Bellevue College has an enrollment of more 34,000 students. One of them, Shelby Iverson, has 1700 problems, each and everyone of them with the college.
Last year the Fall City resident attended Bellevue College as part of a early entry program for high schoolers called Running Start. Because of that the Mount Si High School graduate thought the college would know she was a Washington state resident, but when she registered for summer classes, Shelby was charged as a non-resident.
It cost her $1700 extra.
Shelby Iverson: "I had put my residency stuff online and I thought that was the end of it."
Jesse Jones: "But it wasn't."
Shelby Iverson: "It wasn't."
Shelby handed the information over after the summer quarter, but the administration wouldn't budge. After a failed appeal. She called me and I spoke with Bob Adams with the college. He says an e-mail was sent to Shelby requesting residency information.
"Unfortunately this e-mail requested documentation, hard copy documentation of her residency status and the fact that she didn't see it meant that we didn't receive that," Bob told me. "That resulted in her paying out-of-state tuition."
Shelby insists that she never saw that single e-mail.
"I've combed through every e-mail in my inbox trying to find if I missed something. I'm usually very organized, so this has been hard on me," she said.
The college does admit that they did not mail a letter asking for the information nor did they send a second e-mail notification.
So I presented her case to the college. A couple of days later, she got a check in the mail, and 1700 reasons to applaud Bellevue College.
"I really want to thank you guys for helping me out with it, it took a lot of work, but I really appreciate your help," she said.
If you are in an early entry program, remember that in most cases your status in high school may be called undetermined. Once you graduate, it could change and you will have top prove your residency.
For consumer concerns, e-mail Jesse to getjesse@king5.com or call toll-free 877-51-JESSE. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/GetJesse.
