There's Only So Much I Can Take

This is the email I sent to the Dean of Academics at ECC tonight:

Hello Mr. Brennan. I am emailing you today in the wee hours of the morning to voice a complaint. Now, I'll be quite honest, I'm not sure you are the person I should be speaking to. But if I'm really being truthful, I don't think it really matters all that much. You see, since being accepted to ECC back in the Spring of last year I've dealt with nothing but trouble. 

Between being thwarted countless times on the phone (I was living in Florida up until June of 2010 so it was impossible to pop in to the school with questions), being told I couldn't register because classes had been full for the baking program since before I had been accepted but hadn't been told until registration day, and many (trust me on this one) other grievances I have just about had it.

 I will not complain about my teachers or the curriculum. There are things I could say about both, but I'm choosing my battles here, and those two are pretty low on the list. What I'm upset about today is my lack of money. Now, you might be asking yourself how this is any of your concern. This is how:

My student loan was granted in August. I was a little later than I would've liked getting to it, but there were extenuating circumstances (see above regarding registration). It took a few months to get it first semester but I waited it out and finally it was given to me. This semester I was full of hope. "Surely, since it was approved last semester it will be mailed to me on the double!" Well, weeks passed. Then months...I went in to the financial aid office twice (maybe it was three times, I'm losing count) and asked two different office workers about my loan. Both repeated the same thing to me, "Yes, it says your loan has been approved. We do all our mailing on Fridays. Well, I would bet it's waiting for you at home right now!" It wasn't. Either time.

I don't want to bore you with my finances. But let's just say that $80 cell phone bill + $55 for a tank of gas (that'll last me a week and a half) + not getting enough hours at work (but can't get another job until I get my internship which is whole other can of worms that I won't exhaust your time with now) + no student loan = a VERY stressed out college student. 

It is halfway through the semester and I haven't gotten my money yet. I finally broke down in tears tonight because I just don't know what to do. Your financial aid department obviously also does not know what to do. Please, please tell me YOU know what you're doing. I (as well as many others I'm sure, including a good friend of mine that is unemployed and has three kids) really, truly need that money now. I don't understand what is taking so long. Please, shed some light on this subject.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I genuinely hope you can help me.

Sincerely, 

Kayla Clark

I have no idea if this will help but I have exhausted my other options (well, other than running into the financial aid office screaming and flailing my arms about, but I'm saving that for something really special). I'm hoping that by speaking to a higher up in an intelligent mature manner I will be heard and helped. We'll see...


**Update. Mr. Brennan informed me that he is not the one I should be speaking with. He did tell me who to talk to, though, so I changed out the names and sent the very same email once again. I will not give up until the check is in my hand.