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A lot of people here don't know my situation, but there is a reason I am still in school at age 25.
My first year at (then, SWT) in 1998, I was a total lazy-ass screwup. I barely, if at all, went to class because I just was lazy, got into credit card debt, etc. I was finally put on academic suspension after two semesters and left SWT with a GPA of 0.67.
Came home to SAC for a semester and then NVC for another. I still wasn't mature enough to realize that I wouldn't go anywhere working a FT job as a grunt at Best Buy. I took a year off from school to simply work, but I did have plans to get back.
I finally got back to school at NVC a year-and-a-half later (on courseload limits) and applied for SWT again coming in with a GPA above 3.5. The people in my department (who still remembered me) made the adjustment easier.
I commuted from San Antonio for one year of classes and finally moved to SM last year. For the past two semesters (spring and summer), I was off FA because I still couldn't get my Texas State GPA above 2.0 (what I did at SAC and NVC was re-take the courses I failed at SWT the first time around, so I came back with the credits, but still had the grades over my head...that's why my past semesters here had multiple repeat courses).
Over the past two semesters - without FA - I finally got my State GPA back above 2.0 and had my financial aid reinstated this semester.
So many journalists that I know feel that a GPA (in our profession) is worth a lot less than the experience you bring in - which is why I put so much time in at The University Star and try to pick up free-lance gigs where I can.
I wish I had some advice to give you, Batman, but I can only wish you luck in getting these situations resolved.
It does indeed suck when those truly dedicated people have trouble getting aid and others can skirt by and continue to recieve aid.
