I’m currently a high school sophomore. Im a lesbian which my parents aren’t really fond of. I know I will be disowned if I were to come out. I was wondering what my options for college would be if I was 100% independent. I have $0.00 for college. I cannot get a job. I have an ok gpa maybe a 2.something. Not sure. I am not in any clubs nor do I do anything special. My teacher told me my psat score was pretty good (for now obviously. Would have to be kept on the same pace to get a good score senior year) I got a 1020. 520 Reading and Writing 500 in Math. I would consider myself a good student and will continue to try and be even better because there’s always room to improve. I live in florida. (Not sure if it’ll make a difference in what state I live in but just in case.) I was just wondering how financial aid would work or around how much I would get if I would put that im homeless or something on my fasfa application when I do it later on.
100% independent for colleges means that you are self supporting: have a job, home, and income and pay all of your expenses. You are a dependent student because you have no money.
Your financial aid package is based on your parents income. It doesn’t matter to the universities that you are having a tiff about your sexuality with your parents. Everything is based on family income. It doesn’t matter what you think or feel; the rules look at parent income. If you have no money, you are dependent on your parents. You can’t be considered an independent student until you turn 24. Even then, there is limited funding. Your parents can choose to fund you, or not.
You can get a loan for $5500 for your freshman year from the government; that is it, and you don’t get it all at once. It is split into semesters or quarters. (First semester is $2750) Not too many schools are that cheap.
Investigate Bright Futures for Florida residents because you won’t be able to afford OOS tuition. Your SAT scores are not exceptional, such that you won’t get merit aid (funding based on high scores on tests and GPA).
My advice: get perfect grades and perfect scores if you want to be funded by any university. Your SAT scores are about 400 points shy of having universities consider you for merit aid. Suck it up and talk to your parents about your college fund because most universities run about $30K to $60K per year and you don’t have that kind of money. There are no full rides since colleges have limited money. There is no free ride.
Go on the college websites with your parents to get actual costs, and look at the Net Price Calculators (NPC) to get an estimate of what you will be expected to pay. Most students get their college costs paid by their parents. There is no law that says they have to pay for your schooling. If they don’t want to pay a dime, that’s their choice. If they didn’t save for your college fund, then you know what your budget will be.
You’ve brought up some pretty big topics. The short answer is that if you are homeless or an emancipated minor, the FAFSA treats you as independent of your parents. The “how much” question is TBD because each school has their own financial aid process. Your Senior year is when application for financial aid happens.
Do you have someone you can talk to about the bigger question of coming out to your parents or not? Please be safe and PM me if you want to.
The few students I know who have had no help from their parents but very much wanted to go to college and were not in a position to get full rides…
- Lived with a relative (or shared an apartment with friends), got a full time job and went to community college (paid their own way)
- Joined the military and upon ending their stint used the GI bill for college, while also working
There are of course other options. But these are two to perhaps consider if you think you may need/want to be fully independent.
As @magtf1 said, you have some other bigger issues you are handling presently. Please seek counseling if you need it.
Right bow you need to increase your test scores and GPA.
For Bright Futures, you need to increase to 1300 at a minimum and over 3.0, again just for the minimal amount. 80% Florida students no longer qualify for it due to the change in qualifications (it used to be 1000 sat but not anymore.) Even if you don’t come out to your parents, they may count on Bright Futures and not know it’s gotten so hard to get. Fortunately as a sophomore you have time to improve your grades and scores. That should be your priority.
Even if your parents throw you out before you’re 18, there’s only very limited financial aid for you, not enough to attend anything else than community college.
The higher your scores (top 10%, 5%, 2%) the better the odds of finding a full tuition or full ride scholarship. Start prepping now and don’t stop till you’ve reached the right level. See if your parents would be willing to pay for a tutor in order to maximize odds for the psat in October junior year. It’s a long shot (top 1% junior year typically means top 2-5% sophomore year). But even if you don’t reach that level, a 3.0+ GPA with the highest score you can get will help in finding scholarships.
I’m sorry for your situation. I hope that your parents surprise you with unconditional love.
Unless you get married, in which case you are independent regardless of your age and it’s based on your joint income. It’s just a fact that you ought to know. I’m not suggesting it, but for now, same-gender marriage between adults is legal in every state, and will likely remain legal in many states.
^ a sophomore in highschool shouldn’t be thinking of getting married, especially not for financial aid purposes… And especially when all it means is a Pell grant in addition to a loan, which aren’t sufficient to cover instate costs of attendance at an instate public university.
Independent students only qualify for a federal Pell grant of ~$5k/year. That win’t maje much of a dent in current college tuition. You need to raise your test scores and look for colleges you can commute to from home.
Actually, for financial aid purposes…this student could be a millionaire and would still be dependent for financial,aid purposes. (I know, I know…but then she would.not need aid). To be independent for financial aid purposes, one must be over the age of 24, a ward of the state, an orphan, in legal guardianship, a veteran of the armed forces, supporting a minor child, or married. Otherwise, for financial aid purposes, the student will be required to use parent information as well on the financial aid application forms.
But as noted…even IF this student was independent for financial aid purposes…all that would get them was a Pell Grant and a Direct Loan.
A lesbian girl who thinks her parents will disown her because of her sexual orientation, would not be worse off knowing the law and the FinAid rules. I wasn’t suggesting she get married for FinAid purposes. That’s a very complex endeavor regardless of sexual orientation. But being homeless with no future is a very complex endeavor too and frankly probably worse.
I agree that she should study to improve her grades and scores, and possibly talk to someone she trusts about dealing with her parents. I couldn’t imagine disowning a child, but we live in a complex world and we have to take her at her word. I’m hoping for the best.
Get the grades up not only for admission, but the work ethic and skills you need in college. It’s very sad to read about kids who are failing out and saddled with loan debt.
To legally emancipate (or become a ward of the state) takes time and proof your family situation is impossible. It’s a legal process, with steps and proofs, then an evaluation. It’s not about a disagreement.
You could start at a less expensive community college. You could get a job as soon as able, save, supplement with student loans. But be sure you’re truly ready to be a solid (B, st least,) student.
Becoming homeless after you’re out of high school (when presumably you’re saying you’d come out) will not get you independent status.
Unfortunately, being disowned (for any reason) doesn’t give someone independent status.
If you all were to become TRULY homeless (your family becomes homeless) before age 18, then things would be different.
If you were to become a court-ordered emancipated minor before age 18, you’d be independent.
Many kids are in your situation and they choose just to keep the info away from parents while in college so as to not disrupt financial support. Heck, straight kids sometimes keep their relationships secret from parents as well.
Colleges really can’t make exceptions for this because suddenly many kids would be claiming similar things.
Get top grades, top test scores, and get top scholarships.
In the state of FL, if you make NMSF/Finalist, you get a TOTAL FREE RIDE to a Florida state school…including spending money.
That said, I hope that your parents are reasonable in the end.
A lot of time must pass. Hopefully, once your parents see it is not just a phase, they will come to better terms with it. If not, you can deal with that next summer. This year, bring up your GPA and try the ACT and study for it. You are only a sophomore. So your score is ok. You just need improvement.
Worst case: emancipation. But that is difficult and expensive. So study hard and search for lower cost options over the next 18 mo.
Good luck.
You basically need to do well enough in high school to earn a full *ride/i merit scholarship if your parents will be uncooperative with either financial aid forms or paying for your college. Here are some lists, although some entries may be out of date, and others may change in the future (check school web sites to verify). You can see what kind of GPA and test scores may get you there.
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
http://competitivefulltuition.yolasite.com/
http://nmfscholarships.yolasite.com/
This is awful but…is not coming out to them an option? Just two more years and then you can go away to college and live however you want.
If the OP goes to college as a dependent student on other than a full ride merit scholarship, she would have to stay “in the closet” until after her last undergraduate term is paid for, because parental cooperation would be needed for financial aid forms and/or money each year. Presumably, this is not the most desirable option for the OP.
^^^
Kids do all sorts of things secretly from parents to maintain financial support thru college, including living with significant others. It’s been done, over and over again.
I’m sure many straight and gay college kids keep all sort of things secret from parents, particularly of a sexual nature.
If she thinks her parents can’t handle it, then proceed by getting the best grades/scores she can to minimize any need for support. If she still needs their support, even to fill out FAFSA, then keep that info from them. If she’s away at college, they’re really not going to know what she’s doing in that regard.
And if she’s doing her best and succeeding, and they do find out, few parents at that point are going to pull all support, etc.
Only when at home on breaks, ucb – right? If people can hide partying from their parents, certainly OP could date other girls and not tell hers. I know several gay guys who are doing just that. They don’t have social media, or are not “friends” with their parents, to preserve the secret.
OP, you are lucky that FL has many options for college that are lower cost. Tuition at a public school is about $6500. Some of the smaller schools, and UCF, offer scholarships. You can earn Bright Futures by getting you SAT or ACT up. There are a lot of small scholarships from local organizations.
Work with your counselor. Apply to all the little local scholaships. I realized at the senior awards ceremony that my kids could have had $2000 or more if they’d only applied for them. Follow the college websites. If you have a specific interest (engineering, business, art) look for scholarships in that area. Check with your credit union to see if there is a scholarship. Get a job at McDonalds, Wendy’s, Publix as they all offer scholar ships and you could get a job atnear the college too. Daughter’s teammate works for Publix and can work near the college or back at home over the breaks and Holidays. It’s a great deal for her.
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know several gay guys who are doing just that. They don’t have social media, or are not “friends” with their parents, to preserve the secret.
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I know kids who have FB accounts with just a fake name or just a first name. Their parents only know about their real name FB account.
Kids can be clever to protect info…just like grown adults can be when they don’t want granny to know certain things. Lol