sweatypi

So I'm in quite the pickle here. I'm a senior, and in four months I turn eighteen. I have been living with my father for the past year who makes in excess of 300k a year. For personal reasons he is not going to help me with college.... at all.... and just recently I decided to move out and live with my girlfriends parents. (note: he hasn't been supporting me or anything, ive been working full time to support myself. hes simply given me a place to sleep and thats it.) I don't have much money; I plan to go to school in state, so, in total for one year will be roughly 18000. I'll have maybe 5k when I graduate this year.

So, as I would really love to avoid as much debt as possible, I need to know what I can do, as I am not being supported by my parents or anyone else. Should I seek emancipation or will that take too long? Is there some way I can get a paper stating that I am not being supported which would allow me to file as an independent?

Also, I have a terrible academic record so any merit scholarships are out of the question. And I plan on attending my state university and majoring in mechanical engineering.

thanks for any help

vlines

Since you do not have a good academic record, and money is an issue, I would recommend you go to community college for at least a year, if not 2, then transfer to 4 year if that is still what you want. There are a number of transfer scholarships available, if you do well at the local CC.

lookingforward

You can check into your state's emancipation laws and timelines, but the finaid you get depends on a college's policies and the funds it has available, in the first place. A state school that doesn't ordinarily give much aid won't be able to offer much support, even to an independent. And, with a "terrible" academic record, assuming you do get accepted, mech engineering will be a tough path. If you can't show strengths in math-sci, you may find it's an extraordinary challenge. Give yourself the cc chance to test yourself.

thumper1

And what is your reason for seeking emacipation? If it's because your dad won't pay for college, that simply won't fly. Find out the guidelines for emancipation in your state. I am quite sure you can't just file an emancipation request without some just cause.

thumper1

Your financial situation will not reconcile with a transfer to some of these schools. UMich does not meet full need for out of state students. Rose-Hulman doesn't meet full need for all students. Northeastern doesn't meet full need for all accepted students.

Your best bet is to attend a community college and save yourself some money for a couple of years. You say (on other threads) that you want to be a mechanical engineering major but are not up to snuff in math...and are worried about the courseload and workload of this major. If you don't have sufficient math background, you could find that it will take you FIVE years to graduate, not four.

Getting some higher level math courses under your belt would be a good idea. You will either find you love it, and can handle the work, or you will decide to switch majors entirely.

Ah...but back to your finances...transfer students typically do not get the same aid as freshman admits. I don't know the policies at Cornell and Northwestern regarding need based aid for transfers, but you should find out what they are.

You don't mention your mom anywhere on this thread. If she is alive, you will be required by the schools on this list to also include HER information on your CSS Profile, which these schools require.

sweatypi

I do have reason for being emancipated.

First, my dad does not support me in any way other than giving me a home. No food, school supplies, other necessities, etc. Second, his girlfriend is a drug addict/alcoholic who has attempted to kill me more than once. Third, our house is a pig stye.

My mother lives nearly 500 miles away and is unemployed.

I am worried about math, as I am only in precalc, trig, and stats this year (which isn't below average by any means.) However, starting next semester I will be teaching my self calculus through out the end of the year and the summer to get myself up to par with other students. While it does scare me a bit, I have become very active in school this year and I know I'll be ready for whatever course I am placed in at a post secondary school.

I'm not expecting to have my full need met. But if I could choose between 40k in debt and 140k in debt, it's obvious which I would choose.

Community College is a bit of an issue as we don't have one here. The nearest is about an hour away, the second nearest is two hours. And since i live in the oil patch, housing is practically impossible to come by. I know nothing about online courses though, and I do not know how those would transfer.

As for my horrible academic record, I meant primarily my low GPA. I have a "good" ACT of 29 and I'm more than confident in my SAT II's (physics and math I).


So again, I do not expect to be out of debt entirely, but I would like to get some financial aid rather than none. Also, if it matters, I may be joining the military after graduation, so that would take care of a chunk of my loans.


Nortwestern and Cornell would be my two dream schools, absolutely, and from what I've read they do offer financial aid. I am confident that if engineering does work out for me, I will be eligible to transfer.

mom2collegekids

Keep in mind that YOU can only borrow the following amounts...

5500 frosh
6500 soph
7500 jr
7500 sr

So, you can't borrow the amounts that you're talking about.

happymomof1

On Monday, go speak with your guidance counselor about your living situation. If your dad's girlfriend has tried to kill you, that is something the state needs to know, and may contribute to grounds for your father losing custody. The staff members at schools are legally obligated to report this kind of thing.

mom2collegekids

^^^

Right!!

Second, his girlfriend is a drug addict/alcoholic who has attempted to kill me more than once. Third, our house is a pig stye.


What did she try to do? Were there any witnesses? did you tell anyone shortly after these incidents???

BobWallace

Exactly what is your GPA? And what is your home state?

sweatypi

It's hard to explain, but, it's nothing that could be held up in court. I've called the police during one of the incidents and they did, simply, nothing, other than tell me to leave. So I did. My counselor knows this already, but he hasn't been able to answer my main question: As I am not being supported or living with either of my parents, and am providing for myself, how can I apply as an independent, if emancipation takes too long? I spoke to a lady about becoming emancipated and she hasn't called me back with an appointment to meet or anything yet.

But is there anything else I can do in case that doesn't work? Such as getting a notarized document of sorts stating the above?

My main concern is that as I have lived with my dad since last november, I would have to use his income on the FAFSA, which would entitle me with nothing.

Again, my state U is pretty cheap in comparison to others, and working hard there may open up more opportunities for me with scholarships. I am not expecting a full ride by any means, just the cheapest route.

zoosermom

Notarization doesn't prove that something is true. It just affirms that the person who signed a particular document actually is the person identified as having signed it.

sweatypi

So if emancipation does not work out, I'm basically hopeless?

MommaJ

Emancipation, being declared an adult, makes no sense for you, since you will be an adult under the law in a few months anyway. What you are seeking is a determination by the college's financial aid office that your special case merits disregard of your parents' assets. I'm sure that sort of determination requires hard evidence of the breakdown of your relationship with you parents. Hopefully one of the regular posters who is very familiar with this process will chime in here.

lookingforward

Quote from Sallie Mae: The status of "emancipated minor" is not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for financial aid purposes.
There are qualifications you need to meet to be considered independent, for finaid purposes, summarized here: Will I need my parents’ information?

Unfortunately, you are caught in-between, seemingly not able to prove abuse, to legal standards. I'm guessing Dad does claim you on taxes-? FAFSA Special Circumstances & Independent Students < FAFSA Form | FAFSA Online

Sorry, but you are at a tough decision point. The Fafsa blurb does suggest a talk with the college finaid folks.