I overheard the conversation by accident while walking past the financial aid office. Naomi Lin, a quiet sophomore from my European Economics class, was talking to one of the administrators in a voice that suggested she'd been crying.
"—just need a few more weeks," Naomi was saying. "My mom's between jobs, and my dad's medical bills are really high right now. If we could just extend the payment deadline for tuition—"
"Miss Lin, I'm very sorry about your family's situation, but academy policy requires payment within thirty days of the deadline. Without full tuition payment, we'll have to suspend your enrollment."
"But I'm on scholarship. I thought—"
"Your scholarship covers sixty percent of tuition. The remaining balance is still the family's responsibility."
"How much is the remaining
