<p>MOST schools do not take into consider the financials of a non custodial parent which is the case with your father. But then, most schools don’t meet full need either. For schools that use FAFSA only, you would , for the most part, just include your mother’s info, but anything your father gives her or you towards support is supposed to be included as well. Like child support. And if dad does end up paying something, it gets included the next year.</p>
<p>But, most such schools don’t meet full need. You can have a big fat zero EFC, and not get enough money from the school to come close to paying its cost Very few schools meet full need, and those that guarantee to meet it, define that need with their own formulas, not need as defined by FAFSA EFC. And many of such school, that require PROFILE want both parent’s incomes and assets and take both into consideration even if one parent refuses to pay.</p>
<p>The fact of the matter is that a lot of parents refuse to pay when the numbers say they should be able to afford it. They want to spend their money otherwise or have taken on other financial commitments and they cannot or will not pay for college. In fact, if parents are not separated and one or both parents won’t pay what the formulas say they should then that’s a big problem for the student, and it happens all of the time. </p>