African American parents....

sybbie719
Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:11:27 +0000

I also don’t want her to struggle to pay for it once she is in… once they decide that the money is no longer available(which we have all heard horror stories from friends/family members who had to pack up/head home d/t a flimsy FA office at the HBCU’s). I am in no position to help pay for college and it would kill me if she went to a school that welcomed her with open arms financially in freshman year and then turned their backs on her after…





In most cases I have seen, students who had generous financial aid packages freshman year, received those packages in the form of generous money (you are right they do not give a lot of good need based financial aid because they do not have the endowments to do so). In many cases, the student failed to fulfill the requirements to keep the merit scholarship, there was not enough need based FA for the student to continue, then the student had to come home (they can be brutal because there is usually no phase in, no appeals, if you don’t make the grades you don’t keep the scholarship). Howard and Spelman both offer exchange programs (so their entire experience does not necessarily have to be on that campus)

[Domestic Exchange](http://www.spelman.edu/academics/academic-deans/domestic-exchange)

[Independent Exchange Programs - Howard University](http://www.howard.edu/enrollment/exchange/huiep.htm)

My recommendation is that you apply broadly, include schools where your daughter will be in a position for automatic merit money and places that will not require the non-custodial profile or their own institutional non-custodial form. Unless you have some really extreme extenuating circurmstances, it will be very hard for you to get a waiver (I am saying this as a person who writes a lot of 3rd party waiver letters). Being uncooperative willnot be grounds for a non-custodial waiver. Remember that financial aid is going to be based on ability to pay not willingness to pay. If your ex is not on board, make sure that there are some schools on your list where is financial information will not be needed.

I am wondering what the financial aid landscape is going to look like over the next few years following Sandy, where many families who have lost homes and businesses will be applying for professional judgements and filling out the financial aid paperwork stating extenuating circumstances or request for financial reviews.