Opinion

Still no financial aid, REALLY?

We are five weeks into the semester and many students still have not received financial aid. 

I understand that the financial aid staff has a lot of student files to process, but come on now, I think they’ve had ample time to complete these files by now. 

The financial aid staff has more than 6,000 files to process, so the staff may be held up. 

They are only human. 

It really irritates me when they are not on the same page about what you need or when your information will be posted. (One of my friends went to financial aid and one staff member told him he was missing a form.) 

Mind you, this was only two weeks ago. My friend went all the way to his apartment, got the paper that the woman said he needed and brought it back to the office. Once he got back he had to wait 15 minutes for another woman to tell him he didn’t need the form and his awards would be posted in 24 hours. 

Winston-Salem State, we have to do better. 

Many students can’t afford to buy books or other items they need for school because they are waiting on the aid to be posted and processed. 

Some professors complain about students not having books and never want to listen to the issue of financial aid. They think the students are just using it as an excuse. Now I’m not going to front; some students may be using it as an excuse, but many students are not. 

Midterms are fast approaching. Students should be worried about making their grades and staying focused in class. There are students working there butts off in classes and they don’t know if they will be able to pay for them. 

There is a process to financial aid. Some students turn their paper work in late and there are other reasons why aid may be delayed, but I thought the system was improving.

Another issue I have with the financial aid office staff is the attitudes of the staff members. If you don’t like your job, choose another profession. I shouldn’t come to the office and ask a question and receive instant attitude. Then they give students the run around, lose paper work, and wonder why students get an attitude with them. 

WSSU, we have to do better.

I could sit here and go on and on all day about the improvements financial aid needs to make but I won’t. But I would like to hear what you all have to say. 

So if you still don’t have financial aid, or you received it late or you just have an issue with financial aid please send me your comments to thenewsargus@yahoo.com or go to www.thenewsargus.com and comment under my story. 

Maybe if someone reads your comment, you may get your financial aid or we could help improve the process for next year. 

Who knows what may happen? 

All I know is, WSSU,we have to do better.