Student Loan process 2007

I just decided that I'd have to make a payment to someone it might as well be the people that helped me spend some time in Europe. Right?

I just decided that I'd have to make a payment to someone it might as well be the people that helped me spend some time in Europe. Right?

LOL amen to that!

But at least we'll have some great times in Exeter!  I'm really planning on this program being awesome and I'm hoping to get everything I can out of it.

Me too. I'm just really spazzing out about the whole thing for right now, but my wife is being really reassuring (one of the many reasons I'm glad I married her).

Speaking of student loans, I got email today from the student funding people at Exeter confirming that they'd received all my paperwork, sent all the stuff they needed to over to American Student Assistance, and are just waiting for confirmation of my degree before they start the whole certification process.

Is it me, or is that really fast, considering I sent everything in less than a week ago? (Not that I'm complaining, mind you...) 

I'm starting to believe that this study abroad thing is really going to happen. Eep.

My Stafford Loan approval went really fast as well. I think because the financial aid people at my uni are fantastic and were so helpful during the whole thing.

The entire process is going fast for me. I am having a hard time believing that I'm leaving in like 8 weeks!!!

Is it me, or is that really fast, considering I sent everything in less than a week ago? (Not that I'm complaining, mind you...) 

Lucky man!  I sent my stuff in over a month ago and I'm right where you are.  Exeter will probably approve our stuff at the same time.
It took her a month just to answer my first email....that's why I bought a calling card.  I hope it starts moving faster from here out.

I've just been approved for my Graduate Plus Loan to supplement the Stafford. YAY!!

I've just been approved for my Graduate Plus Loan to supplement the Stafford. YAY!!

Oh congratulations!!! YAY!

 

Arrrrrgh.  For those of you playing along at home, the University of Exeter's been waiting for confirmation of my degree so they can change the status of my offer to unconditional and I can get my student loans certified. So, being the diligent student I am, I had my previous school forward them official sealed transcripts showing that I was awarded a BA in theatre as of May 13th (yay, me).

Only today do I get email telling me that transcripts won't work--they need either my actual diploma or a certified copy of it--and that this was mentioned in the postgraduate guidance notes they sent me.

Now, check me here...this is what those guidance notes say on the relevant page:

"[...] you must provide evidence of your qualifications by submitting an original certificate or a certified copy of your degree qualification(s) [...]"

 And then two sentences later:

"All certificates, transcripts or Certificates of Qualification submitted [...]"

Is it just me, or would a reasonable person also possibly interpret that as meaning that transcripts are okay?

Gah. I just want to be done with this whole process and taking classes already...

You know what's sad? Now that I've gone through all this BS that I have with my study abroad experience, I would have sent all THREE! But then again, they could always turn around and say "You sent us too much information. Please only send one item, blah blah" 

I think I probably would have sent transcripts also, from that verbiage, so I don't blame you!

Now, check me here...this is what those guidance notes say on the relevant page:

"[...] you must provide evidence of your qualifications by submitting an original certificate or a certified copy of your degree qualification(s) [...]"

 And then two sentences later:

"All certificates, transcripts or Certificates of Qualification submitted [...]"

Is it just me, or would a reasonable person also possibly interpret that as meaning that transcripts are okay?

Gah. I just want to be done with this whole process and taking classes already...

Being a British student and also a graduate of Exeter University, I have to admit I would have understood the first sentence in the guidance notes to mean they wanted my degree certificate - because we don't utilise transcripts in the UK the same way the US does - we don't have transcripts for high school so our only proof of qualifications is in the form of official certificates. Universities do issue transcripts but these usually have to be accompanied by the official certificate as well for future applications.

However, I do sympathise with you on the problems with the paperwork. I applied to a US university for my PhD and ordered several sets of transcripts from Exeter to send with my applications (at a cost of $40 for 5 copies). However, they sent all five in one envelope and the US university required the transcripts to be sealed and officially stamped by the university - which mine weren't, as I had to open the envelope to separate the copies!

In the end, I had to drive all the way down to Exeter just to have them put in separate envelopes and get stamped - talk about a hassle!!!

Gah. I just want to be done with this whole process and taking classes already...

I hear ya.  Don't worry, you'll get there!  I understand the confusion with the certificate/transcripts...my university accepted my transcripts as proof of degree because it says "Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts" right at the top of the thing.  My diploma is huge (meant to be framed) and totally awkward to mail or copy (unlike UK degree certificates which are apparently a more reasonable size) so I'm glad I had this option- sucks that your university isn't more flexible!

I know, Mr. Bad Example...

Only today did I get my FINAL word on my loans.  Exeter (for some reason) sent in my school Certifications (after a month of badgering phone calls) but they didn't fully fill out the one for my stafford loans.

So, while my plus loans were being processed I had to call Exeter and get them to re-fax the proper information.  Even though I asked ASA and IEFC to call me when they got the fax...and I called them twice about it last week...it wasn't until today when I called that they said  "oh, yeah...it was approved 2 days ago so I GUESS we got the new fax"

Why the hell do I have to call all three places to get them to do their job?  why aren't they calling each other??  or at least ME  to let me know what's going on?!?

I'm rather disenchanted with the Student Funding Team at Exeter right now. 

My advice Bad Example - Go to 7-11 and buy the international calling card for Europe (20 bucks for unlimited calls for 30 days) and bug Exeter until they get it right.  That's what I had to do to get my stuff by now...and I'm still waiting on my official letter from ASA for the Stafford loans for my visa stuff.

AAArrrrgggggg!

My diploma is huge (meant to be framed) and totally awkward to mail or copy (unlike UK degree certificates which are apparently a more reasonable size) so I'm glad I had this option- sucks that your university isn't more flexible!

You're right - UK degree certificates are smaller, usually A4 size, so they'll easily fit in an envelope without being bent or folded.

I hate to repeat myself, but ARRRRGGGGHHH. I got my degree certificate mailed out via registered US mail on the 28th of June--and here it is two weeks later, and the admissions office says they still haven't seen it. (Nor is there any sign on the USPS's web site that it's been delivered.)

I'm really starting to freak out about how long this is taking and how close to the wire I'm coming. This one stupid inconsequential thing is holding up my entire life right now. 

I feel your pain, but with a slightly different thing. Between my home uni and Sallie Mae, these people can't seem to handle the transfer of a certified amount.

It's be a month and a half, and I call everyday.