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Opinion

My Financial Aid Department Issues

By Keyace Sims

It’s 9 a.m. and you have approximately 70 students in front of you and all you want to do is inquire about the status of your financial aid.

Every time you try to call the financial aid department, a voice recording sends you back to the same voice recording because no one is answering the phone, therefore, forcing you to physically come to the department to inquire about your status.

This case may be similar to what many of you might be or have gone through. Lisette Campos, 18, a law major, had about 70 people in front of her on Aug. 28. She was trying to enroll in college but couldn’t due to the  long wait. 
When asked, what the purpose of her visit was, she advised that, like many, she wanted to inquire about the status of her financial aid.

Yaneris Gonzalez, 16, an undecided major, has been to the financial aid department at least two to three times within the same week.

Have you ever wandered why it takes so long for the financial aid department to process your file? For the most part, they have had your information for months, right?

This year particularly, has seen a longer delay in the process than last year.

Financial aid recognizes this, and that is why the school extended the date when students’ class schedules had to be paid.

Many of you may call the department to inquire about your file and are told the same answer, week after week: “Your file has not been processed yet, but check back next week” and when you check back that following week you are told to do the exact same thing, again.

Several students at Miami Dade College have expressed dissatisfaction with the waiting time, including the time it takes to be seen when you go to the main office.

Most students agree that going to the financial aid department feels like an all day event. There are also those who feel that the staff is not helpful. Dealing with this department at times may seem like a never-ending battle.

“They always make you go online [to complete your financial aid process], why can’t they do it?”  MDC student Diana Gonzalez said.

Students turn to FAFSA to fund their education because they can’t afford to pay for college out of their own pocket.

Due to certain issues with the financial aid department the outlook on going to school and having to deal with these problems can be very discouraging to the point where a person may not apply for college because of the hassle, which is a ridiculous reason not to go to school.

There’s not much we can do as students and faculty to make this financial aid issue better on both ends, right?

Wrong.

I think if we as students do our part, then the MDC staff should do theirs.

In actuality, the same “all for one, and one for all” mentality that applies to any team, should also apply to the financial aid staff at all schools.

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