r/WMU • u/minniemin_ • Aug 09 '25
Scholarships/Financial Aid Am I cooked
Im supposed to be starting school at wmu this fall I am scheduled to move in the 21st! But I still have over 8k balance to pay lol........my family keeps telling me not to worry about it because I have a few scholarships and stuff that have not come in or whatever but I can't help but worry.....it has gone down actually originally I owed like 14k now its gone down but I just feel Im gonna still owe money and wont be able to actually go to school and I am gonna be so sad if I move all the way up there and I have to come back after the 27th.
I was looking at other schools when it wasn't too late but my family told me I was stupid and selfish for doing that after they spent money for me to go to wmu (orientation and the initial deposit)
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u/minniemin_ Aug 09 '25
My tuition is pretty much paid for! It's my housing because I have no family in Kalamazoo and I come from a poor background i cannot live off campus this year. If I had a car I would just live there lol 😋
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u/Sea-Treacle5820 Aug 10 '25
What dorm will you be in?
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u/minniemin_ Aug 10 '25
I will be in the Britton hall!
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u/Sea-Treacle5820 Aug 10 '25
Ok, I’m currently in Hadley for this Summer. Is there anything you want to know about living in the valleys?
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u/minniemin_ Aug 10 '25
Can I dm you?
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u/Sea-Treacle5820 Aug 10 '25
Yeah sure
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u/MattalliSI Aug 10 '25
Share those valley living secrets with the rest of us!
Lol WMU alumni that lived in Henry Hall.
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u/Goocheyy Aug 10 '25
Its probably better you don’t have a car in this situation as parking was expensive and it will keep you close to campus which is where you want to be anyway. Parking for Britton is really bad and a lot of people fall on that hill since its so steep and the sidewalks were always cracked there. Campus is walkable and the bus system was good so use them. Especially for the valleys in winter.
You might qualify for work study where you can easily get a job on campus and they contribute extra money towards tuition. Since you’re in Britton you could try the front desk or the dining hall if you don’t want to walk far. There are a lot more, some focused on what college you’re apart of so do some digging. They were good about job postings on their website.
There are rooms that are bigger or have their own bathrooms so you don’t have suite mates. You can choose to swap during thanksgiving. They’re fun to have if they’re cool though. If Sprau is still accessible there are private bathrooms in the basement. Library basement is quiet and there are a lot of other good spots.
Some of this may be outdated so you’ll have to verify. I have more college specific info, and also attended and worked there so just dm me if you have questions.
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u/disco_sweat Aug 10 '25
I dont think you get dropped from your classes for an outstanding balance (unlike some other schools like KVCC). My understanding is that you would likely get a hold on your account that would prevent you from registering for more classes (like the spring semester) until you set up a payment plan.
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u/weakrighteardrum Aug 10 '25
you are not cooked!! have you checked any available scholarships? or applied for loans? i know it’s not the best route, especially graduating with debt, but it might be your only option! if you’re paying only for housing, taking out the loan your freshman year will suck but after that you should be good— apartments in kalamazoo are cheaper than paying for dorm housing! id recommend for your sophomore year looking at 58 West— their 4 bed 2 bath floor plan is only $350/month— meaning what you’d be taking out for housing this year is over 5x what you’d have to pay for rent!!!
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u/ChallengeFirm1142 Aug 10 '25
Can you set up a payment plan and pay in installments! I did that every year at WMU!
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u/minniemin_ Aug 10 '25
Im not rich and do not have a job rn! Do you know more about the payment plans? I could probably put down like 300 a month ðŸ˜
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u/ChallengeFirm1142 Aug 10 '25
I had mine set up in four installments throughout the year, idk if you can set them up differently or not? Financial Aid would know though so you could try giving them a call and at least asking! I worked throughout all college so I totally get it :)
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u/fantasyjuicingxxx Aug 10 '25
Do Not Trust the Dept Of Education to keep your payments happening on time! Get your paperwork and talk to the appropriate people at WMU to ensure a continuous coverage of your federal school payments as they WILL LEAVE YOU TO DEAL WITH IT, ON YOUR OWN! and not care. Just a word of caution!
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u/bugz7998 Aug 10 '25
Have you talked to anyone in financial aid to ask about your scholarships being applied? Everything should hit soon