While suffering (yes, I think it's a form of suffering) through my recent financial aid events, I've come across my own theory.
Financial aid makes it hard for you to get money from them because they don't really want to give you money, they want you to be rich and pay for your own education through your own pocket. So, instead of being nice and helping you out, they'll make it hell for you so you'll take out private loans and not ask them for cash.
Unfortunately, I'm not rich and no, I don't rely on my parents to give me money, that's why it's so hard for me to fill out the paperwork, because I don't have their information on me and I don't live with them. I don't even live with them during holidays, that's how independent I am. So why should I have to put my moms alimony on my financial aid forms? Why?
My parents are not deceased and I'm not a child of the court, I'm also not 25, but I'm more financially independent than some 25 + year olds that I know, so why should their financial aid stuff be easier to fill out? Because they reached the age that financial aid thinks you should be to be independent?
Did you realize that taxes require for someone to pay for over half of your expenses before you become their dependent? If the FAFSA is really a product of your tax forms, shouldn't they follow the same laws and the same specifications? No one else can claim me as a dependent on their forms, therefore I am independent, shouldn't it by like that for financial aid???
I"m just trying to figure out the paradoxes of financial aid here, and I know that going through this will make me more sympathetic for my students when I become a professor, but really - where's the break for the "poor" kids? I haven't seen it, I have to pay for college just like most of my friends that come from middle to low income families. I make so little it's not even funny and I make more than my mom. I struggle with bills, and it annoys my fiance to no end that I'm always broke (I know that it does bother him, even though he won't always say it).
People who say that "poor" people (I'd say financial disadvantaged, to be more PC, but I'm trying to make a point here) always ask for free stuff, but do they realize that government housing often requires a 2-5 year waiting list? Do they realize that the government makes you jump through so many hoops to get money for financial aid? Does anyone know what a pain it is like to have to file verification paperwork every single year of my college career? And whenever you bring it up, everyone always says - "that's so strange." Random my ass.
Someone tell me, what's the probability that the Department of Education is going to select a student for verification 4 years in a row. What are the odds?
Well, I'm done with my rant for today, I think. More posts later, hopefully. Before I go crazy or something. Post comments, please. Maybe I'm being irrational.
5 comments:
I'm going through my own bureaucratic nightmare at the moment, but mine's in admissions rather than financial aid. I've paid the application fee about three times so far along with all the paperwork, and they still don't know I exist. -_-
Sad story, didn't happen to me though.
The summer I was a student orientation leader some of the student orientation leaders that were going into their senior year (I'm thinking, they wait until now to pull this shit) went to registrar's, financial aid and student accounts. All of them said, "you don't exist", what kind of a response is that?
Just so you know, you exist to me and that's all that matters. The world revolves around me you know, everyone just isn't necessarily hip on the idea. ;).
Things will get better, that's what I keep telling myself.
Btw, when do you start classes?
Aww, thanks for acknowledging my existence. :)
Classes start in a few weeks here. I'm getting paranoid about settling my admissions status before then, because classes are already starting to fill up.
My classes start on Wednesday, that's why I'm freaking out.
She told me, "the verification paperwork should get back by Tuesday or Wednesday", isn't that great?
well good luck... :)
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