Hi,
I successfully went through the depedency override process in May of 2014 (my freshman year). As a sophomore, I received all the benefits of being independent and 20. Now I am trying to transfer to a new college for the first semester of junior year.
My question is… will the new school know about my independent status? or is it strictly through my current university?
The reason I ask is because when I filled out my FAFSA last year I was still technically depedent so I had to make inquiries from within the school for them to realize me as an independent.
Thanks!
I believe the schools grant dependency overrides. So if you are going to a new college, you will need to go through their process to have this. If you have all of the documentation from the first time, this should be helpful. Contact your new school, and explain your situation. Tell them your cirrently school granted you a dependency override, and you wish to know the process to gain this at the new school.
Each school establishes their own criteria for granting a dependency override. Just because your current school has given you one, does not necessarily mean that you will get one at the next school (which is why I advise my students if you get a dependency override, plan on staying there the full four years).
While the school will ask you about the documentation from your past situation, they will also ask about your current situation (as you would be surprised as to how many families reconcile after the override is given). Has your status changed from the time you got the first override? are you able to document what your current status is?
Schools are required to reverify the reasons for a dependency override annually - so even a current school should be asking for new letters indicating that nothing has changed since the year before. When you change to a new school, you have to request the override from them, providing all documentation to that school.