Help, Need a Lawyer and advice!

[palindrome]

Originally posted by: doze

Originally posted by: palindrome
Already done, but how are we to afford her dental bill? Only 2 oral surgeons in NC accept medicaid... Plus her car is dying

How about getting a job, I worked one or more jobs the entire time I was in college. I was always a full time student.

How about low paying college student type jobs don't cover thousands of dollars in medical bills? Did you even read what I wrote in the first part of this thread? She woudn't have attended this school had she known this situation PRIOR to the school year beginning. She was lied to and tricked by the financial office. Also, she doesn't get any financial aid because she is not black and this IS Charlotte.....

 

[Wreckem]

Simply put she was never awarded $9000 in Federal Student loans.

Unless you have paperwork stating such. Which is impossible because freshmen/sophmores aren't eligible for that much.

Also another thing you have to consider is, they will ONLY give aid up to the amount of their estimated cost of attendance.


Uh as for there being no paperwork? Did she get ANY federal loans/grants?

Are you sure she filed her 2006-2007 FAFSA?

To me it sounds as if she filed the schools paperwork, but didnt file the 2006-2007 FAFSA this past spring.

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: palindrome

Originally posted by: doze

Originally posted by: palindrome
Already done, but how are we to afford her dental bill? Only 2 oral surgeons in NC accept medicaid... Plus her car is dying

How about getting a job, I worked one or more jobs the entire time I was in college. I was always a full time student.

How about low paying college student type jobs don't cover thousands of dollars in medical bills? Did you even read what I wrote in the first part of this thread? She woudn't have attended this school had she known this situation PRIOR to the school year beginning. She was lied to and tricked by the financial office. Also, she doesn't get any financial aid because she is not black and this IS Charlotte.....

Student aid isnt supposed to cover thousands of dollars in medical bills either.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: palindrome
1) Learn to look over the paperwork next time. They give you multiple notices of how much loan money you got, what the expenses should be, etc. If there was an error, she should have corrected it months ago.
There was no paperwork stating anything for THIS year, since her status didn't change, she filled out a short form that said so and they said it would be exactly the same amount back as last year

Unless they recently changed the rules, you MUST fill out the FAFSA each and every year. Her college misinformed her. It may be possible to still fill it out, but I doubt it.

I think Wreckem has it right. She filled out the school's scholarship form (ie the form that said nothing changed) but she didn't fill out the FAFSA form. Two different topics, but I can see how they can be confused.

Oh, and I know my school offered emergency loans. They rape you with interest, but if you needed to get dental work done, it was an option.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: Wreckem

Originally posted by: palindrome

Originally posted by: doze

Originally posted by: palindrome
Already done, but how are we to afford her dental bill? Only 2 oral surgeons in NC accept medicaid... Plus her car is dying

How about getting a job, I worked one or more jobs the entire time I was in college. I was always a full time student.

How about low paying college student type jobs don't cover thousands of dollars in medical bills? Did you even read what I wrote in the first part of this thread? She woudn't have attended this school had she known this situation PRIOR to the school year beginning. She was lied to and tricked by the financial office. Also, she doesn't get any financial aid because she is not black and this IS Charlotte.....

Student aid isnt supposed to cover thousands of dollars in medical bills either.

Yep.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Wreckem
Student aid isnt supposed to cover thousands of dollars in medical bills either.

It isn't intended to do that, but it can be used that way. Student Loan Guide, page 5.

Your financial aid administrator can adjust the cost of attendance* or the information used to calculate your EFC to take into account your special circumstances. These circumstances could include your family?s unusual medical expenses, tuition expenses or unemployment.

The adjustment is unappealable however. If she didn't provide the documentation, then she is out of luck.

That said, the maximum subsized loan amount is $3500 this year. Unsubsidized loans can be an additional $4000 this year. That $9000 number was way out of line.

Also, see page 14 of other fund sources. Some of them will pay now and let you work/volunteer after college.

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Wreckem
Student aid isnt supposed to cover thousands of dollars in medical bills either.

It isn't intended to do that, but it can be used that way. Student Loan Guide, page 5.

Your financial aid administrator can adjust the cost of attendance* or the information used to calculate your EFC to take into account your special circumstances. These circumstances could include your family?s unusual medical expenses, tuition expenses or unemployment.

The adjustment is unappealable however. If she didn't provide the documentation, then she is out of luck.

That said, the maximum subsized loan amount is $8500/year. Unsubsidized loans can be an additional $18,500/year. So which one was this, palindrome? If it was subsidized, then the $9000 number was way out of line.

Dullard your numbers are for Graduate School.

Unless I totally missed it, shes an undergraduate, which means

1st year, max sub + unsub is $7500
2nd year, max sub + unsub is $8500
3rd-5th year, max sub + unsuf $10500

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Wreckem
Dullard your numbers are for Graduate School.

Doh! I looked at the wrong column. Good catch. I edited it above. Either way, we agree, the $9000 number is way higher than even allowed.

It gets me thinking. If she is poor and independent, why is she in a $21,000/year school anyways?

As a person who has had legal battles with a university (well, I should say I work for a company which had legal battles), there is one truth. Even if you win the lawsuit, you lose the game. Universities will blatantly break many laws during the lawsuit. They are the big beast and they know it. You'll spend years and tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in lawyer fees to get the beast under control. In the end, if you win, you get what, a $9000 loan? It just isn't worth it. And the University knows it isn't worth it. Therefore, they win every time.

 

[DaWhim]

time for your gf to get a job.

 

[Corporate Thug]

start off by contacting these people:
http://www.legalaidnc.org/default.htm

 

[Fingolfin269]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Wreckem
Dullard your numbers are for Graduate School.

Doh! I looked at the wrong column. Good catch. I edited it above. Either way, we agree, the $9000 number is way higher than even allowed.

It gets me thinking. If she is poor and independent, why is she in a $21,000/year school anyways?

I was wondering the same thing. I was only able to afford a state school so that is where I went. I understand people want to go to certain schools but sometimes you just can't have what you want. I hope she gets everything worked out but she may be joining the masses who have to work 40 hours a week while going to school. It's hard but doable.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
you don't need a co-signer for a student loan

You do need a co-signer for certain student loans offered to those who have taken the max amount offered by the federal government.

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Wreckem
Dullard your numbers are for Graduate School.

Doh! I looked at the wrong column. Good catch. I edited it above. Either way, we agree, the $9000 number is way higher than even allowed.

It gets me thinking. If she is poor and independent, why is she in a $21,000/year school anyways?

I was wondering the same thing. I was only able to afford a state school so that is where I went. I understand people want to go to certain schools but sometimes you just can't have what you want. I hope she gets everything worked out but she may be joining the masses who have to work 40 hours a week while going to school. It's hard but doable.

I wouldnt call those working 40 hrs a week the masses. The number of college students working that much is fairly low. Hell the number of students working 20 hrs a week is low.

Yes there are some of us out there(I used to work 55 hrs a week while going to school, but not anymore due to scholarships), but we are a very tiny minority.

 

[doze]

Originally posted by: palindrome

Originally posted by: doze

Originally posted by: palindrome
Already done, but how are we to afford her dental bill? Only 2 oral surgeons in NC accept medicaid... Plus her car is dying

How about getting a job, I worked one or more jobs the entire time I was in college. I was always a full time student.

How about low paying college student type jobs don't cover thousands of dollars in medical bills? Did you even read what I wrote in the first part of this thread? She woudn't have attended this school had she known this situation PRIOR to the school year beginning. She was lied to and tricked by the financial office. Also, she doesn't get any financial aid because she is not black and this IS Charlotte.....

A low paying crappy student job gives you money to buy medical insurance.

But seriously with your girlfriends situation she should also be eligible for a Pell Grant if she has not received it yet.

 

[DanTMWTMP]

We need far more details. did she fill out the FAFSA? Unless she was in Academic probation all of last year, it's impossible not to get finanancial aid. Did she register for classes late?

My school REQUIRED that I have medical insurance. If not, you're not eligible to take classes. If you don't have one, they had one provided for you, and the price wasn't bad (i was able to cover it w/ the job I had).


I always had a job in college as an EE student, working my ass off.

I smell extreme irresponsibility/negligence. She did not do her part, and getting a lawyer is absolute BS. nothing on your story shows that there was a written promise of financial aid.

anyways, when was receiving financial aid something to be promised of wtf? She had to fill out the FAFSA, so where in your post says that she did? (had to do it on time too).

And if nothing changed, SHE STILL HAD TO FILL OUT THE FAFSA EVERY SINGLE Q1 of each YEAR, and not some small form.

It seems that your gf isn't telling you the whole story. If she was denied financial aid, then there is a reason for it. She should be provided with alternative sources to recieve financial aid (private loans, but she needs a cosigner, unless she has really good credit and a stable job). The school also provided her with information to appeal. It's a biatch, but just get it done.

Getting a lawyer will not solve anything, and you'll lose for sure.


EDIT: after reading some of the posts, I still don't understand how she couldn't have recieved federal aid. Federal aid, as long as she filled out the FAFSA, will be given to her. Since she's not recieving it, I think your GF didn't satisfy the minimum academic requirements to recieve federal aid. (minimum as in, she didn't complete the minimum required units, and/or has lower than a 2.0 cum gpa)

 

[fitzov]

Originally posted by: palindrome

Originally posted by: fitzov
I've much experience with student aid (having used it for 8+ years of school), and I can't figure out what is happening here.
Refunds are given when you pay the school out of a loan and then they pay you back because of a waiver, scholarship, or something like that.
So does your GF have a waiver or a scholarship or what?

She is filed as an independent student, she has scholarships and school grants that make up most of her tuition, for the couple grand left over she had to take out federal loans (through FAFSA, etc, etc). The college is what determines how much $ in federal loans she is given. Basically, what it comes down to, is the stupid head of financial services at the school didn't account for living expenses because she was no longer living on campus, when she had visited the financial office atleast a half dozen times to ensure all the paperwork was in order.

Ah, I see. I'm not sure whether she can still borrow the money, but I'm thinking that she can. By the way, the school doesn't decide how much she can borrow. When she filled out the FAFSA, it asks whether you are living on or off campus. Eventually, she got an EFC (expected family contribution), which should be 0 by the sound of things. So, she should be able to borrow the full amount for an undergrad living off campus and without her parents. The school then takes their fees/tuition out of that minus the scholarships/waivers.

 

[Imported]

Originally posted by: ngvepforever2
I am sorry, but I can't even sympathize with your girlfriend's story (main reason because I 've been paying my own school and expenses since I was a freshman with no financial aid but by having a job). There are some advice I can give though. First, as somebody mentioned, get all the paperwork that was signed by your girlfriend and the financial aid office and read it very carefully. If they stated that they would give her the same amount every year (which I doubt), then you may have grounds for an appeal. Otherwise, she should stop crying (which I don't really see the necessity of) and get a job to pay for her expenses. At least the school is still paying her books and tuition. Either way, wish you guys good luck.

Regards

ng

Ditto. What I couldn't pay off while working 30hrs+ a week, I had to take out loans for.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: palindrome

Originally posted by: waggy
sheehs. "whaaa whaaa! im entitled to the money! whaa! whaaa!"

you do know many places are cutting back on such crap. also she needs to review whatever paperwork she has. that is her only option.

i had sympathy until i seen "punitave damages"

Go DIAF, a$$hole. I didn't ask for your opinion, so don't give it. She needs help, period. If you don't have anything productive to say, don't participate in this thread. I haven't even finished giving all the fvcking info yet because I'm at work right now. I serious dougt you would have even made it to college w/o your parents, let alone one dead and the other in jail. Go jerk off...

whaa whaaa someone aint telling me to sue them whaaa whaa!



first off you leave out a ****** load of information. 2nd you get NO paperwork? WTF is wrong with you guys? you get no paperwork and just now figure out something may be wrong? YOU NEED to fill out financial aid status EVERY YEAR. IF her income is as low as you say she should have been able to get PELL grant etc. if nothing else a student loan. with astudant you do not need a co-signer or great credit.

you know you would have gotten more help if you didnt come out whinning and threatning to sue. I would say most people here have had to get loans etc to pay for college. Also many here do not enjoy paying for her to blow the money sopposed to be for school on surgeons and her car (yes i know you did not say you were going ot. but sure was hinted at).

 

[palindrome]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: palindrome

Originally posted by: waggy
sheehs. "whaaa whaaa! im entitled to the money! whaa! whaaa!"

you do know many places are cutting back on such crap. also she needs to review whatever paperwork she has. that is her only option.

i had sympathy until i seen "punitave damages"

Go DIAF, a$$hole. I didn't ask for your opinion, so don't give it. She needs help, period. If you don't have anything productive to say, don't participate in this thread. I haven't even finished giving all the fvcking info yet because I'm at work right now. I serious dougt you would have even made it to college w/o your parents, let alone one dead and the other in jail. Go jerk off...

whaa whaaa someone aint telling me to sue them whaaa whaa!



first off you leave out a ****** load of information. 2nd you get NO paperwork? WTF is wrong with you guys? you get no paperwork and just now figure out something may be wrong? YOU NEED to fill out financial aid status EVERY YEAR. IF her income is as low as you say she should have been able to get PELL grant etc. if nothing else a student loan. with astudant you do not need a co-signer or great credit.

you know you would have gotten more help if you didnt come out whinning and threatning to sue. I would say most people here have had to get loans etc to pay for college. Also many here do not enjoy paying for her to blow the money sopposed to be for school on surgeons and her car (yes i know you did not say you were going ot. but sure was hinted at).

Don't post, please, just don't post again. I don't know what it is you don't understand about the severity of the situation, but you must just not understand. Had you have been in this situation you would probably be upset too. If not, then I suppose we all can't be perfect like you.

FYI, she attempted to get a PELL grant but was ineligible due to information she was required to have from her current guardians in which they could/would not disclose. ALSO, her real mother, the one in jail, refuses to sign any paperwork regarding school or anything else. TECHNICALLY, her aunt and uncle were intended to be "temporary" guardians and the DSS for her area never bothered to make it perminant status. Thus the need for her real mother's signature.

Its complicated and you will never fully understand the entire situation, there is too much history to go through. Just shut your mouth unless you have the name and phone number of a lawyer who is willing to speak with her.

Her intention is not to sue and if you can figure out how to use the search function in your browser, I didn't use that term even once in my opening statement. You don't have all the facts, you never will and you have no fvcking idea what you are talking about.

SO STOP CRAPPING IN MY THREAD!

 

[palindrome]

Originally posted by: Wreckem
Simply put she was never awarded $9000 in Federal Student loans.

Unless you have paperwork stating such. Which is impossible because freshmen/sophmores aren't eligible for that much.

Also another thing you have to consider is, they will ONLY give aid up to the amount of their estimated cost of attendance.


Uh as for there being no paperwork? Did she get ANY federal loans/grants?

Are you sure she filed her 2006-2007 FAFSA?

To me it sounds as if she filed the schools paperwork, but didnt file the 2006-2007 FAFSA this past spring.

Everything on her side was in order, she is extremely anal about having everything in order. Keep in mind, IM NOT HER! I don't know EVERYTHING. I'm trying to convey as much of the situation as I possibly can from her point of view. She is an extremely good student and an extremely organized person, unlike myself. She is not ill tempered, unlike myself, and has to work twice as hard to achieve anything a person who had a proper life as a child achieves. You will just have to trust me when I tell you that this whole situation from where we are standing is fishy. The school assured her that she would be getting the same amount in loans PER TRIMESTER as last year. She filled out her FAFSA and filed all of her paperwork she was supposed to. She cannot apply for a private loan because she doesn't have anyone to co-sign. I would co-sign but have no credit, so I'm not eligible either. And, for the record, once again, her family is a bunch of red-neck delinquents who never pay their bills or their taxes, NONE of her family would qualify for ANY loan. She is doing the best she possibly can with what she has. The fact of the matter is that she was flat out lied to and convinced to go to a school that she was told that she could afford with the federal loans they were supposed to approve her for.

 

[palindrome]

Originally posted by: Wreckem

Originally posted by: palindrome

Originally posted by: doze

Originally posted by: palindrome
Already done, but how are we to afford her dental bill? Only 2 oral surgeons in NC accept medicaid... Plus her car is dying

How about getting a job, I worked one or more jobs the entire time I was in college. I was always a full time student.

How about low paying college student type jobs don't cover thousands of dollars in medical bills? Did you even read what I wrote in the first part of this thread? She woudn't have attended this school had she known this situation PRIOR to the school year beginning. She was lied to and tricked by the financial office. Also, she doesn't get any financial aid because she is not black and this IS Charlotte.....

Student aid isnt supposed to cover thousands of dollars in medical bills either.

No sh!t sherlock, tell me another one... go to wikipedia and find the definition for the word "example"

IT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW BROKE SHE IS TRYING TO GET BY!

 

[palindrome]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: palindrome
1) Learn to look over the paperwork next time. They give you multiple notices of how much loan money you got, what the expenses should be, etc. If there was an error, she should have corrected it months ago.
There was no paperwork stating anything for THIS year, since her status didn't change, she filled out a short form that said so and they said it would be exactly the same amount back as last year

Unless they recently changed the rules, you MUST fill out the FAFSA each and every year. Her college misinformed her. It may be possible to still fill it out, but I doubt it.

I think Wreckem has it right. She filled out the school's scholarship form (ie the form that said nothing changed) but she didn't fill out the FAFSA form. Two different topics, but I can see how they can be confused.

Oh, and I know my school offered emergency loans. They rape you with interest, but if you needed to get dental work done, it was an option.

FAFSA is filled out for THIS year 2006-2007. That is not filed through the school though, the school merely approves her for the amount she should receive based on expenses. Once again, for the 50th time, they DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR LIVING EXPENSES. You are LEGALLY entitled to take out FEDERAL LOANS that include ALL of you school related expenses, such as: computers, books, food, clothing, supplies, tution, rent/boarding, etc etc.

This is a case of a lady being a b!tch and not admitting she was wrong at the expense of my girlfriend. Also, this lady has a serious attitude problem.

 

[palindrome]

Originally posted by: DaWhim
time for your gf to get a job.

Time for you to buy hooked on phonics

 

[palindrome]

Originally posted by: Corporate Thug
start off by contacting these people:
http://www.legalaidnc.org/default.htm

I think I'm going to die, someone actually decided to provide me with useful info!!! Thank you VERY VERY much. We will contact them first thing tomorrow. She is also going to talk to a few of her teachers who kinda know here situation to see if anything else can be done from within.

 

[Reckoner]

Why would her parents have to sign off on anything? She's over 18