financial aid and rants and raves

Another day, another snow storm. Westchester has taken a beating lately, and we're getting snow as I type. It's just flurries, and it looks like the major storm we were supposed to get over the weekend will pass us by. With spring around the proverbial bend, winter is enjoying it's last vicious gasp, and I will be equally happy to see the season expire. Anyway, we have Spring Break 2005 next week and I'm outta dodge. One of my friends owns several places in the Daytona Beach area, and I will be lounging on the beach come Monday. There's no snow in NY's forcast for next week, but it will be cold and windy. It's the perfect time to get away and I hope to hit 4 places in 6 days: Daytona, Ft. Pierce, Miami, and Key West. The most dangerous words you can tell me are "unlimited milage." Dipshits like me are the reason one should NEVER buy a used rental car. Sometimes when I'm driving 70 I like to drop into second just to hear the engine red line; it's fun and I'm easily amused. Spring Break is also when college students decide to blow their financial aid on alcohol and other unsavory activites, and I will be videotaping the festivites....maybe. I'm more than a little old for this stuff, but that hasn't stopped me so far. Anyway, we should have a financial aid lesson, so here goes: students are getting their student loan proceeds this week, and not all who were supposed to get money will be receiving loot. Why? They never signed their loan checks, Ergo, the $$ was never depostited and another check cut for the student. When a paper student loan check is printed and sent to a school, it is double endorsed, so the student MUST sign the check over to the school. Eventually an unsigned check goes stale and must be sent back. When the student runs into my office begging for her money, we have to call the bank and have the check reissued. Occasionally the bank cannot do this, and the student gets stuck with the bill. Lesson? Pay attention to the mail.