That school thing

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This entry was published at least two years ago (originally posted on December 9, 2005). Since that time the information may have become outdated or my beliefs may have changed (in general, assume a more open and liberal current viewpoint). A fuller disclaimer is available.

Well, it’s official — there will be no financial aid for me in the immediate future. Since aid for the current ’05-’06 year is determined by how much was made in 2004, and as I was applying for winter quarter (late enough in the season that the majority of the school’s aid money has already been passed out), I just don’t qualify. Meh.

On the bright side, as long as I apply first thing in January when the next round opens up, I should have no problems with getting aid for the ’06-’07 school year…starting in September. Until then, though, I’m on my own.

So, Prairie and I are going to see what we can do to scrape together enough funds to get me into one or two classes for the next two quarters (if we can get two 5-credit classes paid for, that’ll cover the 10 credits for a minimum full load) just to get me started and in the system. It’ll likely be a little tight — especially once I drop down to part-time at work come January — but it’ll be a start.

4 thoughts on “That school thing”

  1. Don’t take a first no as a permanent no. Appeal the decision to your college financial aid office and explain that your income for 2005 was less and that your income for 2005-6 or 2006-7 will be even less than that. All financial aid offices have what is formallly called “professional judgement” which allows them to make recalculations of eligibility based an individual circumstances. I know because I was once of them..a financial aid person, not an individual circumstance.

    Good luck!

  2. That’s actually what this morning entailed. I’d gotten the official “nope, sorry” letter earlier in the week, and went in to the Financial Aid office this morning to see what other options there might be.

    In short…not much of anything. About all that’s left out of the ’05-’06 year’s money is Pell grants, which I’m ineligible for due to income. There was a “special circumstances” form that I could have filled out due to my lowered income, but they said it still wouldn’t do me much good unless I’d made $15k or less over the past year — and since I just started the new (much lower-paying) job about two months ago, I’m over that limit for the year already.

    Projected income for ’06-’07 definitely puts me in the right range, though, so things do look good for next year.

    Thanks much, Karan!

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