They won’t keep closing the gap without the annual FAFSA and CSS profile from the parents, though.
Young people on their own work to support themselves and attend college online or part time.
Until you are 24, you will still need your parents for federal financial aid application.
It is possible, under certain circumstances, that the student can file as independent. OP needs to see if he can so qualify. The independent student category is no panacea, however. Doesn’t mean you are going to get all of your need met even at schools that guarantee to meet all need because schools and the calculators are what define need, not the student or family. Many schools do not even include independent students in their need met guarantees.
If the student becomes independent, he will most likely only become independent for federal aid. Op will most likely not become independent for need based aid. Many schools have policies in place that if you are accepted start as a dependent student, you finish as a dependent student even if you have a life event that makes you independent (barring the death of both parents)