Just when I feel as though everything is starting to fall back into place, I get another email (on a SATURDAY, yet) from my financial counselor telling me that I have an outstanding balance which I have to pay a week before my next class begins or I will have to be rescheduled. Ok, first of all...what is he talking about? When I started my degree program, one of the points I made (I thought) crystal clear to the enrollment counselor was that I have no way of coming up with any significant out-of-pocket expenses. I was assured that this would never be an issue and that my student loans would take care of everything, yet here I am again (this happened once before) being told that I cannot continue my program until I pay this money. $804.

I don't have $804. The whole point of the darned student loan is to pay for my school. If I had $804, I would be paying for my school without the darned student loan.

Then, my financial counselor tries to placate me by apologizing for "any confusion" and go on to tell me that "generally" the loans do not have enough to cover the full cost of attendance and that "generally" there is an out-of-pocket expense in grant-ineligible students' 4th and 8th courses. There is no confusion. I was never told and now I am told I need to in less than a week come up with what may as well be a million dollars. I swear, I have been so close to quitting in the past six months and this is not helping me.

When was he going to tell me this? Apparently, 10 days before my next class is scheduled to start. Apparently, this little matter has to be taken care of a week prior to the start of my class. Let me see...um...that means....yes, my financial counselor told me on a SATURDAY that I was going to have to pay $804 that coming MONDAY. In two days. Or I have to reschedule my next class. I did not have to pay at my 4th course...although he says I did.  

I don't have $804. I have no way of coming up with $804 in less than a week. I do not have available funds for even a payment plan. Had I known it was coming, I would have planned for it. I have no recollection of this expense ever being disclosed to me and I am so irritated I could spit. I am less than 7 days away from completing my current class. I already took a 4-week break prior to this class and because of that break, I am no longer on track for my goal. My momentum is in the toilet and now, apparently, because UoP failed me yet again, I may have to sit back on my heels again and wait.

I emailed my financial counselor back again. He wants to know how I would like to proceed. Short of strangling a bunch of people over in his neck of the woods, I have no idea. I may have to take that leave of absence after all, if I am even eligible to do so. I can't quit...I'd have to start paying back my student loan.

Talk about losing momentum.

I'm kind of pissed off.