<p>Hello, every one. I’m new here and I found this site in search of some information. I’m hoping that someone could give me some insight.</p>
<p>I am 24 and attending DeVry University online. On my 2005/2006 school year according to fafsa, I was declared as independent. In October my school sent back money to my lender stating that they had over paid me (I was supposed to get the remaining amount that was left over after paying for my classes). The result of the school sending money back actually left me owing $1500, which I had to pay back. Afterwards I was in the clear for two months. I was supposed to get money back again this session but they have once again, sent more money back to my lender leaving me owing $1300. Now their excuse is I’m not declared as independent because I live with my mother. I just moved back home a few months ago after staying in North Carolina for a while. I was under the impression that if you are 24 years of age that you are automatically declared as independent regardless of the situation. Can the school declare me as dependent since I’m living at home even though I’m 24?</p>
<p>For federal FA purposes, you are an independent student. Why they would be treating you any different does not make sense.</p>
<p>Are you working towards a Masters or Doctorate?</p>
<p>Scotta- Thats exactly what I thought. When I called DeVrys Student Finance to ask them why they sent my money back the woman said, Hmmm youve reached your limit for the school year. I said to her I dont know how that can be when Im independent. She goes, Well, let me check and see. Ohhh I know why, youre considered as a dependent since youre not working at the moment and you live with your mother. :rolleyes: After calming down and actually thinking straight I started thinking, What if I was 28 and just moved back from North Carolina would I still be declared as dependent? Thats crazy. The office was closed when I called back. The funny thing is, when I saw that I had a lot of money coming back from my classes being paid off, I said that they were going to find a way to send it back. As soon as I said that I logged into my account and saw that they sent my money back. </p>
<p>Just to give you an example. Each class(es) lasts for two months that’s considered as session A. After those two months are up, you start your B session which also lasts for 2 months. Therefore Session A and Session B makes 1 Term.</p>
<p>All of the financial aid for 1 term is dispersed during the A session except for the Sub and Unsub which is dispersed half of A session and half of B session. If all of your classes are paid for during those dispersements that were sent out in session A, then you get the remaining amount. However, if you still owe money, then when your B session starts the rest of your Sub and Unsub is sent out. If you have money left over from that you get the rest.</p>
<p>Now this is what DeVry has been doing, they will go back terms and terms ago and change my sub and unsub amount clear on up to the present therefore making me owe $1000’s of dollars.</p>
<p>That just burns me up inside :mad:</p>
<p>Sblake7- Im in school for my Bachelors, I have 4 more months left.</p>
<p>Sounds like they are monkeying with your federal loans. Ask them how they can declare that you are a dependent, since you are over 23 and clearly an independent by federal standards.</p>
<p>DeVry has a page on their financial aid website where you can answer a half dozen questions and determine whether you’re independent. Looks like the standard federal questions, plus one about whether you’re pursuing a Masters or Doctorate. BUT-- being 24 or over is enough to qualify as independent.</p>
<p>You might run through that page before you call them back, just to bolster your argument.</p>
<p>If you are an undergrad and live with your parent(s) then you are considered a dependent. If you are a grad student and live with your parent(s) then you are considered an independent regardless of who you live with.</p>
<p>Perhaps for some school’s proprietary standard, but that does not wash with the federal standards.</p>
<p>Scotta- I believe they are screwing with my money. One day last month I called to see what my balance was and they told me $370. I was in shock but I said okay whatever. However, when I called back this month my bill went from $370 to $1300. And the funny thing is, its not even really about getting extra money back (although it would be nice lol) its the fact of them going back and making it seem like I owe money just because they dont want to give it to me. Its the principal of the whole thing. I can just imagine how many other people they have done this way. I called DeVry today to see if the guy I talked to had heard anything from his manager and he said that he put in a ticket so it could take a while. Its like DeVry is making up rules. Last time they sent my money back because they over paid me, now they are saying that Im a dependent. Yeah right :rolleyes: Darn Crooks
This is how bad they are; my brother also attends DeVry with me. They sent him a billing statement that he had to pay $700 dollars a month for his tuition. When he called them back to get an understanding of why he had to pay so much, the lady he talked to said he had reached his federal loan amount for the school year. He called back today to talk to someone else and they said, Ohh someone screwed up your Pell grant so were going to have to give you another one.</p>
<p>Sblake7- Thanks, I went to the website and took the quiz although it was outdated (which is also sad… It lets me know how much they actually update their website). So, I went by the same questions and just changed the school year to 2005/2006. Going by that school year youd have to be born before January 1st 1982. So therefore I would be classified as independent even from their website. I wish I would have gotten a hold of the woman I spoke to at first that said I was classified as Dependent. That was the same woman who told me that they over paid me months ago. Im really hoping that the guy I talked to will be of great help. Hes actually one of the senior financial aid people. So maybe he can get this stuff taken care of. Im going to call back tomorrow and if GRACE answers the call I will be sure to enlighten her and see what her response is.</p>
<p>AlphaFlight- When I took the quiz that Sblack7 led me to. The questions included asking me if I was born before a certain year. After answering that question they asked me did I live with my parents. I replied yes, and DeVrys result still stated that I was declared independent.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your insight
Im glad I found this site :)… Sorry for babbling
Im just upset</p>