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[Cory]

I applied for financial aid early in march and I am going to start classes in a few weeks and I have not received MY AWARD LETTER yet. So, I called the financial aid office and I found out that they made a really stupid mistake. They said that they have been unable to review my application because they did not have my proof of residency. I was furious because I submitted all this documentation when I applied to the university. For this reason, I called to the admission office and asked them about this. They said that the university did have my proof of residency and that the financial aid office should be able to see this. I told them that for SOME UNKNOWN reason they didn't. Then, they said that they were gonna solve the problem. THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING. I have already called them two times this summer, and they always say that they are going to correct this error, but they have not done this. I am still required to submitt this information, when the admission office already told me that they were going to solve this problem. I am very concerned, I am even losing sleep because financial aid money is my only way to go to college, I come from a very low income family ( My EFC is zero). I am afraid that even if they solve the problem now, I am going to receive less aid because we are already in august, and they can make this look like my mistake, when this is really their mistake because the financial aid office already had all my documents and they were very negligent. I really don't know what to do. I don't know where to complain. the institution is a well known four year public university in florida, and I can't understand how something like this can be happening. I can't even belive that this situation is affecting me, my sister that also is going to the same university, and she applied with me to financial aid at the same time, did not have this problem. Can someone please help me? I appreciate any information, it there is any institution that can help me with this issue.

[goodguy]

I wouldn't worry. I come from a low income family and attended an expensive school (Berklee College of Music).

A similar situation happened to me and they were able to pull money meant for summer scholorships and also find me some grants that I probably wouldn't have gotten (or not as much) money in.

Best financial aid advice I can give is to know your counselor. Make a good GPA and also drop by and tell your fin aid counsellor how well you are doing through the semester. A little brown nosing puts a face to your award letter and it DOES make a difference.