WHEN A STUDENT REPORTS A PROBLEM

WITH AN ONLINE PAYMENT

ADMISSIONS ONLINE APPLICATION FEE:

Scenario 1: The PX data base reflects that a student who has applied online has not paid the online application fee. When the student is contacted about it, the student reports that the online fee was paid via credit card.

Questions to ask, in this order.

1. During the fee payment, was there any time when the student/parent used the BACK button?
   
   If the answer is YES.
   Give the student/parent this (simple) explanation: using the BACK button will almost always create an error flag when making online payments. This is generally true of online payment systems. The payment system may allow a subsequent, successful transaction after the BACK button is used, but the error flag has already been captured and downloaded (instantaneously) to the University’s data file.
   
   Optional: Here’s a more technical, detailed explanation which you may or may not choose to share with the student/parent: In cases where the BACK button has been used and a successful payment immediately follows, the school’s data file will not be able to capture the successful payment unless 24 hours have passed. This is due to the security feature for SIM (Simple Integration Method), i.e., the generation of a fingerprint hash. The fingerprint hash is generated by a function in the scripting that uses five parameters to calculate the fingerprint. The parameters are: amount, sequence number, timestamp, transaction key and login id. Any fingerprint hash can only be used once in 24 hours.
   
   Then, tell the student/parent that you will modify the University’s downloaded transaction data and give them credit for the payment. These items will enable faster tracking of the record: date of payment, student’s name and ssn, cardholder name. If you do not have all this information, collect it from the student and report it to the Admissions Office Manager.
   
   If the answer is NO.
   Explain to the student/parent that we will research the problem and contact them again. We need three items of information in order to track the problem.
   
   What was the date of payment?

What is the cardholder’s name?

What is the student’s ssn?

Report these items to the Admissions Office Manager.

Once the problem has been resolved, make appropriate response to the student/parent.

Scenario 2.

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