<p>Written statements often make no difference either. I know just this year, of two kids whose waivers were denied at every school, all selective, great fin aid colleges. They had the legal part of it sewn up as part of the divorce agreement. Too bad, nope. They have contact with the parent, he participated in their lives, so tough luck. You don’t get off the hook that way. I’ve yet to see a case like that fly.</p>
<p>But if the parent has truly abandoned the child and there has not been contact, ideally they don’t even know where s/he is, PLUS he has no legal obligations to pay, there is a good case for UCP over ride. Even hostile interaction and presence is considered as interaction. Better, the NCP has disappeared and no idea where to find him/her.</p>
<p>My friend’s daughter is having a tough time right now because her DH has a child from a prior marriage and there is an agreement. The dad had agreed to pay half the cost of college up to a certain amount. None of the private schools care about that agreement. Tough beans. He’s on the hook to pay what he can just like any other parent. And this agreement was crafted 16 years ago, and there has been very little contact with the child, none in the last 5 years. So the kid got no financial aid awards other than a pittance from FAFSA schools. Been accepted to some very nice schools, a bright kid, but no financial aid because the Dad makes enough to pay according to PROFILE.</p>