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:( - so close...

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Hopelives2
Regular Contributor

:( - so close...

My story is plastered all over here in bits and pieces so, I'll try to make this short and sweet.

 

A few years ago, I started down the path to apply to medical school.  As an older non-trad student, I am not eligible for student loans so I paid out of pocket and went as I could.

 

During Fall 2011, I was enrolled in a biology class where the professor invited students to apply for the trip to Galapagos.  I applied, was accepted into the program, paid my deposit, paid for the rest of the semester.

 

My contract for the spring 2012 was not renewed but I was quickly picked up by a new contract; ironically, with the university's medical school as director of finance.  Anyway, the newspaper got wind that the nursing school was hiring contractors instead of full-time employees, and the medical school got nervous, so my contract ended rather abruptly.  The CFO, my boss, is one of my stellar references so I know it wasn't because of me.

 

So, the Galapagos research trip has an "out" clause whereby you lose your deposit but they will take someone off the wait list to go in one's place.  I wrote the professor telling him I did not think I could go and that he should find a replacement.

 

He'd taken a hankering to me.  My friends saw it, I was oblivious to a point (yes, I knew he liked me but I did not see the "LIKE" part at all).

 

Suffice to say, he never tried to replace me despite repeated attempts requesting he'd do just that.  My choices at end of term were to go and pay the $5,000 or stay behind and still pay the $5,000.

 

I went.

 

Upon return, I paid the university some $2,500 toward my tuition bill leaving a balance of $7,500.  In the midst of moving out of state, nearly 1500 miles away... well, things got away from me.

 

I've never intended to not pay the remainder of my tuition, it is what I owe.

 

At the end of December, I received a letter from a collection agency (not surprised).  I called an attorney who'd helped me last summer with something if he would deal with them so I could focus on the latest drama (my geriatric parents' health, their financial debacle, and my son's father's death).

 

The atty said he would.  I have emails saying he was talking to them.  I have emails and phone call records saying we've talked and he's stated he'd talk to the university.

 

Today, as I was headed out to go look at homes... I decided to pull myfico score to see where I was at.  I knew once my credit card util was less than 9%, I should be in the upper 690s if not over 700.  I knew even with the current utilization, I was sitting around 650.

 

It was 560.

 

due to the collection account by the university... the atty never did a thing.

 

Devastated is not the word.

 

So, I have the packet I was going to originally send to the university begging for the opportunity to pay the bill in full and have a clear record at the school (they are also the ones who need to be paid so I can get my transcript if I should apply to medical school).

 

Do I PFD the thing and send a certified check made out to the university?  Do I include all the details of the mess (my son's father's death threw my financial situation into an upheaval just as I was getting rolling, thinking I could buy/close in June)?  Do I include the details of my own father's health, that I am paying on their stuff?

 

I don't dispute I owe the debt.  The university tuition hold says I need to pay the u... but the thing on my CR is from the collection agency.

 

Oh,... fudge.  Help?Smiley Sad

Message 1 of 7
6 REPLIES 6
guiness56
Epic Contributor

Re: :( - so close...

Contact the university and ask them if you can pay them directly, pull the account from the CA and ask them to delete their TL.

Message 2 of 7
Hopelives2
Regular Contributor

Re: :( - so close...

Thank you, Guin... I thought that's what I should do but an outside perspective is so very helpful.

 

/hug

 

I'm so close to putting my thinking-about-jumping-off-bridge life behind me... so very close.

Message 3 of 7
MonkeyBelly
Regular Contributor

Re: :( - so close...

You are not serious about jumping. Right??
Starting myFICOs 2013
TU:664 March --> 726 May 25
EQ: 687 on March 6 --> 772 May 25
USAA EX (FAKO): 701 March 27 --> 768 May 26
Original goal (720+ across the board) achieved!
Message 4 of 7
Hopelives2
Regular Contributor

Re: :( - so close...


@MonkeyBelly wrote:
You are not serious about jumping. Right??

No, but thank you for being concerned.

 

I've been through a lot (we all have).  Every time I turn a corner, I think "Whoo hoo!" and get a piece of my life back and then I get slammed again.  Many have asked me if I was ever suicidal and I can honestly say, 'No'...

Message 5 of 7
blunderer
Established Contributor

Re: :( - so close...

"Hopelives2" - says it all.  I truly understand the feeling that as soon as you turn a corner, there's something else waiting around the bend to slam you.

 

So glad you know "hope lives".  Stay encouraged!

Message 6 of 7
Hopelives2
Regular Contributor

Re: :( - so close...


@blunderer wrote:

"Hopelives2" - says it all.  I truly understand the feeling that as soon as you turn a corner, there's something else waiting around the bend to slam you.

 

So glad you know "hope lives".  Stay encouraged!


Thank you so much.  I try.  I just got sucker punched this afternoon with the IFRB letter and paltry check.  So, I wrote 5 US Senators and 1 Representative about that situation, and in light of my student tuition, I sent letters with documentation of all the emails with the lame atty to the head of student finance, another director of student fnance I know, and while I was at it, figured it could not hurt to copy the President of the university itself.  Smiley Wink

 

What's the worst any of them could do?

 

Toss it in the garbage, send me a 'thanks but no thanks' response?  Okay, then I'm still not worse off than I would be if I had done absolutely nothing.

 

All of my letters were polite, detailed, with supporting evidence, and ended with a humble request.

 

The letters to the US Senators (MA, MN, FL) were likewise polite, descriptive, and what-not.

 

I will see results.  The wrongs will be righted Smiley Happy

 

Must have faith... or at least, that's what I keep telling myself!  Smiley Happy

Message 7 of 7
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