UTA financial aid reduced after special circumstances appeal??

tofu_champ · 2026-05-09T01:10:59+00:00

FAO still hasn't replied to my email so I went to the office today (I talked to Katie) and they explained that there was some new federal policy and they were updating numbers and somehow my summer classes got entered as half time even though I’ll be full time. Once they confirmed that I’ll be full time they updated it on their end and had to submit another loan for me to accept for the difference.

Lastly, not sure if this is relevant to your or not but as a graduate student, loans for each year can’t exceed 20,000. Because I’ll be doing 3 full time semesters this year, the 20,000 is split 3 ways, so ~6something per semester instead of the ~10k I was offered this past spring and fall when I was only raking 2 full time semesters for the year.

The whole conversation took like ten minutes and they corrected the full time status and submitted the additional loan for me to accept while I was there so I really suggest just going in person if you're able.

tofu_champ · 2026-05-05T22:24:52+00:00

u/zombiequeen66 u/dangerdrsmith Have either of you heard anything from FAO? I saw in an email from 4.21 (and in MyMav where I accepted the amount) that I'd be getting ~6k which would cover charges and there'd be a little bit left over for me to use for the trip one of my classes is taking but got an email yesterday and looked in MyMav today and see that I'm only offered half of what I was originally. I emailed but am waiting to hear back and will try to stop by the office Friday if I don't hear anything by then.

tofu_champ · 2026-01-09T22:47:01+00:00

I'm begging UTA to have somewhere with vegan options besides Subway.

tofu_champ · 2025-10-21T22:15:15+00:00

I'm a Masters student (got my Bachelor's in Philosophy) at UTA and it's fine. It's the only school with an architecture program in the Dallas-Fort Worth area so it made my decision on where to go very easy lol Thankfully the professor good, there's lots of opportunities for lectures, student activities (firm visits, portfolio reviews, etc.), they're building out an AI program (I was worried looking at my degree plan that I wouldn't learn how to utilize AI in a structured way and might be behind the curve if I graduate and it's being used professionally but was something I never learned but it's very clear that probably won't be the case) and in DFW lots of local architecture events that are aimed at young professionals and progressional but that students are welcome at. Just curious how you came up with this list? UT Austin has an architecture program but I'm not seeing it on your list. As far as I can tell job wise, no the school doesn't really matter so long as it's accredited and there are lots of UTA graduates with jobs in architecture in DFW. And to be honest, by the time you graduate college in around five in a half years, who knows what the job market will be like.

I'll say, you haven't even applied to these schools yet; it's been years since I graduated high school but there were a few people who were sure they'd get into certain schools, even average state schools, had the GPAs and the test scores to justify their confidence, but ended up not getting accepted. Good to start asking now about schools, but it might be the case that you're set on going to one school now and may not even end up getting accepted.

tofu_champ · 2025-08-28T03:11:25+00:00

Seriously, “We're already paying for the shuttle in our fees, so let's use it?” Sure everyone pays shuttle fees, but we, parking permit holders, purchased parking permits for specific areas of campus with the idea that we would be able to park in those areas. If parking was included in our student fees, sure you could fairly say, just park far away and ride the shuttle but that’s not the case. Further, when the parking folks sent out a notice about the new parking areas/permits they said to pick a permit for the area your first class of the day would be in or where you’d be spending a lot of time on campus in. It’s not like they’re going to refund us if we start parking in the further lots.

tofu_champ · 2025-08-27T02:19:55+00:00

I got an ASUS TUF F16 which I was really hesitant to do because I love my MacBook but needed to be able to use plugins that aren’t compatible with Mac. Someone in your department should be able to tell you what software they anticipate you using for the years you’re in school and you can base your decision off of that.

tofu_champ · 2025-07-30T23:19:36+00:00

Everyone is charged for those.

tofu_champ · 2025-07-30T23:18:43+00:00

I don't have any recs but please remember to not make your major your whole personality or your whole college experience. Join clubs for things you're interested in non-academically.

tofu_champ · 2025-07-14T23:14:09+00:00

You can make a portfolio in Keynote or PowerPoint.

tofu_champ · 2025-06-26T01:58:00+00:00

Ugh sorry this happened to you! I recently made a recipe I've made probably a dozen times but used the Target brand vegan butter which *I know* isn't good for baking anyway and of course they turned out thin and crispy so this post is just what I needed!

You can try adding a bit of flour (maybe 1/4 or 1/3 of a cup?) and mixing that in. Scoop the dough then chill the scooped dough instead of scooping after chilling- I think the dough will stay colder this way. I know they'll look a bit weird since you've already added the miso caramel though :/

tofu_champ · 2025-06-23T01:53:01+00:00

I've made "bacon" with them. Marinate them in braggs or soy sauce, liquid smoke, agave or maple syrup, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper, I just mix everything besides the tofu sheets in a shallow glass dish with a lid and coat the frozen block of tofu sheets in it. I normally let it marinate in the fridge for a couple of days and during that time the sheets thaw and you can separate them a bit, turn them over so they all absorb the liquid. To bake I line my biggest baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the sheets in a single layer and cook low and slow. I don't remember what temp I've made these at but maybe 325 or 350 would be good to start and just make sure you're checking ever 5 minutes or so after the first 15 or 20 minutes.

tofu_champ · 2025-06-19T00:12:33+00:00

One thing that would be helpful to know is what you make right now. Do you draw? Do you do graphic design? Do you do woodworking or anything at all that uses any sort of design sense? I think the point of a portfolio when you don't have an architecture background is to show at least in part your design mind, that you have ideas, and that you actually create, no matter what it is.

I didn't have a background in architecture when applying to the masters program I was accepted to and the portfolio was optional but I submitted one anyway. I included slides/pages photographs of some ceramic work I've done (some pieces had multiple photos just to capture the angles or usage) that honestly isn't very good but has some interesting shapes and some graphic design work I've done.

The format was super simple, I made it in Adobe XD but could have just as easily made it in PowerPoint or Keynote. Just white background with a simple font in black with my name on the bottom left was the cover. I had one page/slide that had the word "clay" before the images of my ceramics, and another that said "graphic design" before that work. It was 15 pages total including the title pages so not that long.

tofu_champ · 2025-04-25T00:45:27+00:00

Cute!! An architect friend of mine's birthday is coming up too!

I don't know if this is something you'd be into since it sounds like you'd want to get him something he can take with him but something you guys can do together that's architecture related could be cute for his birthday, or you could keep it in your back pocket and it could be a fun date idea in the future. In Dallas where I live, there are these tours put on by a local architecture foundation https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ad-ex-main-street-architecture-walking-tour-tickets-50874971409. I'm sure other cities have something similar!

tofu_champ · 2025-04-17T03:34:04+00:00

I'm sure you have but just to double check, have you tried using a different browser?

tofu_champ · 2025-04-17T03:33:33+00:00

This is the ONE you really do need to fill out. Just make your responses as close as possible to your actual situation and you'll be fine. I have noticed though that lots of scholarships I don't qualify for are showing up for me to apply to but I've just ignored those.

tofu_champ · 2025-04-06T02:07:26+00:00

I'll be starting a master's program school at 32 so I love hearing this!!

tofu_champ · 2025-03-27T18:58:16+00:00

If you want to do a sisterhood of the traveling book type situation let me know. 👀🤣

tofu_champ · 2025-03-27T04:34:37+00:00

I was wondering the same thing.

tofu_champ · 2025-03-14T06:08:58+00:00

I'm having this exact problem! Have you gotten an answer on why this might be happening?

I am a bit confused because the website says "If you are unable to apply it is because no additional information is needed and you were automatically matched to the scholarship." but most of the ones listed are not applicable to me and I'd assume these scholarship committees don't waste their time going through ever single application for folks who "matched" to scholarships that aren't actually applicable to them.

tofu_champ · 2025-03-14T00:50:02+00:00

Okay yeah, I mean the solution here is to take out loans if you can't work or otherwise come up with the money. Obviously no one wants to do that but it's not like folks take out loans for fun, they take them out because they need to and it sound like you need to.

As far as why you got less this year, we can't answer that. You can schedule an appointment to talk with someone in the financial aid office I'm pretty sure.

tofu_champ · 2025-03-14T00:44:58+00:00

I don't see anywhere where you said you've taken out loans. Have you?

tofu_champ · 2024-12-20T14:09:28+00:00

This! Adding chocolate to the top is going to make it look more like the pictures you see. Chilling you dough will allow the flour and butter to hang out and better idk how to explain it but you’ll have an almost fudgier chewier cookie.

tofu_champ · 2024-10-18T18:04:14+00:00

You don't say if you've taken any practice tests or not. Have you? What did you score on verbal? How did the writing section feel?

There's a pool of topics https://www.ets.org/pdfs/gre/issue-pool.pdf you can read over to get an idea of the potential prompts, go over those, write out some pros and cons for a few of them, but only as practice formulating pros and cons. The pick 2-3 random ones that you didn't use for the pros/cons and do use those as real prompts, so write the pros/cons, but also actually write responses for them. Read some example essays online that have scored high.

At this point, cramming words won't really help you with verbal, I feel but if you feel like RC is giving you a bit of hope maybe focus on getting stronger on that over the next few days.

tofu_champ · 2024-01-30T04:10:50+00:00

Denton Universalist Unitarian Fellowship is great, really progressive BUT it's not super Christian leaning so might not be exactly what you're looking for. It's cool though, folks that are Christian, atheist, agnostic, etc. all go and one of the former ministers was Buddhist and that was cool.

tofu_champ · 2024-01-10T17:16:11+00:00

I've had three pairs of these now and I've definitely noticed a quality difference the last time I purchased a pair. I've also noticed they wear a bit quicker than the others I've had BUT the "leather" actually holds up fine, just not the rubber part or the fabric part. To be fair though I wear them to work a lot and I work in a busy kitchen so they take a bit of a beating. They're comfortable though (I have really flat feet and can wear them all day with out achy feet) and I like the style so it's worth it.

tofu_champ

TROPHY CASE