Absolute Baloney

So, I started school in the fall. One of the main reasons I decided to start in the fall was to maximize the way that I could leverage the tuition reimbursement benefit offered by my current employer. I just found out today that they changed the rules for this benefit halfway through my first quarter, which throws a gigantic wrench in my plans. Now, I'm going to be forced to extend my stay here by at least a quarter, which has other implications for tuition payment and student loan eligibility. Basically, in order to receive all the tuition reimbursement that I was originally thinking I could qualify for (part of why I elected to go to Kellogg and a HUGE part of why I started when I did), I'll have to pay for at least 2 quarters out of pocket because I won't qualify for loans for those quarters. Awesome. As a bonus, I won't get that money until a YEAR after I finish school, leading to extra interest accrual on my loans.

I thought the tuition benefit was really nice. Granted, it pays for only a teensy portion of my school expenses, but it's better than nothing. I know I shouldn't be complaining too much since a lot of people don't get any tuition reimbursement, but if you are making your educational plan partially planning on a benefit that gets changed without adequate notice, it sure sucks.

Thanks, employer, for putting me in this situation. Thanks for changing your policy when I was already halfway through and had fully paid for my first quarter at school, which made it impossible for me to adjust my plans accordingly. Thanks for making the change immediate and not allowing a grace period for those of us trapped in the middle, unable to react, respond, or adjust - given NO options. Thanks for making me stay in school an extra quarter, forcing me to pay two quarters out of pocket and accrue more interest on loans that were to be paid off with the reimbursement supposedly coming my way. Thanks for somehow not having my tuition reimbursement forms that were supposedly sent in months ago by our admin.

Good thing I called or else I wouldn't be getting anything at all since the forms are due March 31. It needs to be said that "employer" in this case is not my immediate employer, it is the behemoth parent company that bought us, making all of our lives SO much better! Thanks!