By Brandy Voirin/reporter

Many students are running into the same list of financial aid problems.

“We see an average of 500 students a day,” NE financial aid associate Andrew Rodriguez said. “And more than half those students are sitting in line for the same reason, not just on NE Campus, but districtwide.”

The culprit: the wrong degree plan.

Some of those precious financial aid dollars are still available, so NE director of financial aid Mary Lou Bledsoe agreed to help students navigate the process.

First, students should change degree plans by utilizing two simple options.

“The registrar offices are the fastest option for students because it’s in real time,” Bledsoe said. “Submitting the request in WebAdvisor is a much slower process.

Next, students should go to the financial aid office and request an evaluation.

“It’s as simple as asking a financial aid advisor to run an evaluation, which connects their new degree program to the courses they are enrolled in,” she said.

Lastly, Bledsoe said students should try to wait patiently.

She said financial aid dollars are being released multiple times a week, and the dollars are available all semester long.

Financial aid communicates through email,” she said. “So students should check their emails frequently.”

Financial aid offices will be open on Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sept. 19, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.