<p>i got into both of my favorite schools. school 1 is very highly ranked, has incredible financial aid (least starter loans of any other school + still affordable), and is even giving me a free trip to their admitted students weekend. they both promise to meet 100% of need. the thing is, i really like school 2 more and have for much longer. i just LOVE it a lot more for many reasons, things option 1 doesn’t have…but the fin aid process seems never ending. i’m trying to get a NCP waiver, and every school but this one so far has given it to me. the first time i sent them a letter i got no response for over a week so had to email them. they then said they didn’t get the letter and to send (another) one. i did and got no response. i had to email them again and ask when i could expect a verdict on the waiver request. once again, they tell me the statement is not enough and to send a birth certificate (because my dad has never been in my life) and letter explaining the whereabouts of my brother’s (with whom i share a mother) biological father, whom my mom has never been married to + if she receives child support and the amount. he’s in prison (and has been over a decade) and we have no contact, which was in the letter we faxed. i check the portal and see that that info is still “missing”. i email them again and they say that they need proof that he’s in prison. where do you even get that?! the complicatedness of this process is making me feel like this isn’t even worth it, especially when i have multiple great schools to choose from. i don’t wanna give up, but i mean…they don’t tell me anything unless prompted. i know they’re busy, but it feels like they wouldn’t even have emailed me if i hadn’t contacted them first. i don’t even KNOW if i can get “documentation” of his being in prison. we obviously don’t get child support; he’s not even my dad. apparently if the fin aid application isn’t ~complete by a certain date next week, i can’t get any money at all. i know waiving the noncustodial information is a big thing, but if every other school has granted me the waiver, why does THIS school need all this information?</p>
<p>i’m just sad and frustrated because it feels like getting in was false hope. i want(ed) to go to this school SO badly. even if i did somehow get the waiver, i’m basically 100% sure the fin aid wouldn’t be better than option 1. should i just stop trying and send my deposit to option one?</p>
<p>That’s entirely up to you. I advise kids to keep options open until all information you can get is available. And if you are visiting likely wait until after. If the deadline isn’t until May 1, then you have a couple weeks to see about the other school. They are entirely in their rights to ask for information and documentation. It is too bad they never received your initial paperwork, all that should have been done months ago, not last minute because of this sort of issue, see? </p>
<p>One way to get documentation that he is in prison is to call the prison Warden’s office and ask them to write an official letter for your college paperwork and affirm that he is in prison and the entry date and term, if available.</p>
<p>i know they’re in their right to do it, but it’s just frustrating that they’re the only school that needs all of this stuff my mom doesn’t want someone who plays literally no role in our lives and whom i’m not even related to to determine whether or not i can get the waiver and go to this school. i sent what i could as soon as i could (mom’s tax information + letter as soon as she did her taxes). i have no idea how they missed the letter because it came with the tax information, which they received. it couldn’t have been done months ago because my mom couldn’t file her taxes until later than the deadline. and thanks, i’ll see if that’s possible</p>
<p>No one cares what your mom wants or not or if providing this information frustrates you, sheesh. You want their money the easy way, sure. I though this info was about your own father. Getting child support is something that is considered part of your income and they are checking it out.The waiver request should have been sent with just after your application taxes have nothing to do with it.</p>
<p>sue me for expressing my feelings as i write about the situation. no, it’s not about my own father, that’s the point of this post. the easy way? come on. i didn’t send the waiver request early without the taxes because i didn’t even know if the taxes would’ve been accepted past the deadline, so there’d have been no point. i don’t think i’m gonna do it and i’ll just go to another school, but thanks for the help</p>
<p>Welcome to Administrivia 101. It’s a long, difficult process getting the financial aid paperwork in and processed. . Y Even those of us with boring circumstances are worn out by the process. If you don’t get all the paperwork through the fin aid wickets for choice 2, you still come out with a great education at one of your other choices. And, I’m going to think the process experience at school 1 will continue to “entertain” you for 3 more years.</p>