I receive several financial aid awards from my college as a result of my portfolio, high school grades, and federal loans. My fall tuition was completely covered by my awards with no money spent out of my own pocket. However, I went without several supplies that I needed during the term because I didn't have the funds to purchase these supplies. I was finally able to get a cosigner to cosign an alt student loan for me so I may get $5000 for the school year, which was meant to be spent on supplies and books. But today I received an email from my college with my financial aid awards to be applied to the winter term, and as a result of me receiving the $5000 alt loan, two scholarships I had on my account both $2400 each have been canceled.
If I lose the total $4800 scholarships, I will have to use the $5000 loan to pay for the remainder of my tuition for winter and spring, which leaves me with very little money to buy supplies and books, especially since the school clearly estimates that students should expect to pay at least $2500 for books and supplies (I will also have to purchase other high priced items such has a large format scanner and a camera, and I would also like to have some emergency money in case something happens with my computer etc). In addition to that, it is completely ASININE for my school to assume I'd rather pay my tuition with a loan that I will not only have to pay back, but also pay INTEREST on as opposed to using free scholarship money that I've EARNED. I will have to talk to someone regarding my financial aid tomorrow (hopefully), but I've expressed several times before to my admissions counselor and financial aid counselor that I am completely on my own in paying for my education, I'm getting no help from my parents or anyone else, and that the student loan I received is specifically for my supplies. As you can imagine, I'm extremely upset at the moment. I'm hoping to get some things straightened out after I speak with someone regarding this, but if my school is unwilling to award me the scholarships is there anything I can do? Are there any organizations that can help me with this, or is there anything that can be done legally?
If I lose the total $4800 scholarships, I will have to use the $5000 loan to pay for the remainder of my tuition for winter and spring, which leaves me with very little money to buy supplies and books, especially since the school clearly estimates that students should expect to pay at least $2500 for books and supplies (I will also have to purchase other high priced items such has a large format scanner and a camera, and I would also like to have some emergency money in case something happens with my computer etc). In addition to that, it is completely ASININE for my school to assume I'd rather pay my tuition with a loan that I will not only have to pay back, but also pay INTEREST on as opposed to using free scholarship money that I've EARNED. I will have to talk to someone regarding my financial aid tomorrow (hopefully), but I've expressed several times before to my admissions counselor and financial aid counselor that I am completely on my own in paying for my education, I'm getting no help from my parents or anyone else, and that the student loan I received is specifically for my supplies. As you can imagine, I'm extremely upset at the moment. I'm hoping to get some things straightened out after I speak with someone regarding this, but if my school is unwilling to award me the scholarships is there anything I can do? Are there any organizations that can help me with this, or is there anything that can be done legally?