both

no funds and bureacratic hell. I know there's money out there to use when your parents are in a dire financial situation. It's humiliating enough to have to ask for it, but then to be treated as though you're lying. :(

This university is so big. It's almost impossible to navigate. :(

[ZombieNixon]

13. If you get the time, go in and hound someone in person.

You'd have a better chance of speaking to someone more senior than the flunky on the phone that way. Probably wouldn't hurt to build up a healthy head of steam before going in either. Good luck. :hug:

[billyskank]

4. Oh lizzie!

:cry:

:hug:

[lizziegrace]

6. I know

I don't know what else I can do. The telephone lines are only open from 9:00-11:30 and 12:30-4:00. I work as a temp and cannot stay on the phone on hold for 45 minutes to talk to a human who has no answers. :(

[Callalily]

10. My heart is breaking!

But you'll have to talk to financial aid. There are grants and scholarships based on need alone, and from your description, you seem to qualify. Keep calling, e-mail, do everything you can to talk to a person. You may not believe this, but most financial aid officers will bend over backwards to find a solution.

Good luck.

[lizziegrace]

12. Thank you.

Do you know any financial aid officers at Ohio State? (kidding...)

I can't get to anyone besides the phone staff who can only follow procedure. :(

I will keep hounding them.

[Callalily]

18. The phone staff?

Just a suggestion. On Ohio State's website there may be the name of the financial aid officer.

Grrrrr . . . http://www.sfa.osu.edu/notices/phoneproblem.asp this is what I get. Was trying to get a name for you off of their website. Sorry . . . but truly, keep trying, keep calling, and I know it's annoying, but if you have to hang on hold, please do it. It's well worth your time. That's a a nice sizable school with a good endowment, need based money is there. Monies that you don't have to pay back.

Good luck!

[miss_american_pie]

14. That sucks

I'm so sorry. :hug:

[Broken_Hero]

15. welcome to the club

my wife is in financial aid hell too...the main issue, the uni keeps sending the checks back to the student loan company...for soem strange reason, and because of that they are pushing a stay on her acceptance to classes...

[lizziegrace]

16. Wow

So close. I don't understand what drives some of the decisions made or actions taken. I hope the situation gets straightened out right away.

:hug:

[Broken_Hero]

17. Their excuse was

that she didn't sign up for full time...which my wife DID sign up for full time(12 credits). Its a big mess, but they are letting her go to class though, which is a bonus, at first they weren't going to let her...but then my wife...did this


:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

I was in the next room, and I didn't catch any backdraft from the argument(thank goodness)

And they decided to let her back in(after she missed her first assignment in each class, but they are working that out as well)...another thing, we were depending on some of the left over $ of the student loan, and thats put us in a pinch.

[bluethruandthru]

19. I'm not much of an expert

but my oldest just started college a couple of weeks ago. We didn't qualify for any aid..but we financed nearly the whole amount with a PLUS loan through Sallie Mae. We did it on line and on the phone in about an hour. Very helpful people... 10 years to pay it off. Maybe you can finance a portion of the semester...just enough to get Lelapin started while you work your way through financial aid hell.
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

[lizziegrace]

21. I tried the PLUS loan route.

I don't qualify due to income and credit history. Divorce is hell on one's credit rating. :(

Thanks for the thoughts though. Keep throwing out ideas. I'm particularly fond of one from Reyd Reid Reed. Kicking some ass...

:(

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. My dear lizziegrace......

How I wish I could help both of you.......

All I have is this......:grouphug: :loveya:

[lizziegrace]

22. I'll take that!

Thanks...

:hug:

[ChoralScholar]

23. Why don't you qualify for federal student aid?

Stafford Loans, Pell Grants, etc.

I have a good income, but can still borrow 18,500 a year for my graduate work.

[lizziegrace]

24. She's gotten the minimum in Pell Grants

There's still another $3k she's entitled to if they will believe my pay stubs and the income I've documented.

They're upset because I appealed last year when I had no income at the time. I eventually found a job and I had taxable income. They are not amused. :( I'm not trying to take anyone for a ride. I truly am living at poverty level right now and need her to get the maximum available. And I have 1.5 weeks to do it before her fees have to be paid.

[LuckyLib]

25. Work two tracks at the same time: first, the financial aid

web that can get your income/status changed. Second, the college office that deals with emergencies for students. It's likely the only way to get into that is through a counsellor at the college. Have your child go to the counselling center, and lay out the issue. Because this is emotional as well as financial for your family, and there isn't any reason that emergency loan funds can't be released to make that first payment or, more likely, a university hold can be put on the bill until your situation is ironed out. Good luck! It will all work out.

[lizziegrace]

27. Thanks for the advice!

There's a rub in this. My temporary assignment ends on Friday. After that, I have no known income. I hope to either get another temp assignment or a permanent job. In the meantime, I'll be committing myself to pay back money I cannot possibly pay (PLUS load or any other loan). The financial stress of this year has nearly broken me. I can't willingly take on more, especially when I know there's government funds out there if you're not well off. (Okay, I'll say it. I'm poor. Damn.)

[NewWaveChick1981]

26. I worked in student financial aid for 20 years, 7 at the director level.

I don't know what school she's going to, but processes vary from school to school as to how they handle (or don't handle) professional judgment situations. I'm sorry you're going through that kind of hell. If you want to ask me specific questions, you can PM me. I can't do anything about school policies, but I can tell you Federal regs and how they're treated. I know how to cut through the bullshit and give you a straight answer.

[lizziegrace]

28. Ohio State

I have to get to bed. My alarm goes off at 6:00. I don't have computer access at work and cannot make phone calls unless it's my lunch hour. (Oh yeah, it's a peach of a temp assignment...)

PM Lelapin if you think of anything I should know. Thank you so much!

[SoCalDemGrrl]

29. What about work/study where they match the student's salary my daughter

is at A UC and they have offered her work/study this year. the student has access to jobs others may not

and it totals about $2,500-$3.000 per semester... Most schools offer it, I'm sure Ohio State does.

[lizziegrace]

36. Ohio State does

But basically work-study is money you earn after all the fees are due. I had to front her first quarter's work study last year to pay her fees and she earned it back. Well, some of it. She wasn't able to get all her hours in to earn what they offered.

[BreweryYardRat]

30. That is HORSESHIT!

USF, fucking USF in the center of Jeb's little fiefdom!!!, defers tuition that's getting paid by financial aid until the start of November. How the bloody fucking hell does Ohio State not do something like that?

You call those inbred motherfuckers back and tell them that if a shitty-ass school in fucking FLORIDA can do something like that, then they can damn well do the same thing!!!

[LuckyTheDog]

31. This might be a bad idea

But, these days, most schools take credit cards.

[lizziegrace]

32. Since the divorce

I don't have any. I don't qualify for any either.

I have no health insurance, no benefits, no sick leave, no job security beyond week to week. I am broke. My daughter doesn't have her license because we have one 12 year old car and I cannot afford to put her on my policy.

[LuckyTheDog]

39. My heart goes out to you

All I can say is keep faith in the future getting better and don't let setbacks wreck you.

I often remind myself that the formation of Ford Motor Co. was Henry Ford's third try at starting a car company. For some reason, the thought of that helps me when I feel defeated.

Also, if there is any way to rake your ex over the coals financially, I hope you find it.

[blonndee]

33. Ask if there is a "special circumstances" appeal or form.

Seriously, I had no idea such a thing even existed until I overheard someone in front of me in line discussing it. I had been laid off from my job and realized I might have a chance to appeal for a much bigger Pell Grant than what I had initially received, which was very small. I ended up getting the max for the final two years I was in college, so that chance encounter was a moderate miracle for me.

**Upon reading your post more carefully, I see that you've filed a different sort of appeal. What exactly is it that they're wanting from you? For me, all it came down to was a letter from my previous employer verifying that I had indeed lost my job on such and such a date and had been making such and such income.

[lizziegrace]

34. That's exactly what they want

and after having my paperwork for 14 weeks, (it should have taken 4 to process) I get a letter listing all kinds of documentation I need to get. She's supposed to move into the dorm on the 17th and fees must be paid in full by then.

I'm angry that the bureacracy has now forced me to take unpaid time from my temp job (no work, no pay) and we still have no real idea as to how much difference the appeal will make. We're $10,000 apart right now.

Using the phone is not allowed at this job and I have no computer access during the day. Their laundry list requires I have both.

I'm sorry. It's nearly 3:00am, I can't sleep and my alarm's going off in 3 hours. :( I'm frustrated beyond belief right now.

[blonndee]

35. I'm so sorry, it can be so difficult

to navigate the bureaucratic hell of university. Is there a way that you can meet with an experienced FA counselor there? I know it's really tough to do that, with you working and all. It's too bad that most jobs these days are so regulated to the minute and so endangered that people can't live their REAL lives. But that's another topic.

Maybe your daughter can go down there and ask about exactly what's needed next. What is MISSING, according to them, and what will it take to keep her in school? That's how you're going to have to approach this problem with the counselor or advisor. You have to jump through a lot of hoops, but there ARE ways to get extensions and special considerations "pending" FA decisions. Who knows? It's possible there is a problem with the FA office. That happens a LOT in the fall, especially.

I'm sure you know this, and you can navigate this in a tactful way, but DO NOT deal with any work study people at this point--you guys need to be dealing with the big dogs of the dept.

I wish you well, babe. It shouldn't be this hard.

[lizziegrace]

37. Thanks

I appreciate your understanding. From all of you.

She cannot get to campus. We live 25 miles out and she has no car and no license. I'll have to beg time off and hope the agency doesn't get a call from the employer saying they want someone more "dependable".

Keep me in your thoughts and prayers. Full-time permanent with benefits is all I want.

[GalleryGod]

38. The Bursar's Office ($$$) sent someone to pull me out of a class

the first week of 2nd semester, my Freshman year. My paperwork hadn't come through. Pretty humiliating.
Three semesters later, my mom got injured, so I had to leave school for a year and write Secondary School curriculums. I went back to school.

Carry-on. Do the best you can.:hi: