Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  03/29/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I met with the Financial Aid Director *******************, myself, classmate ********************** her mom *************************, and my aunt *************************, ******************* said that my Financial Aid and ********************** financial was DENIED by FAFSA and the only way we could continue to attend Shepherd University we would have to take out loans. ******************* also said that the board denied us from attending school. Shepherd in return allowed myself and ******* to move to new dorms, register for classes and the only way we could register for classes our accounts were not locked. I called FAFSA and they informed me that my Finacial Aid was disperse to Shepherd University, I talked to the Vice President student affairs ******************* which informed me I could not talk to the President of Shepherd University and that she does not communicate with students. I then talked to ******************* Vice President of Enrollment and Management, she said she would me and not to worry, she came back and said she could not do anything. I confronted *************************** and sent an email to Financial Aid informing them that we were all LIED to about denying our FAFSA. I was told my financial Aid was not approved only to find out it was approve and the funds were disperse for me. I was discharged from Shepherd University due to failure of payment. Shepherd still has my entire FAFSA for 2023 and won't return it to FAFSA, and they have locked my account so that I cannot retrieve my transcript. I have called and no one is answering my calls and Shepherd has also threaten me that if I dont pay the balance that the school is charging me my account will stay locked. I want my Financial Aid returned to FAFSA -0- my balance out and unlock my account. I feel that ********************** set me up, lied to me about my finances, allowed me to register for classes and move to my new Dorm only to discharge me from school and then want to send me a bill, although they have my FAFSA that they lied and said it didnt get approved

  Business response

  04/17/2023

  April 14, 2023

  Dear Dispute Resolution Team:

  You have notified Shepherd University of a written complaint from a former student, by Notice  dated March 30, 2023. Her complaint relates to the Financial Aid program and her own financial  status at the time that her enrollment and association to Shepherd University ended. 
  The federal financial aid programs are very complex. The rules that universities have to comply  with have great detail, as reflected in the 1300+ pages of the US Dept of Ed Financial Aid  Handbook for 2022-23. The specific institutional policies that each university develops must  comply with the expectations of the US Department of Education (DoE), or our participation in  the federal financial aid program can be cancelled. Decisions to discontinue aid are only made  due to these federal rules, not because we are choosing between students. The denial of financial  aid only occurred because we have to implement the limits which the DoE requires, to keep the  programs approved for our school. 
  This can become very confusing for students, and in this case the University regrets that it did not  succeed in helping to clarify for the former student the difficult circumstances which the  University could not avoid. Under the federal rules, the student was ineligible to continue with  financial aid. 
  The University cannot provide greater detail in response to the complaint because there is not an  authorization from the student to release her personal information to anyone. 
  However, we can assure you that additional dialogue with the student, which appears to have  occurred after you received this complaint, did occur and issues as to her residual financial status  with Shepherd University were resolved amicably. 
  

  Sincerely, 
  ** **** ****** 
  General Counsel
  

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