Dcccd financial aid woes....

by working2b#1
  3,769 Views   15 Comments

  1. omg....where do I begin?

    DCCCD has changed their FA system and centralized their FA office. I'm speechless because I tried two weeks to speak with someone and the phone lines are busy M-F from 7am-7pm. This terrible system that they have implemented has created a terrible backlog and processing of FA. This means, I am in a terrible bind and may have to drop a class because I don't know if I qualify for FA. This is a nightmare since courses begin Monday 8/29! Who really has extra money hanging around when we are in a freaking recession? I know I don't. Oh well, it's totally out of my hands and I've done absolutely all that I can do.
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  2. 15 Comments

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  3. by Mom/Nurse2b
    Aug 27, '11
    My husband is in the same boat as you with DCCCD. I did all my pre-reqs with them for the past 3 years and have never had a problem. This year they must have changed things up because he can never get any answers, they lost his application and we STILL don't know if he will get any financial aid and classes start in 2 days! I've had issues with their financial aid before and had to go in to my home campus and make them speak to me face-to-face. He did that a few weeks ago and got the applications worked out, but not the financial aid stuff yet.
    It's frustrating.....
  4. by tnbutterfly
    Aug 29, '11
    Moved to TX Nursing Programs Discussion forum.
  5. by Preemie 2 RN
    Aug 30, '11
    Yes I have had nothing but horrible experiences these past few semesters at DCCCD and trying to get my financial aid on time. The schools, instructors and classes are GREAT but they have a horrible financial aid department.
  6. by espence27
    Sep 11, '11
    OH. MY. GOODNESS. At least now I know I'm not alone. My husband and I are BOTH enrolled in school, but my husband just transffered from TCC.. I am trying to finish up my pre-reqs and support courses for the Brookhaven program. I FEEL YOU.. We had to borrow $750 just to make payment arrangments so they didn't drop our classes. It's the middle of September and we STILL. DO. NOT. HAVE. OUR. MONEY! I'm so sick. We have been living like homeless people for 2 wks now with barely scrapping by while we wait for our money. My husband hasn't even gotten an award letter!! We were supposed to move this weekend (they way it was planned) but it didn't happen, and I'm at my witts end. Is anyone else out there having problems STILL?
  7. by Mom/Nurse2b
    Sep 11, '11
    He still hasn't gotten an award letter either. They've tried to drop his classes twice but then gave an emergency extension until financial aid came through. Keep us updated on any progress.
  8. by espence27
    Sep 11, '11
    I sure will! We have 4 girls (2 are toddlers) and this is just rough. We are both taking online classes, but it's over 2 wks into school now and neither one of us have all our books. My husband has had 2 assignments due in a class that he can't afford the access code to. It's not like he can go to the school and copy the chapters either.. (thought of that) since they are online books.

    Let me know if your husband gets his. It's a little stressful since we had already started packing and now we can't even move because we can't afford it!
  9. by sugarmagnoliaRN
    Sep 16, '11
    Uh oh... I've been taking my pre-reqs there and am hoping to start the Nursing program @ Brookhaven in January... looks like I better get my ducks in a row now, maybe that way they'll be processing it just as school starts for the spring!
  10. by espence27
    Sep 16, '11
    I wouldn't count on it. We had "all our ducks in a row" since July and my husband just got his award letter... AFTER the cert. date.
  11. by sugarmagnoliaRN
    Oct 3, '11
    Do any of y'all know what kind of private loans DCCCD school "participate" in? The only one I've seen so far is Cedar Valley w/Chase... I'm hoping to start Brookhaven's nursing program in the spring and I'm starting to get really worried that I won't be able to get any aid at all...
  12. by not.done.yet
    Oct 5, '11
    Financial Aid has been drastically cut. The changes this semester took a lot of poeple by surprise. Look into it well before you commit to anything.
  13. by sugarmagnoliaRN
    Oct 5, '11
    My application is already in at Brookhaven... I have looked into it well. I'm just wondering if there are loan options at Brookhaven besides Direct loans. If I can't get enough with direct loans and private loans aren't an option, I plan to work my butt off to support myself and pay for it (as well as live like a monk).
  14. by not.done.yet
    Oct 5, '11
    Private loans for school are pretty hard to get - I think most banks do offer them and there are places to get them independently, but I think you probably have to put up some kind of collateral or have a co-signer. I used to get solicitations from Chase. I never got anything from my school though pertaining to private loans. Just the Federal subsidized and unsubsidized.

    Working through school bites, but it is do-able.

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