Hi Adriana,

It's the collection agency, probably working as agent for the University. Can you try to call the university again? Do you remember who you spoke to?

Did you have to pay back the entire 6,000 BY January, or start paying it off in January?

Also, there used to be a form where parents would sign that stated they were not helping their kids. Some kids don't have parents that help, so why should their schooling get held back by parents who have the money to pay but due to family dynamics, won't? I know that is what my OSAP was about, and I got fully funded with no problem. Can you discuss this with OSAP?

Sorry for all of these questions, but it's been a few years since I was a starving student and I remember other kids I was friends with who had very wealthy parents but were estranged with them. They, too, were fully funded. Another friend of mine went right through university, got her masters, and went to teacher's college, living with her parents part way (until she left town to get her masters and teaching degree) and again, OSAP fully funded the education portion. If you think OSAP erred in it's decision, have you had the chance to appeal?

BTW, can your parents front the $5,700? It's better to get this debt paid off, certainly, but I'm not sure if you've exhausted all of your avenues with respect to OSAP's decision. Also, getting a collection agency on an account not more than a month after amount was due is lightening fast. I'm thinking that the whole amount was due, as I remember the entire tuition was due September, the first week of classes.

If you have exhausted all efforts and avenues (have you gone to the financial office at your college within the university?) then I would suggest telling them that $100 a month is all you can give- and that is that. Again, it's that whole blood from a stone concept. There are debt counsellors and services out there that can help guide you and help get these people to accept your terms. And if you make terms with them, do NOT break them, not by one month, or one day.

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Well they aren't going to get blood from a stone, are they?

I'm curious. How old is this debt? How did you come to owe your university money directly? I remember we wouldn't get our degrees/diplomas if there was anything outstanding and wouldn't be admitted to class if there were amounts outstanding when class started. We wouldn't even get credit for the classes if the accounts weren't square. Are you graduated now?

They are trying to scare you into paying more per month. That's the bottom line. And yes, they can report you to the credit bureaus and probably already have. Pull your record reports with Transunion and Equifax.

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