Well I wasnyou really hoping for that. The feeling of living a double life because of hiding a secret is just horrible. But itlf that’s what it comes down to then I just I’ll have to hold up until then.
*wasn’t really hoping
@toto39 wow, lots of good advice here but of course it would be better not to live a double life! Why do you think your parents would disown you? Have you talked to a therapist?
Some parents are anti-gay to that extent.
Here is an older thread from someone who was disowned by parents when they found out s/he was gay: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/17921615
Unimaginable for most of us. There is nothing my kid could say that would make me turn away. Literally nothing.
I’m not a fan of therapists to be quite honest. But yes my parents are that “anti-gay” that it would taken to that extent.
Thanks for the thread. I wanted to make my own because it seems like every other person is good with their gpa or sat scores or how their in clubs at their school meanwhile with me I have nothing with clubs and my psat score so far isn’t stellar and I have an ok gpa as of right now but I definitely hope to improve greatly.
“100% independent for colleges means that you are self supporting: have a job, home, and income and pay all of your expenses”
Not even. I fall into that category and you’re still not considered financially independent for FA purposes unless you’re an emancipated minor, homeless, turned 24, etc etc etc.
The FAFSA criteria for dependent or independent student status is shown here:
https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/dependency
Some colleges may use different criteria for their own financial aid.
You are facing a potentially volatile personal crisis and you’re not a fan of therapists? A good therapists job isn’t to change you (or your parents). A good therapist is going to give you tools and teach you how to cope with the challenges that life sends your way. Whether you come out to your parents (which will be challenging) or decide not to, getting someone’s help in coping sounds like a smart use of your time, no?
If this student is rather certain that the parents will not help with college if they find out, then don’t tell them.
I think this student thinks that being independent will mean tons of aid. It won’t, even if magically she became independent (which she won’t).
She indicates that she won’t have stellar stats, so really, her most affordable choices will likely be a FL public using parents’ money and Bright Futures. thankfully, FL is a nice long state so it’s not hard to attend a school that is a few hours away from home, which would minimize “pop-surprise” visits from the fam.
I know you don’t want to keep hiding, or capitulating and letting you parents control such a personal thing. Try to think of it as you controlling them, not the other way around. You need something and you are getting it. It’s hard, but you can do it. At school, you can be yourself:). I’m sorry it may come to that…it’s not fair.
Take a look at this link: http://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/cms_files/resources/FAFSA%20and%20Unaccompanied%20Youth.pdf
^^^^
This student is not homeless.
I don’t really see how a therapist will help this situation. OP isn’t saying they’re being crushed under the weight of family secrets lol.
You could attempted to become emancipated I suppose
http://jeannecolemanlaw.com/the-legal-emancipation-of-minors-under-florida-statutory-law/
OP is in Florida somebody said? But a judge has to be convinced you have a legitimate reason. If you could live with other family members, or if you can actually support yourself, perhaps you could emancipate. But if it goes wrong, then you’re still with your parents - and that relationship could be… volatile?
It’s a crappy situation but if it were me I would probably just try to hide it as long as I can. I’m with @HRSMom about it. Consider it controlling them for their finances. If they’re as bigoted as you say, I wouldn’t feel bad about it…
Many colleges require the FAFSA for you to be considered for scholarships. Some might even require the FAFSA to even enroll. However, your parents must be the ones to fill out a part of the FAFSA with their tax information. They have the right to refuse to do this. If they refuse to fill out the FAFSA, that could ruin you. You likely won’t be able to do anything about it. Being independent or 18 doesn’t change the fact that your parents must fill out a portion of this form. There is no way around this to my understanding, but I know it sucks and isn’t fair. I would avoid upsetting them until they have filled out this form for that reason. The bright side is that you might get some money from it!
There are actually tons of scholarships that are need-based out there. But there are some that are merit-based that are college-specific. Some schools award you money for having a good GPA and a good SAT/ACT score. Bring up your grades, join clubs, do volunteer work, do whatever you can to get further ahead. Scholarships will become your new best friends, so search for and apply for all the scholarships you can, and don’t wait until senior year to start doing this.
A gap-year is another thing you may want to strongly consider, especially if you do become independent. Taking a gap-year means that you abstain from college for a school year. During this time, you could get a job and save up money to support you. Taking gap-years shouldn’t affect how the college views your admissions. In fact, some colleges even encourage gap-years. Also, this would give you a better understanding of how the real world works without you having to juggle college work on top of that.
Community college should also be a possibility since they are generally less expensive than colleges, and you can even transfer your community college credits to a different college or university later. It’s not uncommon for people to do 2 years at a community college and then do 2 years at a university to finish a bachelor’s degree, thus saving money. Remember that going to a public school in-state is going to be so much cheaper than going to one out of state.
There are a lot of other things to consider as well. How will you afford your living expenses? Will you live on-campus, off-campus, or with a friend or relative? What will your salary be? What are all the tuition and fees of the school you want to attend? Unfortunately, living independently starting with $0 is not easy. Fortunately, it is possible. Still, I suggest that you weigh all your options before becoming independent. If you do decide that being independent is the best option, then make sure you understand every aspect and the situations you will encounter. You could probably get a school counselor to help you understand this.
For the record, I am a lesbian who is a senior in high school. I was in your position before; I had no job, no money, no experience, no knowledge, no acceptance. My parents found out that I was gay (I didn’t tell them) three years ago, and that didn’t go well at all; it was the worst time of my life. I decided that I wanted to live independently after high school, but now I realize that it is simpler and better to remain dependent for college. My parents didn’t disown me (they threatened to), but they will never accept me for me. I will be living on-campus, so I will be able to be out in college and still keep my private life hidden from them. Sometimes you have to do things that suck to get the best result in the end.
Keep your head up! High school doesn’t last forever, luckily. You’ll meet some great people in college and have a good time no matter where you go or what your parents think of you. Best wishes to you 
Do not come out to your parents until college is paid for. You are a minor, so a therapist can divulge what you discuss to your parents. Would your parents even pay for therapy? You would have to pick a therapist with a superlative record of discretion and support for sexual minorities. Be very, very careful until you are through with school. Many have trod this path before you.
The OP asked about being homeless. Just because she isn’t homeless now, doesn’t mean she won’t be homeless when she turns 18. She says she has no job, no savings, and presumably her parents won’t cosign on an apartment lease when she graduates.
If the OP’s family is as bigoted as she believes, she is certainly at risk of being homeless. It isn’t unreasonable for her to think about what happens if that happens or for us to give her advice for what to do if that does happen.
The student has indicated that she’s not coming out while in high school, so her chances of being kicked out before college is low or zero. The bigger concern is the situation once in college.
@kelsmom
This subject has come up before and not just for situations like the OP’s. We’ve often seen kids say that once they’re 18, they have to move out.
We have never advised that in these situations that these students can now claim being homeless and be considered independent on FAFSA. After all, if this were to be the case, millions more parents would suddenly tell their kids that they must move out in order after high school in order to qualify for more aid.
What do you say about that link above. Can anyone under age 21 claim to be homeless because they can’t live with their parents and get independent status?