<p>sblake: My parents are married (quite unhappily, though). My dad is just being obstinate. He knows the rules and such. I’ve explained all of this to them both many times. There’s nothing I can do to make him give me his financial information.</p>
<p>scottaa: Trust me when I say that actually being the person trapped in this situation is bleaker than just reading about it. As I said to sblake, there’s no convincing to be done. He apparently has his reasons for not giving me his financial info, even if they’re immature ones. Once I discovered that I wouldn’t need their financial aid information if I were independent, I tried my hardest to think of a way to become independent. Unfortunately, I’d have to get married/have children, orphaned, or (like you said) join the military. Those options just seem like too high a price for college. I’m devoted to getting into college, but I can’t shred my life apart for it.</p>
<p>emeraldkity: I could go to a local community college absolutely free because of my ACT score, but I honestly don’t want to go there (and as snooty as it may sound, I don’t feel like I should be forced into going to a school I will dread the entire time I’m enrolled there). I applied there as a safety net, but I’m hoping against hope that it doesn’t come down to me having to go there. If I’m trapped and depressed for another two years like I have been all throughout high school, I’ll probably go catatonic, and please don’t think I’m joking. Besides, I’ll only be 20 in two years, which is still below the age of independence defined by the FAFSA, isn’t it? My dad isn’t going to change his mind, so I’d just be in the same situation two years from now.</p>
<p>momfromtexas: I checked out their website, and they don’t offer the degree I want. Again, changing the course of my education plans will defeat the purpose of even getting an education. If I end up hating what I’ve been trained to do, what good will that be?</p>
<p>I know my problems aren’t huge, but they are problems (that all seem to point to the same thing: no college for me). Why couldn’t having a high EFC be my only worry like it is for most of CC? :-(</p>