<p>Vossron, sshjuskissme has not posted since I raised the issue about her noncustodial parent, so I don’t know what her situation is. </p>
<p>If she has contact with her dad but cannot get his cooperation on filling out forms plus submitting copies of his W2’s and tax returns… she will not get financial aid from Barnard. If she gets his cooperation for an ED application, but then he flakes out and refused to fill out the forms or submit the paperwork in the spring… then she will lose whatever award she was given tentatively in the fall. </p>
<p>Between my 2 kids I’ve dealt with submitting financial aid to 21 different colleges and Barnard was the only one that insisted on getting up-front copies of tax returns from the noncustodial parent in addition to the CSS Profile forms. </p>
<p>This is why I don’t think it is appropriate for someone who has no experience with a particular college to come onto a thread under that college’s forum, and purport to give advice about ED and financial aid. It doesn’t matter what your D’s LAC has “seen” – your D’s LAC many not have the same policies about noncustodial parents. </p>
<p>I’m not kidding here. I have had 4 years of stress over this issue, and come very, very close to losing the financial aid entirely one year. I was told by someone in Barnard financial aid office that some continuing students are unable to return because of lost aid because of this issue. It’s not like the financial aid office merely reduces the grant – its an all or nothing thing, and no paperwork from the father can mean no aid, no matter how needy the family.</p>
<p>Now I assume that it is possible that the Barnard financial aid people sometimes make a waiver or an exception – but the bottom line is that my personal, direct experience is that Barnard is very strict about this issue – and it is a particularly risky thing for a financially needy student whose parents are not married to apply ED, unless she can be reasonably certain that both parents will fully participate completing all needed paperwork.</p>