Not Taking This Lying Down

I realize it has been a long time since I have blogged. I think it is because I haven't really felt the desire or inspiration to write. I do feel slightly narcissistic talking about myself, but I realize that this is one way that friends and family like to keep in touch, so I will try and maintain it from time to time.

Today's post is unfortunately going to be a gripe because I have something I need to get off my chest, and writing it down may aid my catharsis.

Memorial Day, Peter and I returned from Buffalo, WY where we had spent the weekend with our lovely friends, Nick and Kelly Norris. I checked my mail and found I had two letters from Black Hills State where I am currently working on my undergraduate degree in Communication Art with a minor in photography. The first letter I opened was a flowery congratulatory letter informing me that I had made the dean's list for the 4.0 I earned the spring 2012 semester. They told me I should be proud, and I was indeed proud. The second letter I opened was a letter from student financial aid services informing me that my eligibility for future financial aid had been terminated because, according to their Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, I am not making progress academically.

Uh, come again?

I spoke with the financial aid office and asked why a student who is on the Dean's List and has a cumulative GPA of 3.5 is having their financial aid revoked. They informed me that it is because I have not completed 67% of the total credit hours that I have attempted during the lifetime of my college career.

Lifetime? Really?!


This merits a little bit of explanation. Back in 2002 I attended college at Utah State University for the first time. I had put hardly any effort into school up to that point; I basically coasted through high school and walked away with a 3.0. When I got to college I figured it would be much the same. I had no study skills or really any preparation for college whatsoever, and I'll admit that I was attending USU not because I had a career in mind but because I needed to make a break from my life as it had been up to that point. Only problem was that I was trying to run away from me, but I quickly found that no matter where I went, there I was. I lost motivation and stopped attending classes and I bombed out. I attempted to go back the following semester but I expected different results while doing the same thing; the very definition of insanity right? I returned home and tried to reevaluate my life. A few months later I met a wonderful and understanding man who I fell in love with and ultimately married. I spent the next seven years of my life working and helping him fulfill his dreams. Along our journey, I developed a desire to go back to school, and with Peter's encouragement I did.

Returning to school wasn't easy, especially since I was deeply ashamed of my college career so far. USU, however, had a program that allowed returning students, who had been absent for more than five years, a chance to wipe the slate clean, so to speak. If I completed a semester of 12 credits or more with a 3.0 or higher GPA, they would remove all of the failed grades from my transcript. Well, I shouldn't say remove exactly, they were still there, but they would no longer affect my current GPA. That semester I earned a 3.5. The second semester I earned a 3.8. My college career was back on track and life was looking good.

And then we moved to Colorado.

So, I put school on hold for two more years until we moved to South Dakota and I applied to Black Hills State. I took 15 credits last semester and walked away with a 4.0.

And now I am being punished for something that happened 10 years ago when I was still a child in many ways. I thought I had redeemed myself, but apparently BHSU isn't about to let me forget my shame.

I can't help but wonder why they are having an issue with this now that I have clearly proven to them that I am a good student? They should be begging me to stay! I suspect that because of the current state of the economy, they are looking for any reason not to give out financial aid.

The financial aid center, who was little to no help, is insisting that I appeal their decision. I have completed their form and sent it in. The fact of the matter is that without financial aid, I cannot afford to go to school at this time. If middle-of-nowhere BHSU, with it's high and mighty standards does not approve my appeal, rest assured I will finish my degree. Just not with them. They can take their poor retention/graduation rate and shove it.