Paying back college tuition & medical hardship

Tweet

Hi! I have a situation. My daughter started college early and we thought she had a student loan for this first college that she was attending. She only attended one semester there due to health reasons. So then the next fall she attended college a little closer to home to make it easier on her driving. We thought the loan was just continuing to carry over for this next college. But now with this new semester to get financial aid they said to complete the aid information they need transcripts from the first college she went to. The first college said they are holding her transcripts and will not release them because we owe the school the tuition money. We have not ever received anything in the mail since she attended that school so I figured that the school had been paid by the student loan. But now we owe $4,000 to that first college or she won't get her transcripts and will not be able to get financial aid for this college and will have to pay out of pocket. Is there anything we can do so that we don't have to come up with the full $4,000?? Do you think we could get the tuition fee lowered due to medical hardship?? This past year our medical costs were $104,000.00. Thank goodness we do have insurance and don't have to pay the full amount but with the kids chronic diseases we have met our deductible for the past 8 years so we do still owe quite a bit to medical facilities along with all the extra gas, lodging, etc. that goes with hospitalizations and loss of wages to be with them during surgeries also. Do you think if we started to make payments at that first school that they would then release her transcripts??? I suppose I need to call the school but was just wondering if I could find any information on the internet that would be helpful for me. Thanks.