[Cabs-talk] Receiving Financial Assistance from the DOR for College Expanses

Sat Sep 20 19:33:10 UTC 2014

Brandon,
Seriously!?!? Your message makes me want to scream!
You state you are a student of performance. Perhaps your email is indeed a sarcastic, cynical performance. If so, I'd give you an A+.
Many, many deserving people who are blind or have visual impairment struggle just to maintain themselves and perhaps, to achieve educational goals to better themselves. 
I'll bet your DOR counselor would love to know what a cavalier attitude you have. Perhaps he or she could provide you with assistance in your  struggle to decide what to do with your excess cash and accumulation of adaptive equipment.
Miso, who is seeking support and assistance with sincerity does not deserve this reply!

On Sep 20, 2014, at 12:28 AM, Brandon Keith Biggs via Cabs-talk <cabs-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hello Miso,
> DOR will only pay for CSU costs unless you can prove that that major is not offered at a CSU system in any way shape or form.
> They will pay for CSU costs though. They don't need to pay for Community College, because you get the board of governors scholarship to pay for that.
> They will pay for textbooks, you just need to have a dip of cash you can pay using a card because the textbook voucher won't come in till after you need the books. Then you take both the voucher and your receipt to the bookstore and they will refund you.
> You need to be a very squeaky wheel when it comes to DOR, 10-20 emails for one issue and about 10 calls is normal.
> You also need to be very very firm in what you want and ask for the paperwork rather than asking them what they can do.
> They also can buy you equipment that will help you both in school and in the workforce for the job and plan you are under at DOR.
> I don't know what major you are, but for me as a performer (got to love the vagueness of that description) I have gotten so much awesome stuff from them, I swear I'm almost an accessibility office in my room...
> I must say that my counselors have been super super good, explaining to me what DOR could do and me being a fan of free money and found it was a better use of my time sending and hounding DOR than getting a full-time job at this point...
> So I googled, talked to people and really treated my funding hunting a full-time job. I get around $24000 a year in funding now and I'm now in Italy, going to school at the most expensive college in Milano. It is really worth being blind in college and there is no better thing one can do than hunt for scholarships.
> I am, how ever, very week when it comes to what to do with all the extra money I get. I have like ... a lot of money in the bank for school and I hate it, it is just sitting there and I don't know too much on investing it in a way that I can pull it out kind of fast, or steadily. If you do know something on this please let me know! :)
> Thanks,
> 
> Brandon Keith Biggs <http://www.brandonkeithbiggs.com/>
> On 9/20/2014 1:17 AM, Miso Kwak via Cabs-talk wrote:
>> Hello CABS,
>> What procedure (if any) do you usually go through when trying to get financial reimbursement for textbook purchase?
>> In the end, if any, what kind of assistance do you get for your textbook purchase?
>> I was told by my counselor that she can only reimburse up to $100 with prior approval. Is this true?
>> Also, in addition to textbook purchase, I am having a hard time communicating with my counselor about financial assistance for college tuition. I was once told from an adult who attended university in California that I am eligible for state university tuition but my DOR counselor says that for my first two years the DOR can only provide up to community college tuition when certain conditions are met.
>> I think this is mainly a problem of miscommunication and misunderstanding on my part to a certain extent.
>> How could I find out accurate information regarding these matters?
>> Best,
>> Miso Kwak
>> 
>> 
>> 
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