Denied payment midway through school

[LeoHirano]

I was wondering if this forum can help me voice my issue with the VA educational department. Back in 2010, I spoke with the GI-Bill customer service to get more information about the school I was applying into, Lincoln Technical Institute in Northern Philadelphia, PA.Like always, I called first to gather information and to make sure that this would be paid for and that I wouldn't have to worry with coming out of pocket, since I'm already inundated in school payments and I was not going to put myself in that position again.I got the confirmation that it would be covered, so I proceeded and I enrolled to the school.Over halfway through the program, I was called in from the financial aid advising that VA won't be covering anymore fees and that if wanted to continue with the program, I would have to get student loan.I REALLY didn't want to lose my time and effort already spent, so I just did it. I was forced to be put into this position and now, I am struggling to make payments due to the misinformation given by VA customer service.I would NOT have put myself in that position,given the correct information from the beginning.I'm already deep in my college payments,and adding this on top of it has added a great deal of pressure and relationship with my wife.I recently got in touch with the VA customer service through the portal, and their response was that the calculations were correct and that I had too much time to use my benefits, so they took it away. I am not understanding how she (Kelly) came with that calculation,but now I'm paying for the incorrect information but got my Post 911 benefits taken away.I don't know what they are doing there,but they are adding a great deal of anxiety and stress without being at fault. What they (VA Education) is not understanding,is that I would NOT have enrolled IF I was given the correct information.Now in response to that, they take my benefits away. My expectation is for the VA department to do the right thing and pay for the remaining balance owed and already paid to financial aid and restore my benefits back.I put my heart in soul in serving this country, and it seems that I'm only getting punished for it. Thank you, Leo

[Berta]

Can you scan and attach here (Cover C file # name, address) anything from the  VA Edu Dept that is documented?

I assume Voc Rehab approved you, (unless this regards the G.I. Bill), and  you took that certification to the school, someone checked that they are definitely an approved VA school, and that this is not an issue with your grades, nor your eligibility period..

"I recently got in touch with the VA customer service through the portal, and their response was that the calculations were correct and that I had too much time to use my benefits, so they took it away."

I don't understand the 'too much time" part.

Was the initial information ,that seems to be the problem, documented by the VA in any way at all?

As to their calculations?

Are you dealing with VA Educational Dept in Buffalo?

Do you have a VA Counselor at the school? As well as a financial aid officer?

Maybe your were getting the post 911 GI bill and that ran out and this is not a Voc Rehab issue?

With more info we could help more.

All VA Educational decisions are appealable.

 

 

[LeoHirano]

Hi Berta,

Thank you so much for your input!

My apologies, the too much time was in reference to my entitlement for the Post 911 GI bill.

Before I started to dig a little deeper into this matter, the VA customer service looked at my history and fixed what past representative missed, so she corrected from 15 months to 3 months of entitlement left.

I did speak with someone else in Buffalo, NY, a supervisor named Peter. He was a good help and told me what everyone tells me. That the calculations are correct. 

I tried to explain to Peter that the calculations are one thing, but the information given was another. If the customer service gave me the same information Peter gave me at the time, I wouldn't have attended the school. Peter gave me numbers that VA is responsible, and the number that I am responsible. Which is great! I just wish they given me that same info before, and not midway through school.

This whole thing happened a few years ago. I was going to suck it up and deal with it, but I've been struggling to make school payments, so i decided to reach out to them to have them correct their previous mistake. But instead, they decided to not deny it and then correct their other mistake to take away my entitlement. So quick to correcting their mistake when is beneficial to them.

I'm getting desperate so I'm attempting to reach out for anyone who can assist me on this.

If you know anyone who can point me to the right direction, please help me.

Thanks!

Leo