Is having an older sister going to grad school a good reason to ask for an FA appeal?

Paying for College
1

<p>Is having an older sister going to grad school a good reason to ask for an FA appeal?</p>

2

<p>No, as grad students are considered independent. A generous school like Harvard might budge, but most won’t.</p>

3

<p>^^^ Hmm. Is this true even if </p>

<p>a) Parents are supporting the student through Grad School</p>

<p>b) The Grad student is less than 24 years of age?</p>

4

<p>Yes. Grad students pursuing a masters or doctoral degree are independent for FAFSA purposes regardless of age.</p>

<p>I would hope that a family would make sure that they could pay for an undergraduate degree for each child before redirecting assets towards one child’s graduate degree.</p>

5

<p>if you have a college degree- you are assumed to be an adult ( in virtually all cases).</p>

<p>It is your parents choice to continue to support said adult & FAFSA is primarily interested in assisting students to get their initial degree.</p>

<p>However, the tax forms will accommodate support of this manner & when these forms are submitted to your schools for verification they can note that your parents have another dependent.</p>

6

<p>*Yes. Grad students pursuing a masters or doctoral degree are independent for FAFSA purposes regardless of age.</p>

<p>I would hope that a family would make sure that they could pay for an undergraduate degree for each child before redirecting assets towards one child’s graduate degree. *</p>

<p>Very good point. The second child’s undergrad isn’t interested in subsidizing the first child’s grad school. In the FA World…Parents are expected to help with undergrad, not grad school.</p>

7

<p>I have no personal experience in this area but based on anecdotal evidence (i.e. various posts I have read on CC) I would suggest you ask your school. It seems to be one of those gray areas where some schools do allow a grad school student to be included as one of the household and some do not. </p>

<p>So ask, the worst they can say is no.</p>

8

<p>I also suggest asking the school about their policy. We have seen evidence on CC that there are schools that will allow a sibling who is a grad student to be part of the household size & number in college. It’s worth asking.</p>