<p>The drastic change in your family financial circumstances will absolutely be considered in financial aid if you document it well. My son just got a full ride to several top national engineering schools, and it was the details I wrote out that mattered. </p>
<p>My suggestions: Be willing to work, be willing to document personal matters that affect finances, be willing to consider scholarships that require service, and be willing to borrow judiciously. For example, one school offered $47,000 per year but my son would leave with $40,000 in debt after four years. We wrote a letter with details of our longterm and expected future circumstances and got a full ride, no work, no loans, no student contribution. It was all true and verifiable, but it was significant even though my income has increased recently. </p>
<p>Go talk to financial aid counselors in person or call them on the phone. This is harder if the school is large and much harder if they don’t see you as a standout student. So, find a way of distinguishing yourself and make a pitch. Find out what you can and go for it. </p>
<p>You can take a year off and start again, so long as you are sure you will not make that a life off from education. If you take a year off, work at the highest paying job (or two) you can and volunteer as well to make yourself stand out upon reapplying. </p>
<p>Go talk to financial aid about emergency grants and loans and don’t give up too easily to stay in school. </p>
<p>As for King’s College, don’t be worried about them being strict. If they are going to give you a full ride, you can control yourself to accept it. Think of it as a very well paid four year job because tuition isn’t cheap. Then, play the part and get the degree.</p>