NWR: Work vent (long)

nyrek · February 2010

Background:
I'm a nurse, but I work at a social service agency. A few years back I got a whole new component thrown at me which is additionally processing the scholarship applications for the local day academy (Grades K-5)

#1: Not a financial advisor, accountant, or scholarship coordinator
#2: Has nothing to do with my job.

But they tell me what to do...and they pay me...so I do it best I can.

My vent:
Dealing with families who apply for scholarship and on the income portion of the application tell me that they bring in over $5000.00 per month...but only spend $4000.00 per month. ???

They also disclose that they have $73,000.00 cash sitting in their savings. But they don't want to use it for tuition...they want to buy a house soon. They state an "ability" to pay $125.00 per month for tuition. ???

So I process the application and on my end, I say "denied...no financial need." And the scholarship committee who makes the final determination: GIVES THEM A SCHOLARSHIP. WTF!!!

This has been going on for 4 years with at least half the families I process.

And this makes me hate my job.

jaime,ford87 · February 2010

That does suck.
I'm a teacher at a high school in a very poor rural area. I'm only a teacher in the sense that the school thinks of me as one. I don't actually teach anything, I basically babysit all day and when things go wrong, they go really wrong. I'm bored and miserable and nothing I do makes a lick of difference. I cry almost everyday and I hate being there so much that I have an ulcer.

If I had a drink in my hand I'd propose a toast to find new jobs. Good luck.

SarahPLiz · February 2010

So goes the non-profit world. THe scholarship to a wealthy student is an investment in that family, who they hope will donate lots of $$ when the kid is done. That's just how it works.

If you can find out if the parents are also major donors, you can make an anonymous complaint to the state and get tehm investigated as a tax shelter. I once audited a school who accepted donations from parents, and then gave their kids a scholarship in the exact same amount. Basically the parents were writing off private school tuition. It stinks.

noisy_penguin · February 2010

I hate your job too. Thanks for making me pay for college myself assholes.

FallinAgain · February 2010

Do poor families in turn NOT get scholarships?

Why are they scholarships if they are need based?

nyrek · February 2010

Oh the poor familes do also get help! And there are some that truly are genuine families that I love being able to help...and they are the ones who are telling me that they will pay $100.00 per month and I know that they cannot afford it. I've seen a family 2 years ago who let their house go into foreclosure in order to keep paying the school. (Stupid...but honorable.)

There is only one family where it is a known agreement that they make a very generous contribution, and in turn their grandchild attends on a full-scholarship.

The rest of the ones that I vent about are the ones who have all this extra money...do not contribute, claim to be so terribly poor that they can't afford food, sob...sob...sob...

These are the people who are plain and simple playing the system. One family I called out on how can they be receiving Medicaid for their children with so much available cash in their bank account? Flat out asked if they were withholding assets to receive public benefits. They walked out and I have not heard anything more from them. Scamming, lying, thieves.

And Penguin...SOOOOO agree!

SarahBethBR · February 2010

Since when is $5000 a month wealthy?

PennyPriddy · February 2010

In my world, $5000/month would make me feel wealthy.

PennyPriddy · February 2010

Though, I should add, I don't necessarily agree with the OP, now that I've gone back to read the entire post.
Just saying I would feel like royalty to have $5000/month at my disposal.

edit: sigh. I meant PP not OP.

SarahPLiz · February 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_nwr-work-vent-long?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:a4ba4dba-6596-42f5-9329-3c7d68db30ddPost:ad09f507-8104-41ac-8906-cdd1d71b8980">Re: NWR: Work vent (long)</a>:
[QUOTE]There is only one family where it is a known agreement that they make a very generous contribution, and in turn their grandchild attends on a full-scholarship. Posted by nyrek[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that's illegal. If i hated my job that much, I'd be making an anonymous call to the IRS and the Secretary of state.

_Fenton · February 2010

On the other hand, if their endowment and donations allow them a certain $ amount to be given away that year and if they've already helped out the families that are truly in need, I don't see the problem in spreading out extra money to families that aren't struggling badly.

SarahBethBR · February 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_nwr-work-vent-long?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:a4ba4dba-6596-42f5-9329-3c7d68db30ddPost:f6ad01f9-b70e-4829-b7a7-623baeb15a0f">Re: NWR: Work vent (long)</a>:
[QUOTE]In my world, $5000/month would make me feel wealthy.
Posted by PennyPriddy[/QUOTE]

It's less than $10,000 over the median income, though. That's pretty solidly middle class. Of course it depends on the area you live in, but here, $60k a year certainly does not qualify you as wealthy.

And making $5000 a month doesn't mean I have it all at my disposal. Momma's got a mortgage to pay.

NWR: Work vent (long)

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