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Financial aid problems continue for Seminole State College students

SANFORD, Fla. — It is a new semester at Seminole State College and for students like Mande Cash, it means another round of headaches getting financial aid.

"You feel kind of defeated that you have to fight with the school so much just to live," said Cash.

Channel 9 first reported about the problems last semester as students were being evicted while waiting for their money.

"I don't know if I'm going to find a safe place for my son," said one student who was also a single mother.

After WFTV's stories aired, calls and emails poured into the newsroom about students in similar situations.

In the past few days, those calls started coming in again from students who can't understand why they won't start getting their money until Feb. 13, a full month after classes began.

On Facebook, one student said the school is causing unnecessary hardships by delaying the refunds.

Another commented, "You will not be seeing me next semester."

At the University of Central Florida, officials said students there started getting their money within two weeks.

But Seminole State leaders pointed out their schedule is on time and similar to Valencia College and Daytona State.

Since last semester, officials also said they've made changes to set realistic expectations with new refund dates and are communicating more with their students.