<p>I’ve quickly read these posts and have a question to OP: did you call Vanderbilt’s admissions office and earnestly discuss your unique and worrisome family situation regarding your obstructionist (and likely borderline personality disordered) mother? You’re an accepted ED1 student, and school deserves to hear your story - full, frank, and honest disclosure, including your mother’s specific abusive behavior towards you. Let them counsel you, and help you negotiate with financial aid folks. Common knowledge says ED financial packages are firm and final. But that’s not necessarily true, because our student’s FA merit package was substantially increased after acceptance, when I called FA to inquire. And if you need to decline the ED1 package because your mother refuses to pay EFC, then Vanderbilt needs to know anyways.</p>
<p>OP: your story mirrors many aspects of mine. Regrettably, abusive mothers like ours don’t improve with age - the situational dynamic only worsens. When I was your age, I thought it impossible to extricate myself from my role as my mother’s constant target. The sooner you remove yourself from your mother’s reach, the sooner you can begin to enjoy your life and achieve your goals for your future. Best wishes. </p>