One more thing…if you are currently homeless…and can document that…I believe thst you would be independent for financial aid purposes. @kelsmom am I correct?
But you would need to be able to document that you have no permanent place to live. If you are living with relatives…that might not be the case. Your school social,worker should be able to help you if you are homeless.
The school guidance counselors, for,the most part, do not handle family finances in any way.
Have you consulted a legal aid attorney? If this is indeed true, someone should be willing to handle this matter for your mother, possible (probably?) on a contingency basis. The money won would be very helpful for your family.
Your mom did not have to do a tax return for you to get financial aid. She can sign a document that says she did not earn enough money to have to file a return instead.
Note that your income in the prior-prior year (2015 income for fall 2017) is what is normally counted. When your current situation does not match your prior-prior year situation, you have to write a financial aid appeal letter showing that your financial situation changed for the worse. 2016 income will count for going to school in fall 2018, etc. If you have any documentation of being homeless (such as from qualifying for an assistance program of some sort), I believe that can be used to get an automatic Pell grant.
This website may help you get some ideas for schools that are generous with low-income families. https://projects.propublica.org/colleges/ Unfortunately, the very most generous places are elite schools that will not accept someone with a 27 ACT.
Your first priority is to find school(s) in your state system (4-year or 2-year), because they typically have the lowest price tags and you may be able to afford them with just federal grants and basic student loans. Apply to 2-3 of those, then look for private schools where your stats are in line and where the website above shows that they are more likely to be generous with aid. For any school you apply to, scour the college website looking for extra scholarships to apply to. At state schools especially there are often separate forms and separate deadlines for scholarship applications.
If your ACT score does jump when you retake it, there are options for automatic merit scholarships as well.
Not sure there is a basis for a non- custodial parent waiver. This student can contact her dad.
Simply because “dad is not in the picture and does not provide financial support” is not a valid reason that most Profile schools will accept in order to approve a NCP waiver. If the father can be located and he has assets and/or income that can be contributed towards his child’s education, he will be expected to do so.
There seem to be a lot of murky details to this story…
WHOA! So where does the uncle come in?
WHOA again:
So where is this uncle that you have been living with for 7 years that supports you? What state? What address? Seems like you do have an address as far as the IRS believes…so your relationship is close enough for your mother to provide him with SSNs and her blessing to fraudulently claim you all on his tax return(for a split?) for 7 years but in your own words he is not close enough to live with?
Thanks for posting… we’re pulling for you!
You sound like a great person, and we want you to do well.
Is there a public library where you can study? Try to figure that out so that our first semester grades go back up. It’ll matter a lot.
Make sure, on our bragsheet, to tell your guidance counselor that you were homeless starting (date). It’s her/his job to write about your personal circumstances because admission officers need context - they NEED to have an adult state your junior year results come from being homeless in order to understand why they fell. Otherwise they could guess anything) laziness, too much partying, etc.) you want the truth to be written in your secondary school report.
Get documentation to prove you’re homeless - mother living in car and ‘couch surfing’at friends’ as well as motel rooms or occasional stay at grandparents is considered homeless - since you do not have a ‘home’ to go to at night. It means you’ll automatically be considered independent for financial aid, and won’t have to involve our mom and dad in this.
If you’re not found independent, you’ll need to find a clergyman or therapist who knows you and your family, and will explain that your father abandoned the family (date, circumstances). I think that’s what you meant (father abandoned family and shows up from time to time)?
Due to your circumstances, you’ll probably be okay at 100% need schools if you pull your first semester grades back up and increase our score even by one point.
These schools are really hard to get into, but would likely provide excellent financial aid packages. I’m thinking of schools like St Olaf, Muhlenberg, Centre, Dickinson, even Grinnell, Colby, and Vassar.
In addition, UT Chattanooga just started its honors college, they got a great endowment for it and you’d likely qualify as long as your circumstances are explained.
Look into Spelman, Howard, Fisk, Hampton, NC a&t Dowdy scholars, Prairie View A&M.
So then let me clear those up. Since we are unclear. He lives in Ohio and only helped us keep our house he doesn’t even know we are homeless. He helped us keep the house by giving my mom like $10,000 and in exchange he got to file me and my brother on his taxes. My mom isn’t close to him since he went off to war when she was 3. Helping your sister and being close are two different things. I also have no idea what address, vut the last time I asked it was Ohio an I have no idea what address, but I do know he underwent a divorce in which she took half of everything and moved back to England.
Huh? You are not a clear writer.
I like the fact that you used our in your sentences it makes me feel like I’m not alone. Also will I be taken away from my mom if I do that because I didn’t tell anyone in higher powers that I’m homeless (as of Monday we have an apartment so hoorah!!!) so that I wouldn’t be put in a shelter. So are there any repercussions from doing so?
Would giving someone $10,000 to help save their house give that person the legal right to declare them on his taxes?
This poster says her uncle gave her family $10,000 and therefore declared them on his taxes.
Doesn’t sound kosher to me.
Also a lot of people seem to be confused on the placement of my dad. Well let me clear up his details. My dad is as far an I know a registered nurse who moved to California with his wife that I think he divorced I don’t know. Anyways he hates me and my brother who he claims is not his child. He kicked my mom out when she was 7 months pregnant with me not even caring. He seems to appear when things are convenient for him I have not seen him in about 4-5 years. To give you an idea of how much he hates us he literally stopped paying child support around the time that my mom first became jobless in hopes that we “starved to death” claiming “I don’t care what happens to you or those kids” he is also probably clinically bi polar. Also my brother is 23 and a paranoid schizophrenic so in all honesty he is considered and adult, just not a parent. My dad does not plan to help with my college nor do I think he plans to come to my graduation. This may sound harsh, but after all he has put me through I would not spit on that man to out hell if he was burning in It.
It seems unlikely that $10k is more than half the support for two people.
It isn’t, but she didn’t have any money. At least he gave her something and she was or is I don’t know anymore receiving child support. (Which my dad was forced to pay after she took him to court.
How? My uncle left for the military, he joined the air force when my mom was 3 and left and was stationed in Germany so he missed the entirety of her growing up.
You said I was very insulting and I’m not sure how when the entire time you’ve been insulting me. It would help if you gave some type of helpful supporting comment to this hell hole that I’m scared of. Instead you critique my mom’s decisions along with my life. like this some type of game for me. Then you invite your friends to join and analyze a situation in my time of need. I really do hope that is not ho you “present yourself” in everyday life. I’m sorry I even asked maybe this wasn’t the right place. I’m just glad that between every hateful commen there were a lot of people who at least gave me help. They gave me loads.
Is the apartment in the community where you go to high school? Is that the state where you hope to get in state tuition rates? If so, it seems like that would help.
Congrats on getting an apartment.
@austinmshauri thank you I will still finish at the high school I’ve been going to for four years. They have grandfathered me in which means no matter what after two years I can continue my education there. Since I am a senior I’m fine no matter where I live as long as it resides in the county. Except for that all of your answers are yes.
I believe your uncle might not have been able to declare you on his taxes. But that is a whole other issue that your family will need to contend with.
I suggested earlier that you talk to the social worker at your school. If there is not a social worker at your school…there could be one in your community who can help you sort some of these issues out.
At this point, you need to start looking for colleges which are affordable given your financial,situation.
You will be able to complete the FAFSA using just your mom’s information. If she had no income…or low income, you would qualify for portion of the Pell Grant possibly, and you would be able to take the $5500 Direct Loan.
This would pay for you to attend a community college if you commute from your apartment where your family now lives.
If your SAT or ACT scores, and GPA are high enough, you could get merit aid someplace. So…your plan to retake the ACT is a good one. Have you taken the SAT?
And as mentioned earlier…you need to check to see what your state offers to lower income college students in terms of aid.
Anyone can file a FAFSA form. If you are filling out the FAFSA to get FA in 2017-18, you can do that this Oct and you’d use the tax information from 2015. Only the schools that you are applying to can decide if you get their FA. You’ll likely get some Pell grant money, maybe some state aid.
It depends on the college. Vandy or Yale? Yes, those stats are too low to get in. Other privates might be glad to have you. Many private schools would be happy to have your, but can you afford them. DON’T focus on private schools alone. There are many good public schools and you’d be right in the mix with those stats. I think the free community colleges in TN are going to be your best bet (if you are in TN? I thought I read that)
Most scholarships are awarded to senior. Many from the schools come with admissions in the spring of senior year. You aren’t going to win many (any) outside scholarships with your stats as those go to the top top scorers, but there are some local ones that may be for a specific skill (public speaking, art), that might be based on your mother’s experiences (military? club membership?) or might be need based. Apply for them. Go to your GC and find out about them.
Start by making a list of schools you are interested in, all the community and state colleges in your area. Then start running the net price calculators for some. You’ll need the information from your mother’s 2015 tax returns and her bank statements. See if your school is having any college information nights, or if high schools near you are. Attend. Ask questions. If schools aren’t affordable (and $35000 is not affordable) cross them off the list. If the school is really a reach for your stats, let it go. If you are on free lunch at school, ask the GC for waivers for the fees for applications. They know how this works.