This is my first diary although I have been a reader for quite some time. I have often thought about writing but most of the time someone else has already said what I was feeling and in a much better way. But I am so disturbed with the way student loans are handled that I must vent. I myself am lucky that my parents saved for my college and I graduated with no student loans and then my grandparents paid for my masters. I know that I am lucky and appreciate what they did for me. As for my husband he was not so lucky. He took out loans for his BA and then for his masters.
My husband did not take out any loans the first two years of school. He went to a community college and was able to work and pay for school. Then he decided to go to Western Michigan University in 1996. He was then forced to take out loans to pay but did not take much. Just enough to get by!
I will skip forward about 10 years. We both have our degress and my husband decides to get his masters in Special Education. At this point have started a family and need to take out loans to pay for his school but we feel it is worth it. Then we are told about the Teacher Loan Forgivness Program. The program allows you to have up to $17,500 taken off of your loans if you meet the requirements. Which are quite simple. You must have been teaching for 5 years, teaching in a low income school, going into special education, etc.. All of these categories fit my husband. We were so excited!! It would pay off more than 1/2 of the loans he got while working on his masters.
We filled out the paperwork at got it returned yesterday. It said that he did not qualify becuase he had loans prior to Oct. 1, 1998. I was surprised and angry. What does it matter that he had loans from his undergrad. He is over 30 and graduated from highschool before 1998. So, I called Sallie Mae and asked about this. The person told me to resubmit the application. When I asked what that would change she did not have an answer. I asked if I paid off the other loans would he then qualify. She told me to resubmit! When I asked if there was someone else I could talk to. She told me NO!! I said, "there is noone in that department that can help me?" She said, "Sallie Mae is that department and I have told you to resubmit." I asked if there was a place to appeal and she said to type a letter with my application saying I want the loans from Sallie Mae to be considered and no other ones. At this point I was so angry. I could not get an answer, no one else to talk to, and she was not helping me one bit.
I eneded the call and decided to look up as much info. as I could find and there is not much out there.
My question: Why does the government have programs to help teachers or students pay for college and then find every loop hole so they don't have to pay. Something MUST be done!!!
I hope and pray that Obama and his administration can help solve the problems in education.
If anyone knows of any information related to dealing with this type of problem I would appreciate it.
And yes, I am resubmitting and typing up a letter but I feel it is a complete waste of my time!!!