Adventures in the Study Abroad Office

Here's how my trip to the Study Abroad Office went the other day...

Me: (in the main office) Hi! I need help. I'm going on a study tour to England! But it's not through MSU. Can I still apply for scholarships?
Receptionist: Yes. Are you going through MSU?
Me: No...I just said that. I'm going through Bowling Green.
Receptionist: (getting an attitude and acting snooty) Well. You need to go across the hall. We can't guarantee you anyyyyyyything if you're NOT going through MSUUUUU. (Then she threw the scholarship application at me.)

I went across the hall....

Me: Hi. I was just in the main office and they sent me here. I'm studying in the UK this summer through Bowling Green.
Receptionist #2: You need to talk to (head lady).
Me: Ok. Can I talk to her?
Receptionist #2: (glancing behind her at a closed door) CLEARLY she's left for the day. You need to email her. Here's her card. (Throws card at me.)
Me: Who can I talk to about scholarships? I thought I needed to talk to her?
Receptionist #2: Go down the hall. They can help you for now. But you'll need to talk to (head lady). And we do NOT guarantee you anything if you don't study through MSU.

I go down the hall and enter another room, totally disoriented...

Me: Help. I was sent here.
My friend and classmate: Hiiii!
Me: Yaaay! A friendly face. (I recount my adventures in the offices thus far.) Help.
My friend: I'm not sure I can help, but this student might be able to.
Student: Umm....all I can tell you for sure is to talk to (head lady) and fill out the scholarship application. That is your best bet for right now.
Me: I knew that already. But thanks.

So to recap my adventure: I was bounced between three offices only to be told to fill out a form I already knew to fill out and have it reiterated that I may not even get any help financially because it's not through my school. Gaaah!

I should get a scholarship because of the headache I endured from that visit. And I knew people in the offices and still had a lot of red tape! If I'm getting the runaround when I know people in there, how are undergraduate students feeling when they go in there for the first time and all they want is to have an overseas adventure?

The lesson from this? I am so working at an institution where there are less than 40,000 students.