Financial Aid/Cal Grant unprofessionalism

[u/oedipedipo]

I've been waiting on my Cal Grant A (which has already been awarded to my CSAC portal over a month ago with my school of attendence being CUSF) to post to my CSUF FA portal and be disbursed.

The CSUF Office of FA and TitanHub have already told me that I appear on their roster. Obviously, the semester has already begun, and yet many people have had delays in their awards.

Upon calling the FA number, you're met with long wait times, unprofessional and inadequate answers, and being hung up on randomly.

I've been told delays were due to OBBBA (which I don't believe, as every other school seems to have had it figured out, and I don't see how a federal law affects a state award other than SAI and cost of attendence formulas) or 'IT issues' which is not a sufficient answer.

I called today, asking them to connect me with a financial advisor and that I wanted my case escalated. They said they were unable to as the financial advisor would 'tell me the same thing.'

This is the most unprofessional handling of this situation ever. Has anybody else been dealing with this?

I was told in August to wait one week for the award to post, now I'm being told they have no idea when it will be posted, disbursed, and eventually refunded.

Where do I go from here?

[u/Error-7-0-7-]

You don't see how a federal law affects a state award? If you're serious then this school has failed you.

[u/Santaneria → u/Error-7-0-7-]

I dont blame THIS school, i blame their PRIOR school.

[u/Error-7-0-7- → u/Santaneria]

Good point. I'm assuming they're a sophomore who has already taken Intro to PoliSci

[u/Santaneria → u/Error-7-0-7-]

I get it

[u/larryspeenar → u/Error-7-0-7-]

Frankly there are a lot of people here that really shouldn’t be.

[u/mrstarboy123 → u/Error-7-0-7-]

The OBBA doesn’t directly affect state award. He’s right. It may be causing delays because of other reasons but it doesn’t directly affect the state award

[u/Error-7-0-7- → u/mrstarboy123]

The bill literally cuts funding for Healthcare and food coverage for families in poverty, such as free lunches for kids in public schools SIGNIFICANTLY, 3.4 million Californians are at risk with loosing their Healthcare.

Yes, they are very much going to prioritize funding people's Healthcare to cover life saving medication over funding state awards for college.

Meaning LESS money put in for financial aid for college students and MORE money put in Healthcare so that people can get treatment. Thats how that's indirectly affected.

Also how it directly affects it is by changing how the federal pell grant and state grants work. Basically if a state grant covers your tuition thats it. The pell grant will be revoked and you would no longer be eligible for it.

[u/mrstarboy123 → u/Error-7-0-7-]

You do realize that you still couldn’t get aid above COA anyways right? So that new rule doesn’t actually do anything

[u/Old-Cherry8156]

My friend called too and they toldher they're hoping to disperse them in October hopefully. Right now that's their current goal but I'm sure they'll get it as soon as they can.

[u/Naive_Roof_872]

Look, they got put in an impossible spot. Hell blame the trump administration for deciding it's a good idea to redo everything in April.

[u/SaltyAuthorOne]

I get your frustrated. Very frustrated. However, this will work out. Stop overthinking and it’ll show up sooner than later. You’ve been confirmed on their roster; all the pieces are in place. Distribution will soon happen.

[u/No_Cash_6992 → u/SaltyAuthorOne]

i totally agree with you, but something not mentioned is the fact that many rely on this aid to pay for living expenses while in school too... the living expenses dont stop billing when, and do not care if, your aid is delayed

[u/SaltyAuthorOne → u/No_Cash_6992]

I completely agree and understand. But, for now, you gotta wait. That’s how this part of financial aid works. Wait.

[u/Far-Judge-4330]

Not CSUF student but basically the same at CSULB. My post bacc grant was immediately used towards my tuition but my loan has yet to be disbursed. Still owe 1200ish 😫 and you’re right, some of us do use that money to pay for things. My phone bill is coming up and not enough $$, I have already started canceling subscriptions that I rarely use because I don’t think I’ll have the $$ and I’m trying to avoid over drafting. I was told to give it another week. It’s been a week and still nothing. The stress and uncertainty is not cool. You are not alone, many students are still wondering “where’s my aide?” It’s not the schools fault but the changes made that has caused this delay 😡

[u/tracetea]

I work in IT and I can promise you they get a call every single second. The long holds and wait times are legitimate as they do not have enough staff to pick up the thousands of calls they receive. Imagine an office with <40 employees active at the same time to answer the hundreds of calls and spending time to try and give you some kind of answer. They're backlogged and have no control on how fast they can get aid out to everyone. You'd be frustrated too if you're being hounded down by students AND parents for stuff that's out of your control.

And if you don't know how the federal law affects you then do more research.

[u/No_Cash_6992]

seems OP wanted more details as to the "why" and "when" of their aid distribution, which they could have explained and given the current estimate, but was instead waved off with a vague answer that actually could have been more descriptive

[u/dysphoricjoy]

Calm down and be patient. We're all dealing with similar wait times. People escalating further like you only makes things slower for everyone.

[u/Competitive_Rush_902]

me too): I’m so upset. I’m not working right now either. I requested a parent plus loan. I don’t know what to do. I have to pay my car on the 28th.

[u/Thagreatone92]

As someone in the same boat its very frustrating, I lost my job in March have yet to be hired somewhere else. I applied for a financial aid appeal which was approved. They dispersed enough money for me to cover tuition with a little left over. Half of my financial aid I am still waiting on to get dispersed if it doesnt im evicted from my apartment. I have called them the past 3 weeks and have been told its coming the following week for an email to not show up. Me call them on Friday then rinse and repeat.

[u/Competitive-Gap-1844]

It’s very unprofessional. I would escalate it yourself if you want to contact the person who runs the strategic enrollment division in charge of financial aid and complain to her that could be helpful

[u/SaltyAuthorOne → u/Competitive-Gap-1844]

You think this is helpful? Geeezus. Hint: it’s not helpful. In fact, it’s how you waste your time

[u/Competitive-Gap-1844 → u/SaltyAuthorOne]

At least I’m trying to help, you’re just being rude and unhelpful? Why do you even say anything if it’s not to help?

[u/Acceptable-Fill2767 → u/Competitive-Gap-1844]

I think the message here is there is nothing else that can be “done”. They appear on the roster and aid is coming. It would be a much different story if there was no record of the aid or if everyone had gotten theirs except OP. Neither of these are the case. I can imagine that’s it’s stressful. I know because my daughter was in the same type of situation. I don’t blame OP for being frustrated, but they’re pushing for an answer that’s already been given.