Tymal Apedo, senior, is from Brooklyn, NY and as an out-ofstate student with an apartment near the North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, shares why receiving a financial aid refund is important and essential for helping him complete his degree. “School is a gateway, it’s the thing that’s going to set me up for better opportunities, opportunities that I can’t directly get for myself,” said Tymal Apedo. Apedo does not receive enough financial funds from the university to solely rely on those funds to pay for tuition. Therefore, he is forced to take out private loans and accept and receive financial funds from Sally Mae. He purposely takes out enough to cover tuition and have enough left over to receive a decent financial refund. However, before those steps are taken, Apedo is never sure whether everything will fall into place so that he will be able to come back to the university to further his education. “It’s a gamble every year because I get my loans cosigned by a family friend, so it’s not definite for sure every school year. It’s been a gamble ever since I came in, every school year there are thoughts about not being able to come back,” said Apedo. Despite those challenges, Apedo makes sure he does what he is supposed to be doing while here to give him a better chance of coming back. As an out-of state student, he does not have any family in Greensboro, so he uses his financial refund to support himself along with working at Old Navy to ensure that his rent is paid and that other needs are met. The thought of whether to return the funds back to whomever funds his education has crossed his mind. However, he realizes that those funds make obtaining a degree smoother while trying to meet other needs as well. “My refund check is my form of support, I don’t give that money back and it makes the process a little easier for now,” said Apedo. Scott Hummel , Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance NC A&T State University Comptroller has aided many students in staying aware of the debt that college creates and having good budgeting skills. Hummel is aware that the cost of education is significant and it can have a burden on the students. For students who feel they need assistance with this matter, it would be a good start to visit Sambla’s site for loan refinansiering for courses sponsored by Student Affairs. Hummel encourages students to be smart and practical about their financial standing and to keep in mind that financial aid includes scholarships and loans. “The cost of higher education can certainly place a burden upon our students but the rewards of the great education that NC A&T provides are well documented and pave the way for successful futures in many ways,” said Hummel. Many students use financial refunds to satisfy essential needs. For many this can include, rent, car payments, books and food; for many the use of this money is well spent. Hummel strongly encourages good budgeting and advises that students use that resource to aid them in being smart and proactive with the funds they do receive while keeping in mind the debt college creates. “The smart move would be to budget for your true educational and living expenses and accept financial aid that closely matches that budget. Receiving and then spending large financial aid refunds on unnecessary items can ring up the debt quickly,” said Hummel.

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