Is everybody scamming financial aid for college?

[PrincessSakuya258]

I'm noticing that a lot of people are enrolling for college and applying for financial aid, but then when the check comes, they drop a ton of classes and use the money toward a new iPad, video game console, etc. Some may take a class or two every other semester to keep up appearances, but they're really not going anywhere in the long run.

ninja Is the system broken or are some people getting too much financial aid? Shouldn't the money be only used for academic-related needs like books? The money these people take to use for personal nonsense is hurting other students who don't qualify for as much aid but legitimately need it.

o.o I'm just seeing this happen more often now that Gaia has so many people 18+. Nobody wants a job but they all seem to be jumping on this free cash cheat. ninja Students should be forced to provide receipts for everything the financial aid money was used to purchase to determine how much aid they really need. Or perhaps students can submit their expected expenses for the semester first and then receive money specifically for those things.

[ly-tel-quessir]

Kind of sounds like what happened with one of my former university classmates; he had a bursary payment come through (less than a grant, and doesn't need paying back), and blew it all within either a week or a fortnight on alcohol. He started getting help for aforementioned alcohol problem a few weeks later, no idea how he's doing now.

[drugs is ruckus]

ahahahahahahahahahaha rofl

my province hasn't given me enough and my scholarship was taken away on a stupid technicality so i might be struggling to find a place to go to school and live by the new year


yeah no i'd get audited right away if osap saw me dropping classes and spending money

[[.Ichigo-Chan.]]

For federal and state based aid, you have to keep up to a four year plan. When I failed 2 classes my first semester, I fell behind in the four year plan, and i lost i think half of my federal and state aid.

I earned it back, obviously, and am now graduating a semester early with a two degrees and a 3.0.

But with the restrictions I have no clue how they're scamming. They also recall it if you fall below full time, i think.

theres a grant for education in NYS, the TEACH grant. Its free money if you become a teacher, but if you change majors you have to pay it back, they become loans.

[LilPinkCandy]

When I wa in school you could use your loan to live off of... well to help. What I did a a buy books for cheap and use the money for whatever I needed such as lunch. I did drop classes but the ones that were too challenging. They will be paying that money back so it doesn't matter they bought an ipad...

[Posties The Artificer]

We have a problem like that with some of the national colleges where I live, about 2/3 of the people abuse that loophole just to get money.

[The Element of Weird]

You talking bout me beach mad I still take my a** to school with my 5 classes ain't no joke.
I'll curb stomp you mad mad mad don't bad mouth me I got school stuff to pay for with my money still evil kick yo ask lol

[PrincessSakuya258]

The Element of Weird

You talking bout me beach mad I still take my a** to school with my 5 classes ain't no joke.
I'll curb stomp you mad mad mad don't bad mouth me I got school stuff to pay for with my money still evil kick yo ask lol

o_o Kinky. -licks-

No I'm talking about Eric, a 25 year old from Virginia who quit his part time job at Walmart to scam FAFSA, and this fat 23 year old morbidly obese teen mom I know in a s&m guild.. uh.. which I am not a member of.

emotion_dowant You know I kinda like you. I wouldn't insult you. Besides you're hot, educated and don't wear a weave. That's mad rare, yo. emotion_bigheart Girl with a Wii U under 465 lbs? Yes, please.

[Raven Winter]

Genkai taught me well

The money these people take to use for personal nonsense is hurting other students who don't qualify for as much aid but legitimately need it.

How?

If it's really as easy to get free money as you're making it sound, wouldn't that be to the benefit of those who need it? Even if it's difficult and those who qualify are still abusing it, how does that affect those who do not qualify and are therefore in no way a part of the transaction?
This is not to say that gaming the system isn't a problem, just that I'm not sure how it would hurt people who are outside the process.

I know what you meant, but I might as well note that you said that the money is hurting people, not the way people are spending it. It's funny because I'm imagining a bundle of bills with an angry face and a Street Fighter headband punching out terrified students in a 50's-style comic panel.

[Mae Lovelyn]

Raven Winter

Genkai taught me well

The money these people take to use for personal nonsense is hurting other students who don't qualify for as much aid but legitimately need it.

How?

If it's really as easy to get free money as you're making it sound, wouldn't that be to the benefit of those who need it? Even if it's difficult and those who qualify are still abusing it, how does that affect those who do not qualify and are therefore in no way a part of the transaction?
This is not to say that gaming the system isn't a problem, just that I'm not sure how it would hurt people who are outside the process.

I know what you meant, but I might as well note that you said that the money is hurting people, not the way people are spending it. It's funny because I'm imagining a bundle of bills with an angry face and a Street Fighter headband punching out terrified students in a 50's-style comic panel.

lol

[The Element of Weird]

Genkai taught me well

The Element of Weird

You talking bout me beach mad I still take my a** to school with my 5 classes ain't no joke.
I'll curb stomp you mad mad mad don't bad mouth me I got school stuff to pay for with my money still evil kick yo ask lol

o_o Kinky. -licks-

No I'm talking about Eric, a 25 year old from Virginia who quit his part time job at Walmart to scam FAFSA, and this fat 23 year old morbidly obese teen mom I know in a s&m guild.. uh.. which I am not a member of.

emotion_dowant You know I kinda like you. I wouldn't insult you. Besides you're hot, educated and don't wear a weave. That's mad rare, yo. emotion_bigheart Girl with a Wii U under 465 lbs? Yes, please.

Oooooh um redface wait s&m hahahahahaha whaaaat.
Oh wait reminds me we are so playing some games together. I just don't know what

[The College Student]

I'm using my financial aid for my education. That's it.

[AngelBiscuits]

I mean I dropped a lot of money pretty quick when I was getting OSAP, but at least I still went to my glasses and stuff, jfc. I don't get why people do that, it just puts you ridiculously deep into debt.

Although now that I think of it, I more or less did it for school. I hadn't gotten new clothes in years so I did that 'cause I figured I should probably look half decent for my classes and got my tablet for school. I think the only thing we didn't really need was the PS3 so I didn't really do too bad.

I don't think I've ever known anyone trying to scam the system though? Maybe OSAP is a little more on top of these things.

[lottitheunicorn]

Huh. Didn't even know that was possible, tbh.
It's certainly impossible with the financial aid I receive.

Oh and something else, making students submit their receipts and tell their colleges about all their expenses? Yeah, not a great idea, man.

[[S]ilver[R]ose]

Genkai taught me well

I'm noticing that a lot of people are enrolling for college and applying for financial aid, but then when the check comes, they drop a ton of classes and use the money toward a new iPad, video game console, etc. Some may take a class or two every other semester to keep up appearances, but they're really not going anywhere in the long run.

ninja Is the system broken or are some people getting too much financial aid? Shouldn't the money be only used for academic-related needs like books? The money these people take to use for personal nonsense is hurting other students who don't qualify for as much aid but legitimately need it.

o.o I'm just seeing this happen more often now that Gaia has so many people 18+. Nobody wants a job but they all seem to be jumping on this free cash cheat. ninja Students should be forced to provide receipts for everything the financial aid money was used to purchase to determine how much aid they really need. Or perhaps students can submit their expected expenses for the semester first and then receive money specifically for those things.

I'm not sure where you live, but where I live, once you receive financial aid, if you drop classes you have to pay that amount back. You only get to keep the amount you are enrolled in for. I'm not sure how long it takes, but I've had friends who year, or two years, later have school debt that has to be paid back because they dropped classes.