The Direct Loan does not need a cosigner either.
Also FAOHELP…are you suggesting that financial aid officers, at schools that require non-custodial parent financial information, are likely to ignore that information simply because the NCP won’t contribute? Really?
My mom has told me that we cannot afford for me to attend Mount Holyoke.
After grants and my work study, the remaining cost of attendance still $23,700.
I was prepared to take out up to $11,000 in loans and use $7,000 of my savings. If my mom contributed even $4,000 for the year, that would use all of her income tax money and her emergency fund. She’ll have nothing left and I won’t either.
Even if that did work, I wouldn’t know how to afford my senior year.
MHC is going to have to give me a lot more in grants because I can’t afford it otherwise.
@FAOHelp In my aid package, MHC said my parents would contribute $17,000 this year. So my mom and my dad would pay $8,500 each.
The absolute most my mom can contribute is $4,000 and that’s a major strain. My dad has said he would contribute $800 (at the most).
I am planning to send an email on Monday or Tuesday.
Hang in there OP!
@SOSConcern Thank you!
So the email would read something like this?
*Dear Expensive College:
My father has decided he doesn’t want to pay tuition at your school. He would tell you this himself, but he’s currently out of the country on business. I don’t expect his jet to land back in the U.S. for at least another week or two, and then he’ll be going straight into a conference with his board of directors, so he’ll still be too busy to speak with you. His decision is final, though - he won’t be paying, so I’ll need more money. I will forward you a letter from his personal assistant documenting his refusal.
Sincerely, Impoverished Student*
@FAOHelp, your repeated claims of “inside” knowledge of the workings of financial aid offices would be more credible if you stopped posting nonsense!
@dodgersmom I thought I would update you on the situation.
So, I asked my dad again if he would be willing to contribute $800 next year. He said that he already pays $800 per month in child support and that he grosses $37,000 per year, but “lives off” of $13,000 per year.
I’ve seen his income tax return. His total income is $51,278. He makes $12,000 alone by renting out a house and he also has his girlfriend’s income.
My mom doesn’t want to start a legal battle, but he’s trying to make me feel sorry for him and he’s lying to me.
I still haven’t heard from Richmond either.
Chelsea, at this point, I think it’s pretty clear that you cannot count on either parent to pay for MHC or any college. You’ve done fantastically at your current school, and that is really what your family and you can afford. Not worth tearing apart your family relationships over college. Yes, I believe if anyone deserves the college she wants, you do, but that is not the way it works. Big hugs to you. You are a wonderful person.
I am not sure if this has been listed, but this is what I would compare:
If we are comparing the OP having 14K total loans for option 1 and 28K total loans for option 2, I would say that is what finishing with a MHC degree is worth to the OP - or not.
The dad issue is immaterial at this point, I know many people who were promised things by their parents and their parents did not come through. I think it is time to stop asking him for anything.
If you are able to find a source for extra loans for yourself, do it if you think the MHC option is worth it. If not, keep on going on where you are.
I would consider:
Yes, they often get all sorts of requests for more FA, but I would project it more as asking for advice - your father has a second family and they don’t get counted, and if you are willing to take out more loans, I believe you should be given that option. MHC’s faith in the value of their degree should be what drives them to offer you something more, even if it is in the form of loans.
Good luck, it is a very tough situation. Sometimes an acceptance is the start of a difficult process not the end of one.
@rhandco - Just to be clear, a “promise” and a court order are not quite the same thing.
But the child doesn’t the have $$ to fight a court battle, the ex-wife doesn’t want to. Really to think that waiving a court order, which the student/child is not a party to, and that the money will magically appear is foolish. It takes years to enforce such things.
The NJ cases are not relevant. In both cases, someone (grandparents in one, family friends in the other) were financing the hearings/attorneys. The is no backer here.
@rhandco OP is debt free and actually getting money back at current college.
@rhandco When I get my decision from Richmond, I’m going to tell my dad that the colleges’ financial aid offices contacted me and told me that he needs to contribute. If my mom contributes $4,000 per year and he does too, we might be able to pull it off.
I talked to MSSU’s financial aid office and I can take out a $2,250 subsidized loan.
I’m 99% positive that I can’t visit MHC. Airfare is too expensive…
But you can’t MAKE him contribute (short of hiring an attorney if his contribution to college expenses was specified in the divorce decree, and the $ to pay an atty is better off spend on college funds) so that is (a) untruthful and (b) a waste of time, sorry to say.
@jym626 I spoke with my dad tonight. He said that he will “try” to contribute. Surely, if my mom can support herself, me, and my brother on $45,000, my dad can support himself on $51,000. He can depend on his girlfriend’s income too… If my mom can contribute $3,500, so can he.
Fighting over the decree. Not exactly a warm and fuzzy feeling for this girl.
@HelloImChelsea - If you’re a sophomore, you can take up to $5,500 this year in federal loans, part subsidized and part unsubsidized. Just don’t miss the deadline - you probably need to receive the funds prior to the end of the school year.
Sorry to be harsh, but he is not committing to pay a dime. Can you handle the entire cost without his contribution? Sadly, you cannot count on him or his empty half promises.
College sophomores can take $6500 in Direct Loans.
Oops, I stand corrected!