FIGHTING the Financial Aid Office

I wanted that money... BRING IT ON.

Last blog I discussed how I had received work study for my first year at a 4-year university, then my future work study boss emailed me about a week ago, and said that my work study wasn’t on my financial aid award anymore. What happened!?

See, work study means that I am receiving federal funds, and the department does not have to be the one to pay me. I couldn't work without it, because it wasn't in the budget.

At first I called financial aid, and we thought it was because I was hired just through email and not officially through Handshake (the college's official hiring system), which is apparently how they can tell if I’m using my work study.

(We didn’t know that when I was originally hired.)

But the next day I got this email…

"Kara:

Your work study was cancelled because after your National Service Trust Americorps award placed you in an overaward status. To resolve it, we had to cancel your workstudy and SEOG (grant).

Please let us know if you have any questions."

UGH, oh no! Not only my work study, but also my SEOG grant was cancelled. That definitely was not okay.

I was thankful for work study, but I did not think I would be using the whole $3000 I was allocated. Nor did I want to use all my AmeriCorps money (that I had received when I was working through the National Park Service) in one year.

It would be better to use all the grants and scholarships I had been awarded, and then kind of "add in" the National Park funds when needed.

I emailed back asking how I could reverse this, and offered proof that I could use the AmeriCorps funds sometimes in the next 5 years, so it didn't all need to be used now.

(Always keep emails/written proof when finagling college credits and finances.)

She told me that "in order to fit your workstudy and SEOG in your financial aid budget, you will need to decrease your Americorps award to $3450 (a decrease of $893.20) for the Fall 2018 semester. We will have to reduce your Winter Americorps estimate to $1600. Once you enroll in your Winter courses you can email me and I can adjust your costs - - this would allow you to increase your Americorps award and still allow your workstudy and SEOG to fit into your financial aid budget. Your next step is to contact third party to see if they will decrease your Americorps for Fall semester, then email me back."

Also, with how much I would be working the first semester, I told her I only needed about $600 for work study, and she said that was a good bargaining chip!

I did not take this lying down. It's best to contact every person you can, and be (politely but firmly) persistent. I ended up getting my $$$ back (woo-hoo!) without too much concern, although I briefly freaked out a bit after the first email.

So, God helped me not freak out too much.

I feel like my experience with people at the Battlefield (my past National Park internship) prepared me for this.

My boss emailed me...

"Hi Kara,

This is wonderful news! I see on your account that it is $600, which will be perfect for the fall term. I'm really glad this worked out, and it is due to your hard work.

Thanks so much, Kara.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we will see you in September!"

Woo-hoo! She turned out to be one of my favorite bosses, and gave me such a fun, thorough training for a job that honestly was not very hard (whereas I've had little to no training and supervisor support in some past difficult jobs!).