Unusual Circumstances

Paying for College
1

<p>I’m gonna be twenty in February, and I really want to go to college. It’s just that I have some rather unusual circumstances.</p>

<p>My mother and her boyfriend have been together for fifteen years. They haven’t married, because my mother is still legally married to my father, who has been out of the picture since I was nine. I haven’t received support from him since I was ten (that was when he stopped paying child support).</p>

<p>The thing is, my mother doesn’t work. Her boyfriend does, and he pays all the bills. Even though I’m working myself, there’s no way we can pay for me to go to college out of pocket.</p>

<p>I have no problems waiting until I’m legally independant to go to college, which I believe is age 24. I just want to be sure that there are no other alternatives before I resign myself to waiting.</p>

<p>FAFSA really confuses me, and my parents are no wiser. Please help?</p>

2

<p>You may have to get something in writing from someone (a clergyman or maybe even a lawyer) that says that your father does not and has not had any contact with you for 11 years. This sounds like one of those “extenuating circumstances” that colleges will listen to. However, remember that most schools do not meet full need anyway. Look at your state universities…consider doing your first two years at a community college. It sounds like you have the will…and where there’s a will, there’s always a way.</p>