I'm so frustrated and angry right now...I don't even know where to begin...

[Reverend_Smitty]

I've been trying...and the key word here is trying to deal with the financial aid office at my school for over 2 weeks now. All I really wanted was to talk to a human being or at least be able to leave a voice mail so somebody could call me back. I submitted my FASFA form and it was verified by the government near the end of July, so every day I've been checking my online school account to see if I can review my loan award, and as of this morning nothing was on the website. So I've been calling and calling the financial aid office to try and get through because I was out of town and couldn't get down there in person. Each time I called it would go straight to voicemail and when I tried leaving a message it said I couldn't because the box was full. I sent an e-mail last Friday and didn't get a response until 2pm today, and because I need to send a follow-up question there is no way I'm going to get a response by tomorrow afternoon when my tuition bill is due.

Well anyway I went down today because I had other business to attend to on campus and when I showed up, they said that my information was added today, all I had to do was accept the loan on the website...yippie! except...I am going to be a graduate assistant and the college owes me a stipend, it's not enough to cover the entire bill so that's why I needed a little bit of government money...BUT the department that is hiring me didn't fill out a sheet of paper that would get me my money (apparently it's a new rule). My boss fixed that today and and I should have a contract by the end of next week...BUT BUT BUT my bill is due tomorrow. If they had filled out this sheet of paper last month when they were supposed to, I would have already had that money credited to my account and I would have to use less student loan money.

Now I have a bill that is due by the end of the day tomorrow, no stipend from the college and an unsubsidized Stafford loan and a subsidized stafford loan that I can choose one or both of. If I had the money the college will eventually owe me, I could have taken out the lesser of the two and have been done with this mess...now if I don't want to get hit with a late fee, I have to take out both and I don't need an $18,000 loan for the year, I only need about $6,000. If it was just one loan I would take the lump sum and they could adjust it when I got my stipend but I don't know what they will do for two nor do I really know the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized loans.

I was at the office at 2pm today and the secretary just told me to go home and accept the loans and it would be credited to my account...which would have been fine but I didn't know they offered me 2. If I had gotten home at 2:15 when I planned, I would have seen this and probably just would have driven back to campus to straighten this out once and for all...HOWEVER on my way home my exhaust kind of dropped off the bottom of my car and I had to sit on the side of the road for 2 blisteringly hot hours waiting for AAA to show up. I didn't get home until after 5 when the office was closed, and discovered this situation was still a mess and now my car is at the mechanics to add injury to insult.

Sorry about the long message but I'm just so fed up with this bullshit and the cherry on top is that my dad is yelling at me like the college screwing up my paperwork is somehow my fault. He's not helping me try to figure out what to do, just adding more friggen aggravation to the situation.

[MissB]

1. You had a helluva day, didn't you?

To bridge the gap, just go ahead and take out the two loans and then then pay the part that you don't need back against the loan. Pay back the unsubsidized loan first. Unsubsidized means that they will not pay the interest for you while you are in college, so it'll cost you more.

[Reverend_Smitty]

3. I had quite an accomplished feeling up until about 2 o'clock

then all the wheels fell off or in my case part of my car chassis. My mom is in town and offered to go down to the college first thing tomorrow morning to get this sorted out...which for some reason really pissed off my dad (why? who the hell knows), and as much as I hate running to mommy for help as an adult and a graduate student, I just want someone to fix this for me. So I'm just hoping like hell we will sort it out tomorrow

[idgiehkt]

2. I'm sorry

that crap is so unbelievably frustrating. I thought I was having trouble just getting into one of my classes I was wait-listed for (I finally got in yesterday). I wish I could help in some way but all I can do is offer hugs. :hug: :hug: :hug:

[Reverend_Smitty]

4. Thanks, they do make me feel better

I just really needed a good venting and maybe a stiff drink to help me cool down a bit

[LadyAziz]

5. I so sorry

:hug: financial aid stuff is so stressing. I hope everything works out. :-)

[Reverend_Smitty]

6. thanks, I hope so too...

:fingers crossed:

[MichiganVote]

7. Subsidized loans means that the gov't pays the interest on the loan while you are enrolled full time

Unsubsidized means that your loan is accruing interest while you are in school for which you will/would eventually be responsible for.

[Wapsie B]

8. Sorry to hear that you had that kind of mess.

I'm buying drinks when I get back. I could use a good stiff one today. Or 2, or 6.........

[hfojvt]

9. your story reminds me of a joke

if that would help. If not :hide:

[Debi]

10. Oh man, good luck to you

I'd say get the loans and get the car fixed. Don't spend the money you don't need and pay the loans back asap.