Sounding off on work study
Based on the article, “Increasing number of college students faced with debt” printed last week, I assumed that Financial Aid Services would help a struggling student like me... Experience has taught me otherwise.
Like most students at Fanshawe College (or any college for that matter), money is on my mind fairly often. For most of us it's a struggle to pay our tuition, fork over rent cheques, and pay other pesky monthly bills. Then it's a matter of scraping together every leftover penny in order to feed ourselves, and if we're lucky, drink away our sorrows with friends. The life of a student is usually not a rich one.
Recently I applied for Work Study at the London campus. For those of you who are not familiar with the program, “[it] is designed to provide work opportunities to full-time post-secondary or post-diploma students with a demonstrated financial need.” Or so the Financial Aid website would have us believe. I did not know this program was in existence until a few weeks ago, when I visited with career services in hopes that they could aid me in my job search. I'd already been hunting for a job for well over a month, and was having very little luck. My work experience is limited to the retail industry only, but living in the downtown area I assumed I'd find a job fairly easily. As a full-time student my availability is obviously limited, and my only means of transportation is the good ‘ol London Transit, and my own two feet. I find there are many employers out there who will work around student schedules, but my situation is a bit more complicated. My family actually resides in Coral Springs, Florida, and as a result I go back to visit as often as school allows, including the summer months I have off. Most employers are not willing to accommodate my school schedule AND my frequent travel, especially since my travel time includes the holiday season when help is most needed. And so I found myself looking to Fanshawe for support.
I was instructed to fill out an application for the work study program, which includes listing all your expenses for the year. I put my completed application in the mailbox in front of the Financial aid office, and was unpleasantly surprised a few days later by an e-mail denying me entry into the program. One of the reasons for my denial: My deficit was too large. The letter then went on to suggest that I apply for OSAP or a student line of credit.
Now, I realize that working a part time job would not provide sufficient funds to support me, but a student load of any kind is not an option I wish to consider. Why on Earth would I want to take out a loan that will follow me around for the next ten years or so, when I could simply get a job and pay off my debts as I go? I decided that I needed to take a more personal approach to the situation, as the application itself did not leave much room to elaborate on certain circumstances.
Upon actually speaking to someone in the Financial Aid office, I was perturbed by the information I was given. I explained my situation in detail: My parents' role in my financial life, the loan already taken out in my name, and the fact that I doubted I'd even be eligible for OSAP if I were to apply. When I mentioned Florida in passing the kind woman I was addressing asked me how long I'd been in Ontario for. I've been living in the province for three years now, but only as a student. I was thus informed that I in fact was NOT eligible for OSAP, as it requires the applicant to live in Ontario for at least one year as a non-student. Between that, and my parents' income, OSAP is not an option for me. Yet STILL, I was informed that I was not eligible for work study!
So my question is, what is a student in my situation supposed to do? The work study program is supposedly designed to help students in need of financial assistance, but it is now my impression that it is only in place to help students whose OSAP loans alone cannot sustain them. These students definitely deserve the assistance, but do I deserve it less because my loan comes from my family, rather than an institution?
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Like most students at Fanshawe College (or any college for that matter), money is on my mind fairly often. For most of us it's a struggle to pay our tuition, fork over rent cheques, and pay other pesky monthly bills. Then it's a matter of scraping together every leftover penny in order to feed ourselves, and if we're lucky, drink away our sorrows with friends. The life of a student is usually not a rich one.
Recently I applied for Work Study at the London campus. For those of you who are not familiar with the program, “[it] is designed to provide work opportunities to full-time post-secondary or post-diploma students with a demonstrated financial need.” Or so the Financial Aid website would have us believe. I did not know this program was in existence until a few weeks ago, when I visited with career services in hopes that they could aid me in my job search. I'd already been hunting for a job for well over a month, and was having very little luck. My work experience is limited to the retail industry only, but living in the downtown area I assumed I'd find a job fairly easily. As a full-time student my availability is obviously limited, and my only means of transportation is the good ‘ol London Transit, and my own two feet. I find there are many employers out there who will work around student schedules, but my situation is a bit more complicated. My family actually resides in Coral Springs, Florida, and as a result I go back to visit as often as school allows, including the summer months I have off. Most employers are not willing to accommodate my school schedule AND my frequent travel, especially since my travel time includes the holiday season when help is most needed. And so I found myself looking to Fanshawe for support.
I was instructed to fill out an application for the work study program, which includes listing all your expenses for the year. I put my completed application in the mailbox in front of the Financial aid office, and was unpleasantly surprised a few days later by an e-mail denying me entry into the program. One of the reasons for my denial: My deficit was too large. The letter then went on to suggest that I apply for OSAP or a student line of credit.
Now, I realize that working a part time job would not provide sufficient funds to support me, but a student load of any kind is not an option I wish to consider. Why on Earth would I want to take out a loan that will follow me around for the next ten years or so, when I could simply get a job and pay off my debts as I go? I decided that I needed to take a more personal approach to the situation, as the application itself did not leave much room to elaborate on certain circumstances.
Upon actually speaking to someone in the Financial Aid office, I was perturbed by the information I was given. I explained my situation in detail: My parents' role in my financial life, the loan already taken out in my name, and the fact that I doubted I'd even be eligible for OSAP if I were to apply. When I mentioned Florida in passing the kind woman I was addressing asked me how long I'd been in Ontario for. I've been living in the province for three years now, but only as a student. I was thus informed that I in fact was NOT eligible for OSAP, as it requires the applicant to live in Ontario for at least one year as a non-student. Between that, and my parents' income, OSAP is not an option for me. Yet STILL, I was informed that I was not eligible for work study!
So my question is, what is a student in my situation supposed to do? The work study program is supposedly designed to help students in need of financial assistance, but it is now my impression that it is only in place to help students whose OSAP loans alone cannot sustain them. These students definitely deserve the assistance, but do I deserve it less because my loan comes from my family, rather than an institution?
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
