Financial Aid Office at my University, Legally Tooooo sloooow?

[Raynainva]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

I am in Virginia.

I am enrolled in a University. I have applied and been approved for financial aid. The application was processed on line via the governments financial aid website. My question is, it has been over a month since I was approved via the website.

The answer I was given at the time was 7-10 days to process. I have yet to see a dime.

I am beginning to wonder if the school is holding onto the money longer than it should holding funds to shift this and that money around. (I over heard another student complaining about the same issue, so it's not just me.)

Legally, if they have no funds to hold against me,such as an account due balance, how long can they hold or take to "process" the paper work? My money can sit on their desk for months because they are behind in paper work? (their excuse) *sigh*

Thanks for any help, I'm a bit upset and over dealing with them and their lack of ability to give a straight answer. They always say "We have to email about it. We don't deal with it directly, the main office does, but I'll email them again for you."

 

[commentator]

An enormous part of the "education" involved in getting a college education is in learning to deal with the bureacracy and the red tape. The financial aid office has a vested interest in making sure that your money gets paid to the institution when they need it so you can enroll in the semester. They do not have a whole lot of interest in making sure you have it in time to feel comfortable about it or be ahead of schedule.

Your repeated calls to their office demanding to know when you'll get your money are probably not the only calls they're receiving from other students who are likewise curious about their own personal situation, and those calls may really slow them down in their processing efforts.
Until admission day comes and you don't have your money, I'd refrain from the calls. Then complain if they've actually kept you from enrolling. Colleges want students and need their money to function.

 

[sandyclaus]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

I am in Virginia.

I am enrolled in a University. I have applied and been approved for financial aid. The application was processed on line via the governments financial aid website. My question is, it has been over a month since I was approved via the website.

The answer I was given at the time was 7-10 days to process. I have yet to see a dime.

I am beginning to wonder if the school is holding onto the money longer than it should holding funds to shift this and that money around. (I over heard another student complaining about the same issue, so it's not just me.)

Legally, if they have no funds to hold against me,such as an account due balance, how long can they hold or take to "process" the paper work? My money can sit on their desk for months because they are behind in paper work? (their excuse) *sigh*

Thanks for any help, I'm a bit upset and over dealing with them and their lack of ability to give a straight answer. They always say "We have to email about it. We don't deal with it directly, the main office does, but I'll email them again for you."

This seems to be the result of a overburdened college educational system these days. With many schools increasing tuition and fees due to cuts in state education budgets, there is likely an increase in those students requiring financial aid to complete their educational goals. More students means a longer time to process all of those financial aid applications.

My son had a similar issue last year when returning to school in the fall. Though he was assured that his financial aid should come through well before school started, in reality, it actually ran into the first weeks of school and he was forced to borrow from friends and family to cover his books and materials costs prior to receiving his school money.

These things take time. Just be patient. Unless you know something more than what others seem to be hinting at or spouting rumors about, it's not all a conspiracy to keep you from getting your precious financial aid for school.

 

[Raynainva]

Update

Your repeated calls to their office demanding to know when you'll get your money **************.
Until admission day comes and you don't have your money, I'd refrain from the calls. Then complain if they've actually kept you from enrolling. Colleges want students and need their money to function.

Sorry I did not place a time frame in here. I have not received last qtrs and we are past mid terms for this qtr.

Between postings, I was called and told half of this qtrs would be posted by early next week and the rest follow soon and that last qtrs should be only a couple of weeks away.

*sigh*

Keep going like this and I'll have enough in refunds to pay off all my loans. LOL *sigh* Not really LOL'ing.

I've attended for over a year as full time student, full time working mom of 2 with a GPA of 3.667 until midterm grades recently sent me up to a 4.0!!!

This was my first try to use loans and grants, and just seeking out advice on,
1. is this time frame typical for turn around
2. what resources are available if it is not, and the pro's and con's of using those and pushing the matter.

Thanks again for all prior input and if the above additional information changes anything, please let me know!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Hmm a 4.0, I sense another online university degree in the works. Anyone run out of toilet paper?

 

[LdiJ]

Hmm a 4.0, I sense another online university degree in the works. Anyone run out of toilet paper?

There are valid online universities. Yes...its true that a prior 3.667 can never result in a 4.0 overall...no matter how well you do after that, but a 4.0 semester or quarter is still possible.

 

[proud_parent]

Yes...its true that a prior 3.667 can never result in a 4.0 overall...no matter how well you do after that

Not true, actually. A student who earns enough A+ marks (worth 4.33) can indeed pull a cumulative 3.667 back up to a 4.0. (Been there, done that.)

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Not true, actually. A student who earns enough A+ marks (worth 4.33) can indeed pull a cumulative 3.667 back up to a 4.0. (Been there, done that.)

What college did you go to? Obviously it did not use a 4.0 scale, as 4.0 is the highest you can receive. College grade point averages are based on the issuance of weighted points for a grade received.

 

[LdiJ]

Not true, actually. A student who earns enough A+ marks (worth 4.33) can indeed pull a cumulative 3.667 back up to a 4.0. (Been there, done that.)

I think that depends on the university and their scoring method. I did both my undergraduate and my graduate work at my state's most predominant university and there was no 4.33 for an A+. There was within a specific course, but not within the overall grades themselves. 4.0 was the maximum you could earn for a specific course, therefore the maximum that could contribute to your overall grade average. I would have been thrilled otherwise, because the freaking A- I got in one course wouldn't have busted my 4.0 when I was in graduate school.

 

[proud_parent]

What college did you go to? Obviously it did not use a 4.0 scale, as 4.0 is the highest you can receive. College grade point averages are based on the issuance of weighted points for a grade received.

I know of several colleges and universities that use a 4.33 system. Mine used a 4.33 scale for individual courses, but cumulative GPAs were capped at 4.0.

http://clas.uiowa.edu/students/handbook/grading-system

 

[proud_parent]

I think that depends on the university and their scoring method.

True enough, I shouldn't have generalized.