Financial Aid Problems... please help

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2009

And what do you expect the Dean to do about the situation?

morningland · Oct 10, 2009

If you do not have any advice DONT post. I am understandably upset right now and I don't need any One making it worse, so just do me a favor and don't post here. Thanks

morningland · Oct 10, 2009

And what do you expect the Dean to do about the situation?

If you do not have any advice DONT post. I am understandably upset right now and I don't need any one making it worse with sacrasm, so just do me a favor and don't post here. Thanks

p.s. honestly dude, can't you freakin' see from my post that I am upset and worried? why do you have to post on here just instigating stuff? Just offer some advice or at least try and understand how much it sucks to be in this cituation. If you can't assess that for yourself, why are you even involved in nursing? Isn't understanding the foundations of nursing?

rickelli · Oct 11, 2009

Maybe they will let you work out some type of payment plan. I don't know if you work or not but that is another option. Many people have to pay for school that is all a part of growing up. Have you tried scholarships? There are many out there for nurses, you might have to write some essays. Can you ask family or friends for loans? Have you tried a bank? Who knows maybe it will all work out for you next week when you contact them. it could be some kind of mistake but if it is not then you should have a plan B.

morningland · Oct 11, 2009

Maybe they will let you work out some type of payment plan. I don't know if you work or not but that is another option. Many people have to pay for school that is all a part of growing up. Have you tried scholarships? There are many out there for nurses, you might have to write some essays. Can you ask family or friends for loans? Have you tried a bank? Who knows maybe it will all work out for you next week when you contact them. it could be some kind of mistake but if it is not then you should have a plan B.

Thanks. Working right now isn't an option... maybe after this semester but for now I am still trying to get in the school groove. I think I will have to find a family member like you said, just ask them to step up to the plate. On mon, I am hoping I can just refuse the aditional loan, give them back their money and go back to my old plan. Thanks again!

nohika · Oct 11, 2009

No offense, but in reality, they were offering something. What could the dean do about your situation? Bully the financial aid office into giving you more money?

Regardless...I'm not exactly sure what you could do. I'm on financial aid myself, and have never went and asked for more money/loans/anything. I would go talk to them, or even find out who runs that department, and talk to them. At least find out what they did - maybe you can change it.

miwukman · Oct 11, 2009

I am in a BSN program and I work full time. It can be done, if you want it bad enough...

morningland · Oct 11, 2009

No offense, but in reality, they were offering something. What could the dean do about your situation? Bully the financial aid office into giving you more money?
Regardless...I'm not exactly sure what you could do. I'm on financial aid myself, and have never went and asked for more money/loans/anything. I would go talk to them, or even find out who runs that department, and talk to them. At least find out what they did - maybe you can change it.

None taken... your response was polite.. thanks

I guess I thought that the dean could at least help me get the old amount. What I mean about the going to the dean statement is that our FA department seems to give out the wrong information and then will not work with students to correct it. For example, I was told to apply for full time loans by my nursing department, the fincial aid office told me I need to fax them a statement saying I was actually part time (long story, I was on a trip), so when I called back to get the fax number the person wouldn't give it saying "oh you don't need to do that". In the end I had to come in on my own when I got back but that would have really screwed up getting my loans because one person didn't know what he was doing. I guess thats why I am venting and thats why I would have thought to go to the dean. It is less about getting more money and more about hopefully getting the FA department to work better for the students.

That is what I really want. I just want them to have their stuff together and give the right information because it really screws people up when they give your the wrong information. I will work it all out monday but, the point is this, I just think it is not right for the financial aid to tell you are getting more money but then take even more from you and give you even more loans. I just think that we deserve to have a better facility working for us.

If I can just get my old plan back, i will be happy and find some other way to get the money. To the other lady that posted, I really do admire the fact that you work and go to school, thats freaking awesome. I worked through my pre-reqs and almost didn't make it so I realized I really need to be able to focus on school only. Again, it's awesome that you are able to do it, but for now, I really can't spare any time. Right now, I am just passing my classes but maybe later I will be able to.

In closing, you gave some good advice. I am just going to go to the FA department on monday and calmly talk with the person that runs the place, that way I can get the right information. I am sure it will work out and I feel a lot more at ease in the situation.

It's actually funny when you think about it.

kayty2339 · Oct 11, 2009

If you are getting loans, you are still getting money, even if it's in a loan form. You are lucky to be getting the grants that you are getting. Many people don't qualify for grants because they or their spouses work, but they don't take into consideration the bills that they have that they need to survive. Those people have to get loans and many times even those are hard to come by. I am trying for loans through my school, scholarships, and the rest that I need will be going on a credit card, which is worse than student loans because payments aren't deffered. You do what you have to do to get through, even if it means having loans to pay back or working part time, whatever you have to do.

Also, check into what your state may offer. Here in Florida they have something called "workforce investment act" or "WIA" where they pay for tuition and other expenses like books etc and you don't have to pay it back. It's offered through the same department that people go to for unemployment claims...don't know about other states though.

ShantheRN, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2009

Going to the dean isn't going to accomplish anything, and will probably just make you more upset. I wouldn't bother wasting the time to do it. You've got a FAFSA done, so you could call them and ask about supplemental loans. These are still federal (though there are some private ones) and could help you out. You said you don't have a cosigner - try for it by yourself! Honestly, in your situation it can't hurt and you might be surprised by the results.

Try Fastwebs, too! It's an awesome resource for scholarships of all kinds. You have to click through ads to get to the good stuff, but at least it's free :up:

As the above posters said....working is possible. You have to be willing to sacrifice some things. I work full time and I'm in clinicals. I only sleep like 6 hours a night (if that) and my social life is nonexistent. But I know it's only till Jan 2011, and this summer I only have to take 1 class - it's the light at the end of my tunnel!

http://www.fastwebs.com is the addy for scholarships. Good luck figuring things out!

brittany_micah · Oct 11, 2009

Talk to the DEAN, or whoever you can. Let me tell you, I have had more problems out of my financial aid office!! I guess I have a semi-common name, there are 3 of us on campus. They have screwed all of us up...every semester! They dropped my classes last semester bc they said I failed my classes, which I didnt. Then this semester they dropped my classes bc they said I had too many credit hours. So I filed appeal after appeal, it turns out that my school has a 99 credit hour limit, I emailed the Assistant VP of financial aid and she figured out that I only had 67 credit hours (I had been telling them this all along!) I cried and worried myself sick for weeks and the stupid lady that made the mistake wouldnt even tell me she was sorry, she had her secretary do it. Needless to say I was ticked off!!

Forget the comments about the Dean, yada yada, you do whatever you can, talk to whoever will listen. Express to them that you need help and cannot pay for school any other way. I made a list of all of our bills, my husband is the only one that works and we have 2 small children and money is tight. I sent that list along with a letter explaining my situation to about 5 people, my advisor, financial aid ppl, business office ppl, whoever would listen and the situation finally got worked out. Dont give up!!