From a Whisper to a Scream

So, the little birdies have flown off to college and life has taken on a new normal, right?  You check in on them, they call home, the two of you might text a couple of times a week, just to touch base.  All is well in the world…isn’t it?
They’ve moved into the dorms, started classes, made friends, successfully navigated their way through mid-terms, financial aide is taken care of…wait a minute.  Financial Aide.

For all of you who’ve been through the process of finding and obtaining financial aide, you’ll be able to relate to what I’m about to say.  The whole financial aide process is fraught with frustration, grief, teeth knashing, hair pulling, screaming into the dark of night, and, finally, exhaustion once the process is complete.  Honestly, I think I’d rather go through an IRS audit than the financial aide process.

Have you ever had one of those niggling thoughts that just won’t go away?  You’ve got this problem (Financial Aide), and, after numerous hours, you’ve solved said problem.  The problem is no more.  You have conquered The Problem.
Except, you just have this feeling that the problem isn’t quite taken care of.  Now, everyone is telling you it’s taken care of.  You’ve checked with the company who’s approved you, you’ve checked with the Bursar’s Office, the Financial Aide office, gone online and verified that, yes, the funds seem to be ready and waiting until they are accessed by the school.  You’ve even received a letter that the funds are approved.

Except, you’re mom-dar (Mom radar, or dad radar, as the case may be.) is telling that something isn’t quite right.  That little voice in the back of your head that said to take her to the doctor even if she isn’t running a fever is whispering frantically that, no, in fact, every isn’t right in your world.  Something is WRONG.
But, the rest of the world is saying that all is right.  You’re being over-protective.  Look, see?  The computer says it’s all finished.  You have a LETTER.  You’re done.

And that’s about the time screaming begins.  Literally.

This week we found out that somehow, someway, through no fault of anyone — it Just Happened— Sunshine’s financial aide was deactivated and the loan was closed.

WTF????

Turns out the financial aide I secured back in May was only good for 120 days.  Okay, why?  Why why why?!? Why would a bank do that when parents are told there is a limited pool of financial aide to draw from each year and you NEED TO GET YOUR PAPERWORK IN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE OR YOUR KID IS F$%#^D FOR FINANCIAL AIDE.  Oh, yeah, and every other bank that provides financial aide has loans that are good for SIX MONTHS because of said sentence above in all caps.  You’re SUPPOSED to secure funding way before college starts.  As in MONTHS before college starts.

So why on God’s Green Earth, would the bank only give me an approval for 120 FREAKING DAYS???
AND, why in the hell wouldn’t they TELL ME THAT???

As I said, thus the screaming began.

Oh, and by the way, when this happens?  NO ONE wants to help.  Just try calling the American Education Services “Help Line”.  The nicest thing I can say is they were Unhelpful and Unsympathetic.

All of which only goes to prove that no matter the age of your little birdie, when the mom voice in the back of your head is whispering, you damn well better listen.

Sigh.