Financial Aid

[lavadee]

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

I am a graduate student who relies on financial aid. The amount awarded over the cost of tuition is used for books and materials. It is now the 10th week of my 16 week term and my aid money has yet to arrive. Four weeks ago I called to check on the status of the aid and was informed that my paperwork had been lost in..whatever financial aid paperwork gets lost in. The financial aid department has told me that they have corrected the problem but my aid money is not here yet and I am on the verge of failing one of my three graduate courses because I lack the books and materials needed. I save my money to pay for books and materials needed during the first half of the term and use the aid money for second half material.

I have asked the school to be allowed to drop without penalty because of their errors but they (at least the director of financial aid) refused to this morning. I have also asked to be allowed to retake the class that starts next month as I would have the funds to pay for the material by then, but they refuse. They have admitted fault (I recorded at least two phone calls) but are unwilling to compromise on the matter. The director informed me that I should have had the money for the books and it is therefore my fault for signing up for a class without the money for books and material. I submit that I apply for financial aid to help with tuition and material. Again....I was able to purchase material needed for the first half of my classes. The aid was to help with tuition and material needed for the second half of the term. By dropping the ball on my paperwork, the financial aid dept. had put me in a terrible spot and refuses to help in the slightest. Personally, I find them to be negligent and discriminatory. I have begged them to work with me on a compromise but they would not even expedite the financial aid process after admitting they made a mistake! Have they ever helped another student in a tight situation? If so, why not help me?

 

[Humusluvr]

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

I am a graduate student who relies on financial aid. The amount awarded over the cost of tuition is used for books and materials. It is now the 10th week of my 16 week term and my aid money has yet to arrive. Four weeks ago I called to check on the status of the aid and was informed that my paperwork had been lost in..whatever financial aid paperwork gets lost in. The financial aid department has told me that they have corrected the problem but my aid money is not here yet and I am on the verge of failing one of my three graduate courses because I lack the books and materials needed. I save my money to pay for books and materials needed during the first half of the term and use the aid money for second half material.

I have asked the school to be allowed to drop without penalty because of their errors but they (at least the director of financial aid) refused to this morning. I have also asked to be allowed to retake the class that starts next month as I would have the funds to pay for the material by then, but they refuse. They have admitted fault (I recorded at least two phone calls) but are unwilling to compromise on the matter. The director informed me that I should have had the money for the books and it is therefore my fault for signing up for a class without the money for books and material. I submit that I apply for financial aid to help with tuition and material. Again....I was able to purchase material needed for the first half of my classes. The aid was to help with tuition and material needed for the second half of the term. By dropping the ball on my paperwork, the financial aid dept. had put me in a terrible spot and refuses to help in the slightest. Personally, I find them to be negligent and discriminatory. I have begged them to work with me on a compromise but they would not even expedite the financial aid process after admitting they made a mistake! Have they ever helped another student in a tight situation? If so, why not help me?

First of all, bells and whistles go off when you said you recorded the conversation. Read the laws about wiretapping in Texas - it would very likely be inadmissable if this were to go to court.

Texas Recording Law | Citizen Media Law Project

The financial aid department does sound like they dropped the ball, but not that they are negligent or in any way discriminatory - unless you're saying they did this to you on purpose - is that the case?

It sounds like you might have more luck asking a professor to help you, a friend or relative to help you until you can pay them back, or apply for a credit card to cover the materials. Financial aid may not be able to help you at all, as they are usually at the will of banks and paperwork, but you do have other options. You can't blame them if you don't do well in a class. It's a part of life to have to come up with alternate plans when one falls through.

Time to stop pointing fingers and start looking at alternative options.