Welcome to Gaia! ::

June 2009: Awarded pell grant

July 14th 2009: Register for classes. Find out that ASU Beebe doesn't have my final HS transcript, only my 7-week senior transcript. They should've had my final HS transcript before my 2nd semester: turns out I went for 3 semesters on my 7-week transcript, when I should've only been able to go for one. Also talked to a lady who said she'd change my major after some more mix-ups.

Two weeks later (approx.): Call high school, counselor says she'll mail my official, finalized transcript to ASU. She said she'd do it, so I shouldn't have to worry. Right? Right?

August 17th 2009: Attempt to buy books with financial aid. Find out I have none, go to Financial Aid office, where they tell me my major wasn't changed. Say whaaaaaat. The lady on registration day told me she'd change it and not to worry. Go to Admissions, change my major to Liberal Arts to be eligible for Pell Grant (can't be "undecided"). Go back to Financial Aid, deal with douchebag secretary (smarmy, gelled hair, khakis and bright hawaiian shirts - I want to punch you in the face). Told nothing will be done about it today. Go home and start checking ASU website frequently using CampusConnect to see if I've been awarded another grant.

August 19th 2009: THE BIG GUNS! Come in. That's my mother, fyi. She calls ASU. This is the first we learn they still don't have my finalized HS transcript. The one that, in late July, was supposedly mailed to them by my HS counselor. She talks with Admissions, calls my HS counselor who says she had one of her errand peons send it. They didn't. Go up to HS, get my transcript, go to ASU, hand deliver it to Admissions. Admissions says that "as far as they're concerned" they'll put my tuition payments etc on "hold" since the transcript thing was a mistake they should've caught after my 1st semester. Financial Aid says NOW they can get to work on my grant.

August 20th-23rd: Checking ASU website daily. Morning, noon, night. Waiting to see "You have a Pell Grant awarded for the 09-10 school year."

August 23rd, 2009: Still nothing this morning. Don't know how I'm going to pay for books if I don't get this grant soon, because I've only got $130 in the bank to pay for $300+ worth of books. If I don't get it before next Friday, I'm afraid I'll have to W out of classes. Ugh. Hopefully it's awarded before 11am tomorrow morning (my first class).


TL;DR: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Yeah, they said they'd put my tuition payments on "hold", but not forever. So if I don't get this grant I can't pay for books OR pay tuition, and I'd have to W out of all my classes.

To say what, though, exactly? People in the Financial Aid office (well, okay, one guy) already copped an attitude with me because I was in their office three times in one day, I'm afraid if I call and go "So, hey, that financial aid, what's up?" I'll just wind up pissing people off. And people can be vindictive when they're pissed.

I dunno. Be like "Dude school has ALREADY STARTED, I should have heard something from you by now, I need to know what's up before it's too late to drop my classes and owe a bunch of money I don't have at the moment."

no

I'm going to the financial aid office again today to see if they have my award letter so I can sign it. If they don't iunno what I'm going to do, probably call in THE BIG GUNS!! again and get my mother to come with me tomorrow. idk. I just hope they have the award letter today.

Monday: "oh all the financial aid officer working your case was waiting on was your transcript! I'll let her know we have it so she can get back to working on it."

Wednesday: "We don't have your mother's W-2 forms. That's all we were waiting on to get this done."

What

Monday you told me "all we need is your transcript", and now it's "all we need is your mother's W-2 forms"? Why didn't you tell me you guys needed those on Monday when you told me all you lacked was my transcript?!

Good!!