<p>A friend whose family has had enormous medical expenses (and related medical debt) over the past four years as a child battled a life threatening illness was told by two of the F.A. offices for in-state publics that they would not evaluate any special circumstances adjustment requests until next August! Her incoming freshman son will need some F.A. to attend any of the schools, and I’m not sure how the family is supposed to make any plans or say yes to a school without knowing how this huge (and ongoing) medical expense is going to be treated. (>$20K per year.)</p>
<p>Any thoughts?</p>
<p>As a parent, if I heard that, I would plan for a college that I knew was affordable without a special circumstances review regardless if that meant taking a year off after high school or starting at a community college. I would be exceedingly nervous to stretch for a year on the “hopes” that better aid would come for year 2 and I would worry that even if aid came for year 2 that it would not be repeated in year 3 and 4. No parent needs that kind of financial pressure on top of the pressure that has already occurred and in this case it could be 4 years of worry. It is difficult because clearly they want to do the best they can for this student but sometimes it’s good to step back and think longer term.</p>
<p>I worked at a large public U. We did not even have the special circumstances form available until July, and it was August before we began reviewing. Many parents neglected to submit everything that was requested, so once the review began, the process was slowed because more info had to be requested. Part of the reason for the late start is that not all students are going to attend when push comes to shove - and special circumstances require a lot of manpower for review and documentation. Another part of it is that circumstances change over a period of months, and many SC requests are based on loss of income. A third issue is that, quite frankly, at a big public school there is so much initial processing to do that things like SC have to take a back seat. The focus is on getting a package for everyone, THEN adjusting for those who request a review. (An exception was special circumstances dependency override requests - those were done separately & the forms were available much earlier)</p>
<p>I know it is not helpful, but it’s the way it is. And because it is true that there may be little or no extra aid as a result, even if the EFC is adjusted, it is important to have a plan for an affordable school just in case.</p>