<p>I plan to begin working on a master’s in speech language pathology fall 2012. When I do FAFSA next week applying as an independent student, for FAFSA purposes, is speech language pathology considered a health profession student requiring my parents’ financial info on FAFSA form? Thanks, financial aid offices at colleges I’m considering enrolling are closed for Christmas break now and I thought someone here could help with my question.</p>
<p>I think the only federal program this info is required for is the Health Professions Student Loan and there are no master’s programs which are eligible for those funds. You can amend your FAFSA and add your parent’s info later if needed.</p>
<p>If the school requires your parents’ financial information, believe me, they will let you know.</p>
<p>As an SLP, I don’t know of any program that requires parent info. BUT you do need to understand that financial aid for grad students is VERY different than for undergrads. Your (likely) $0 EFC per FAFSA will get you Stafford loans. Most financial aid for grad school is merit based and is based on the strength of your application and the schools desire to have you as a member of that cohort of accepted students. Grad school aid comes in the form of assistantships, fellowships, scholarships, sometimes work/study, loans. </p>
<p>Cast a wide net in terms of your applications to grad school in speech pathology. As long as you graduate from an ASHA accredited school, you will be fine. It doesn’t have to be a top ten school (I’m speaking from personal experience…as a SLP).</p>
<p>Thank you for your replies; I’ll leave parents’ financial info out for now on FAFSA and amend later if necessary. I have a speech therapist job lined up for fall at a school district that only requires my bachelor’s CSD degree (allow’s temporary state license for a few years) which I’m completing May. The school district has a co-op agreement with a nearby university’s on/off campus 3 year master’s SLP program. I and the school district are working to get me in the master’s program that is designed for speech therapists working in co-op school districts. That’s my game plan for now; if I get in the co-op program I can pay graduate school expenses out of pocket as I go with pay from school district job as speech therapist. I’ve applied to other colleges, but would have to borrow a lot going that route–hopefully I’ll be able to do the co-op deal that is better for me now financially.</p>
<p>Son is in grad school and I don’t think you are an “independent” when applying for aid.</p>
<p>I’ll be in a master’s program at the beginning of the 2012/2013 school year, so I’ll be an “independent” according to following FAFSA link: <a href=“https://fafsa.ed.gov/help/fftoc02k.htm[/url]”>https://fafsa.ed.gov/help/fftoc02k.htm</a></p>
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<p>Actually one of the questions on the FAFSA is “Do you have bachelors degree?” if the answer is YES, you are considered independent for financial aid purposes. </p>
<p>BUT some programs, law schools and medical schools in particular, continue to require parental financial information regardless.</p>