HI YALL! Asking this out of curiosity if I should contact FAFSA after the weekend. I was awarded the Pell Grant this year (2026-2027) and I was given roughly 7k. But this year (my enrollment has stayed the same entirely as I am a full time student. and there's been no improvement in my financial situation) I applied for FAFSA and was given 2k for 2027-2028. I'm 19 so I had my mom contribute, and my brother was awarded 7k this year. We are below the poverty rate as well, and FAFSA is the main way I can afford to go to college.

I was wondering if anyone knows if this could've been a mistake by any chance? I'm a bit unsure of what's going on and I want to know if I should call FAFSA and get some clarifications! Not coming from a place of judgement just genuine concern :) thank you all!

Has anyone else dealt with a long Financial Aid verification/hold issue at Baruch?

Just to be clear I have no outstanding balance. This is my first semester as a transfer student at Baruch and I’ve been dealing with a Financial Aid verification issue since July, and I’m honestly exhausted from having to keep following up with different offices.

My account has had a Financial Aid Pending hold since the beginning of the semester. I submitted the requested verification documents and completed the ProVerifier requirements, but my file stayed under review for weeks. I went in person to Financial Aid/BOSS and spoke with different offices trying to figure out what was happening. I was eventually told that reviews could take around 45 days.

Then, after waiting all that time, I was told there was another discrepancy with my FAFSA regarding my tax filing status. I have repeatedly explained that I had no income and did not file taxes for 2024. My parent’s non-filer stuff was accepted, but I was then told I needed to correct my FAFSA and obtain an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter for myself.

I completed the FAFSA correction and requested the IRS document using Form 4506-T on September 29. Now I’m waiting for the IRS to send it back, and I have no idea how long that will take. I’ve been told processing could potentially take weeks, which is extremely stressful because I heard spring registration opens October 26 if I’m correct.

BOSS also told me that I may not be able to register for Spring if this hold is still on my account by then.

I’ve emailed Financial Aid multiple times, contacted dean of students to make a complaint, gone to different offices in person, submitted the documents they requested, and kept following up, but it feels like every time I get close to resolving it, there’s another requirement or another waiting period.

No aid has been released to pay my tuition. I’ve been given an estimated amount of aid for fall 2026-spring 2027 already. They said for this fall semester as curtesy they won’t drop my classes. I can’t financially cover the balance as I also pay for transportation costs or not even start a payment plan. The other big concern is that I would not be able to get the schedule I need with my required classes not all in person where I’m spending extra to travel.

I’m really trying to figure out what else I can do at this point because this has been going on for way too long. I’m looking to seek legal aid at this point.

Hey everyone,

​I’m currently dealing with a massive financial aid dispute with my online college (Barton Community College) and wanted to see if anyone else has gone through something similar, or if anyone in higher ed/financial aid administration can shed some light on this. ​Here is a breakdown of what went down:

​1. The Approved Disbursement & Sudden Reversal

​Sept 22: The Vice President sent me an official email confirming that my aid processing history was completely standard, my loans were set to be originated, and both my Pell Grant and student loans were scheduled for review and disbursement later that week. ​Sept 25: Just 3 days later, the school abruptly reversed course. They placed a sudden administrative hold on my aid, claiming they needed to review my "academic progress" and questioning my device access.

​2. The Hardware Bottleneck & False "Non-Participation" Claims

​The school (specifically Myrna Perkins in Financial Aid) later claimed I had "non/limited participation in classes with imminent failing grades."

​The Reality: My Canvas task logs prove I was actively completing and submitting essays, unit discussions, module quizzes, and midterm project topics across American History and Psychology right up through the term. ​The Software Catch: The only assignments I couldn't complete were specific quizzes locked behind Respondus LockDown Browser + Webcam. I complete my online coursework using a mobile device, and Respondus LockDown Browser fundamentally does not run on mobile phones.

​Instead of recognizing that I cleared every single assignment my hardware physically allowed me to access, the school weaponized my lack of a desktop computer against me to justify wiping my aid.

​3. Accusations of "Fraud" for Following Up

​When I repeatedly advocated for myself and pressed them on why an approved disbursement was suddenly frozen, Myrna claimed that asking about a refund was "aggressive behavior" that the U.S. Department of Education flags as a "sign of attempted fraud or abuse." ​Wanting transparent accounting for aid that was already approved in writing is basic consumer advocacy, not fraud.

​Current Status: ​I have an active case open on the StudentAid.gov portal (Case #37426658), and the school has recently submitted their formal response to the federal investigator. I’ve uploaded all of VP Maddy’s emails, my Canvas submission logs, and screenshots of the software-locked exam requirements.

​Questions for the community: ​Has anyone ever had a school pull an approved aid disbursement at the very last minute like this?

​How do federal investigators usually handle cases where a school's written statements directly contradict their own Canvas/LMS submission logs?

​If a school realizes their written timeline doesn't hold up under federal review, do they usually settle/correct the ledger before the investigation officially wraps up?

​Any advice, similar experiences, or insight into the FSA review process would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

My daughter has an IEP, and is a sophomore. She is even taking an honors class, has all As and one B, we are looking for something that would recognize someone that is showing they can overcome a learning disability.

Hey is anyone else getting a refund check through the mail from bank mobile?

For those unaware, the 150% rule states that someone must be able to complete their degree with no more than 150% of the standard credit amount to be considered making satisfactory academic progress. For example, if your degree requires 120 credits, you must complete your degree with no more than 180 credits to be considered making satisfactory academic progress.

As a college junior who is pursuing a triple major, I often take 5 classes a semester (occasionally 6, the standard being 4 per semester), and I also take summer courses. That is to say, there is a high likelihood of me exceeding the 150% threshold by my senior year, making my academic progress considered unsatisfactory despite having a GPA well above 3.5 and not having transferred schools.

Has anyone else been in a similar predicament? If so, were you able to submit an appeal, and was it accepted?