<p>As clarification for any future readers on FA at Scripps, I really just want to say that after spending 2 years here so far as a student under FA and from talking with other peers, interactions with the Scripps FA Office are always a great hit or a total miss. Unfortunately I have been a student who is under the total miss category. But I know of others who deeply respect and appreciate the FA office.</p>
<p>I’m not sure whether the interactions are completely random, but to be honest, the students who I hear the most wonderful stories about are the students who are given considerable FA (ie the tier of families who are below middle class and are given hefty packages to defray most of the $50,000 price tag). I don’t have any stigma against these students or disregard their obvious financial situation that would allow them to receive large FA, but in all honesty these are my observations. Birdhow, I do not know your financial situation, but obviously there are other students I’ve talked to who are not under the above category but have still had good interactions. Really, it’s just a game of chance whether or not you’re going to love or hate the FA office, especially in the economic situation right now for the US.</p>
<p>As to why exactly I’ve had poor relations so it does not seem like I have a huge irrational grudge against this office, a lot of it has been in my opinion poor handling of paperwork and inability to simply admit the problem or give a clear and valid explanation. 2 years ago is quite some time, so I don’t remember exactly what happened, but when I was given my FA package as a newly admitted student, I had called them to clarify some things and the FA officer told me such and such about not having to turn something in, and that she would take care of it. I assumed everything was fine and that she was taking care of it, but a few days after the deadline of the paperwork I supposedly did not have to file, I received an email with a large warning that the paperwork wasn’t received. I called the FA office, spoke to the same lady, and she denied ever having the conversation and spoke in an accusatory manner, basically saying it was my own fault I did not turn in the paperwork. I was able to turn in the paperwork without problems, but the lady said it was alright in an annoyed and displeased manner, as if to say, “Well I <i>guess</i> I’ll let you turn it in.”</p>
<p>For FA in the 09-10 year, I turned in all of my forms promptly well before the priority deadline. I assumed my file would be on the top of the stack to be reviewed. But during the summer in June I get a warning email informing me I was still missing a form- but the form was something I didn’t need to fill out. I emailed them back, and the reply was an apology and that my file would be immediately put on top of the stack (where it should have been in the first place) and that I would be getting my FA package soon. I wait till late July, and neither my parents nor I had received anything yet. I looked on my FA portal, and my FA package was already inputted. So obviously the package had been reviewed, but I still hadn’t received anything by mail. What was more troubling was that under the FA portal online, it had said I had accepted the package. I emailed them inquiring about it, but after a few weeks no reply. I called them, everyone was unavailable. So having been working at school over the summer, I decided to finally go directly to the office and ask. I sat down with the director and explained to him that my family and I have not received our FA package, and it’s already getting into mid-August. He looked at my file, and said apparently it had been sent already sometime in late June. Now I understand that maybe things do get chewed up in the mail, but I said to him, “Well, I haven’t received anything and neither have my parents, I’m sorry.” The director then continued to say, “Well, we sent it. You should have received it.” This went on for about 2-3 more exchanges, when I asked him if he could just send it again, and this time to my campus mailbox. He then said to me, “Fine. Is that it then?” in a rude manner, trying to rush me out. I then asked him why my FA portal online had said I accepted the package when I had never received it, and he gave me no answer and said, “I don’t know, sorry.” The conversation basically ended there. Fortunately I finally did receive my official package. But then when the academic year started I never received my work-study forms. They are available online and I was fortunate enough to notice early that I didn’t receive my forms, but the FA website online also explicitly states that I should receive these in my campus mailbox at the beginning of the year. I know of other students who had gotten theirs early, so it was not something where they had delayed everyone’s forms.</p>
<p>This past year also, while dealing with a student loan, a bank had sent me an email inquiring about beginning my loan process for the year and signing my MPN. This was a bank I had never used, never been on their website, had any contact with, but they already had my SSN and information. I called the FA office immediately, and was able to talk to the loan officer there. The basic problem was that I had requested to use the same lender as my first loan when applying for the loan this year, but I had received no correspondence that they had terminated their student loan department from the FA office nor from the bank until I called her that day. After dealing with that matter, I asked her why the bank who emailed me had all my information, and she could give me no answer. She did kindly apologize (out of all the people who work at FA, the loan officer is the kindest).</p>
<p>All of this and small minor interactions throughout the year has been frustrating to deal with and has tainted my experience at Scripps, despite the love I have for the school. This coupled with a lot of other issues that have come up has made me reevaluate, and I am potentially transferring for next year. Most likely, I will be staying, but I have to say that my patience is running low.</p>
<p>I do not want to frighten any prospective students, especially those who have been accepted and are eager to attend. In my experience so far, the pros greatly outweigh the cons and the aspects I adore about the school are the reasons why I most likely will stay. My FA experience may be just one of those extreme cases. But IMO, FA interactions are a hit or miss here so if you’ve already gone through some hits, please be aware that it may be something you will have to deal with again. As far as my FA package in general, in reality the price that my family is paying is quite a deal. It is by no means comfortable for us, and we are basically running on fumes. But I don’t regret my decision to attend Scripps over a state university, and my parents especially I think after 2 years so far are seeing it pay off in the opportunities I’m receiving and the academic and personal enrichment I express to them.</p>
<p>So basically: like any other school, Scripps is not perfect. But if you have more pros than cons, you should come :)</p>