Financial Aid

I don't understand why on earth every university I have ever attended has managed to employ the most difficult people ever in their Financial Aid offices. These people are very rarely helpful, and usually don't know what they are talking about anyway. The completely ignore whatever question you might be asking, in order to give you the information (over and over) that you didn't need.

I just called to see whether my financial aid check had been mailed out. The response I got from the woman on the phone was that I should receive it by next Wednesday. Ok, I understand that. But what I really would like to know is whether it has actually been placed in the mailbox yet, so I can look out for it and make sure it doesn't get lost. She responds that I should receive it sometime next week. We continue:

Me: But has it been put in the mail yet?
Financial Aid Chick (FAC): You should get it next week.
Me: I want to make sure it's not lost - can you tell me the date that it was mailed?
FAC: You should get it next week.
Me: I understand that, but is there any way you can tell me if it has actually been put in the mail to go out yet?
FAC: You can check the balance online.
Me: Has it been mailed?
FAC: You should get it next week. Ok?
Me: Yes, thank you for your help. I give up.

Hopefully, I'll get the check next week. Oy.

Update - The sage continues.

I check my school e-mail, something that I manage about once a month, mainly because it's rare that any of the e-mails actually pertain to me, and see that there is message about renewing scholarships. It states that the deadline for scholarship renewal applications has been extended to February 2. That's good news, because I completely forgot about my application and haven't yet filled it out. The bad news is that you are required to submit your FAFSA (Financial Aid form) along with the application. This is bad because in order to do your FAFSA, you must have already done your taxes, which I have not gotten close to doing. So I call the admissions office.

Me: I got an e-mail about scholarship applications and FAFSA. I haven't done my taxes yet, is it ok if I don't have my FAFSA?
Admissions Chick (AC): I don't know, who was the e-mail from?
Me: There was no name on the e-mail.
AC: Let me ask someone else. Hang on. (Comes back.) We don't need your taxes, just the FAFSA.
Me: I understand that, but in order to fill out the FAFSA, I have to do my taxes first, which I haven't done.
AC: (Asking the person in the background.) You can fill out the FAFSA online.
Me: Ok, but I can't because I haven't done my tax return.
AC: We don't need your tax return.
Me: I understand that, but I can't do my FAFSA until I do my tax return.
AC: We need your FAFSA.
Me: Can I speak to whoever you are asking these questions to? Maybe that would be more direct.
AC: Um, you should talk to the director. Here's his number. Click.

And the funny part is, I don't think it's going to be a problem. I'm pretty sure I went through this last year and still got my scholarship.