I am a junior and am beginning to make a list of colleges to apply to. My biological parents divorced in 2000, and I live with my mother. Right now, she is going through her second divorce with my stepfather. Once that is done, our income will be reduced to $500 per month in alimony. Given this, I can only afford to apply to colleges that meet 100% of financial need without loans. However, several of these colleges take into account the income of the other biological parent. I am not in contact with my father, and his alimony contribution has been virtually nonexistent. He plays no role in my life. My question, then, is why should his income have any sort of relevance to my chances of getting financial aid? His income, I’m sure, is high enough to disqualify me from a full ride. But why should the income of a person who has no connection to me other than a similar DNA sequence be considered? Do you think the colleges in question would be willing to only consider my mother’s income in this situation?
I’m so sorry that your parent’s actions have put you into this position.
The answer to your question is that until you turn 18, and possibly afterwards, your dad is supposed to be helping to support you. He and your mom divorced, but he’s still supposed to be your dad. So colleges consider the incomes of both parents.
In a lot of cases. like your’s, it’s brutally unfair.
You will need to stick with FAFSA schools. Profile schools will require both parents financial information. Waivers are hard to get.
A few CSS profile schools won’t require the non custodial parent information. Here is the list of CSS schools https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx Review the “CSS Profile – Noncustodial Parents” column for the “No” schools. Check again before applying since schools sometimes change their policies.You would need to get a waiver for each school with a Yes (that you apply to) and that is a process you may or may not be sucessful achieving since you need to work with each school to try to get it.
Your bio-dad should have been on the hook for child support. So the unfairness is that your parents divorced without a provision to take care of YOU- the minor child. His obligation for alimony would have ended when your mom remarried.
Big hug to you. Figure out an application strategy which focuses on schools you can commute to, and colleges which only consider your FAFSA application and will not ask for the financials of your non-custodial parent.
And another BIG question. What are your SAT or ACT scores, and your GPA?
You have to get accepted at one of those colleges that meets 100% of need to benefit from their generous need based aid. Many accept a VERY low %age of applicants.
You don’t mention your mother’s income. Does she work? If so, her income will also be included in the mix.
And many of these colleges expect a student contribution as well…annually.
How much CAN your parents contribute to your college education annually? Ask your mom.
Hello. My current weighted GPA is around 4.15. I will be taking the SAT for the first time on March 10th, and I expect to get around 2200 (I am taking the essay portion as well). I am ranked at the top of my grade, and will have taken 8 AP’s by the end of my senior year. My school counselor said she thought I had a good chance of getting into the University of Chicago, which I know is very selective. I also hope to have a better chance at admission because of my more-unique-than-normal life (I’ve lived on several continents, have a diverse background, dealt with psychological problems that I turned into academic success, etc.) People tell me that my academics are impressive, but I don’t know if they’re impressive enough for those top schools that give full rides to low income students. I guess I shall see.
Another important piece of information is that my mother is not a US citizen, and I do not currently live in the US. That brings challenges of its own when going through college applications.
Oh, I forgot to answer the last part of the question. My mother does not work. She is a stay-at-home mum taking care of my younger siblings. She will be living in Turkey while I am in university. As I said, her only income is alimony from my stepfather. We don’t own a house. She told me that, at most, she is able to pay $5000 per year for four years. That would be the entirety of our savings, and I do not want her to have to do that.
If you are a US citizen, you can file the FAFSA. It doesn’t matter if your mom isn’t a citizen.
If you have the grades and test score for admission to the places that give good need-based aid, you also would qualify for significant merit-based aid at a number of other places. Read through the information in the Automatic scholarship thread at the top of this forum for ideas.
I have posted this before, and this is only one data point, so take it for what it is worth. My friend’s daughter was accepted to one of those highly ranked school where noncustodial parent’s info was required. He was the noncustodial parent with high income. He refused to submit his financial information for fear of his ex-wife may get access to it. The daughter applied for FA without his information (with explanation) and was awarded aids based on the mother’s income/assets. This just happened last year, so it is quite recent.
The reason I am bringing this up is I don’t think OP should rule those schools because there may be exceptions. I would apply to a wide range schools, compare schools’ FAs then make a decision.
Are YOU a U.S. citizen @Slavic2000?
Where do you live NOW? What is your GPA, and SAT or ACT score?
You can ask the colleges for a non-custodial Profile parent waiver. Each school has a process for this. You might get it…and you might not.
In the case mentioned above, the student likely got this waiver.
If you are a U.S. citizen, your bio dad’s income would NOT be listed on the FAFSA anyway.
If you are a junior now, you will be starting college in 2019 fall, right? The income of ONLY your mom for 2017 will be used…and if you put $0 expect to receive a verification from the colleges who rightfully will want to know how she is paying your living expenses.
In addition…if she really has $0 in income…how will she pay even $5000 a year for your college costs? Are you expecting that her FULL alimony payment will fund your college costs? Or does she have some kind of savings as well?
Perhaps this will seem harsh to you, but being 18 and expecting other people to pay your way to the likes of the University of Chicago is a bit entitled. It is unfortunate for you that your biological father is negligent. But your mother and stepfather are also responsible for you and it does not sound like there is any way they could pay your transportation to school from Turkey, let alone the tuition. You should be considering a state school assuming that you are a US citizen and have a home state where you would qualify for in-state tuition.
If you could translate good grades, good test scores, good character, and a good life story into an affordable education that results in a productive career that would be a great success story and an excellent personal achievement. But you would need to overcome your parents’ financial and family woes to do so.
Another way to think of it is that you would not getting financial aid - your parents would. Virtually all 18 year olds are poor and cannot afford college. Only their parents can afford to pay. So financial aid is not based on your individual circumstances or else all 18 year olds would be eligible for all aid. Instead they base “need” on your parents’ status.
When does your mom plan to move to Turkey…or do you live there now?
Where do you live NOW?
To answer some of the new questions that have come up, I am indeed a US citizen. My mother will be moving to Turkey this summer because she can no longer afford to pay for the American school for my two younger brothers. I will be staying here, in Kenya, with a foster family to finish my senior year.
As I said, the $5000 per year will be coming from the last of our savings (around $20,000).
Ok…so you are expecting your mom to give you ALL of her remaining savings? Sorry, but I can’t support that idea!
If you currently reside in Kenya, you do NOT have instate residency in the U.S. unless your dad happens to reside in the U.S. and his state of residence gives instate status for the kids whose parents are divorced…and the NCP lives in their state. Some do…most don’t.
My opinion…you need to start researching low cost options for college.
Without knowing your stats, it’s impossible to even GUESS what colleges might be good affordable options for you.
I didn’t say I supported that idea either. That’s simply what my mother said she’d be willing to do if there were no other options.
I do not have instate status anywhere, no.
Yes, these are the low-cost options I am researching - colleges that meet 100% demonstrated need.
I don’t think I’m completely in the blind with regards to what my chances are.
What low-cost options would you suggest?
WHAT ARE YOUR STATS?
And yes, I’m yelling, because I’ve asked that question a couple of times.
Without knowing your SAT or ACT score…and your GPA, it is IMPOSSIBLE to give you any suggestions.
This sounds difficult. Do you have a school counselor that might have some help and knowledge?
Did you take the PSAT in October?
What major are you thinking of?
@thumper1, I said what my GPA was: 4.15. You may have missed that reply. My “stats” are not shabby. As I said, I am on track to be valedictorian at my school. I have not taken either standardized test, but expect to get around 2200 on the SAT.
@mom2twogirls, I did indeed take the PSAT in October. I was in the 98th percentile overall. I am thinking of majoring in physics.
As many here have noted in the past, one can’t really give valid advice until one has real standardized test scores, not expected ones.