Hello,
I’m currently in the process of completing CSS profile. However, there is something very complicated in my family background to finish the profile. Well, my mom and dad got divorced, and later my went to abroad for a graduate degree. She was gone for like 8 years, and even after she came back, she started a new life with her cohabitant and now lives separate from me. So I’ve been living with my grandmother since when I was little. My question is should I put my mom’s financial records on the section of parent 1, even though she lives separately and contributes less than my grandma does, or should I put my grandma’s financial records?
This will probably be best answered by the Financial Aid office of the school you are applying to.
Agreed. I might add, the FA office very likely has experience with situations that are similar to yours. They may ask if your grandmother has legal guardianship, in which case it would likely be her information they are looking for. But chances are that your mother, while she contributes relatively little and has not taken responsibility for your upbringing, will still need to provide her information. I suspect this is a situation where professional judgment will be considered.
I also wanted to add, while I am sorry to read about your difficult situation, I commend you for dealing with this effectively. Best of luck to you.
Where is your father? cSS also asks for father. Unless your grandmother is your legAl guardian you put moms income. Did you mom remarry?Is there a social worker?
You will only likely be able to skip mother and father income and be independent if you ask each school for a waiver. Then you put your own income if any, not grandmother. you would actually never put grandmother income unless she is a court ordered legal guardian. How many CSS schools are you applying to?
the biological father is unable to fill the non-custodial CSS form. As I said above, she lives with her cohabitant, and I barely keep in touch with her, which is the reason why I asked if it is allowed to write about information of my grandmother instead of mother’s
Unable? or doesn’t want to? What does unable mean?
You will likely need a waiver for bio dad to not fill out the forms required. You need to ask about that as well when you contact each college.
No, you can’t put your grandmother. I tried to explain already. You didn’t answer if she is the legal guardian.
If not, you either have to put the parent as they ask, or you have to get a waiver and in that case you only put yourself and you are considered Independent for aid. If no waiver given and no parent fills it out then you can’t get aid from that school. Each school you apply has to approve the waiver. But maybe in your circumstances they will give it. It isn’t given to just anyone but in some situations they will. If your mother doesn’t have much money then that is a better situation. It is unwilling parents who have high income that is the problem. So easier just to get her to fill it. But if you want to try a waiver, then you need documentation about the lack of contact. And letters of support from people who can be trusted, like clergy, teacher, doctor, not family member.
Unable because dead? Unable because can’t read english? unable because not willing? This matters.
I’ve never been in contact with my father, nor do I know anything about him. That’s all.
It is not that my mother is unwilling to fill the profile just because she has high income. In fact, currently she’s looking after her children (my two half-siblings) and no income for her. What I want to know is that the person whom she lives with will be considered as a parent of mine.
OK, well if you are applying to a school that requires the father info then you can likely get a waiver if you can show that statement to be true.
The person your mother lives with is not a parent, no and you do not have to put your mother’s boyfriend as a parent on your college application. But if they are married you have to include that person’s income with her income on FAFSA and CSS Profile (unless you get a waiver.) If they are not married then no.
You might like to call the financial aid office of one of the colleges you are hoping for an explain your living sitation and see what they say. Have a timeline ready of year your mother left and you started living with your grandmother, year she returned. Year you last had contact with your father if any.
I didn’ realize you are an international student. Please make that clear in financial aid posts, since the situation is so difficult for them.
You will need to contact the schools by email and explain the situation to them. Make it very clear and give dates in a timeline like I suggest. Ask them what they want.
Okay. I really appreciate your advice.
And also, you should be trying a bunch of ‘meets full needs’ schools not just Carleton. Try Pomona too. Amherst etc. I think you should try Brown (if you can get in they will give full aid you qualify for.) But many don’t promise to meet need for Internationals, but they may. You have a very unusual EC in that memory stuff and it will be interesting but you have national and international level accomplishment. Plus you come from an unusual country I figure. But since you can’t contribute anything it becomes very very difficult to get an offer so you have to apply many places. Are you male?
Did you contact your EducationUSA office google it.