<p>I am a senior who is applying to many selective private schools with tuitions between $30,000-40,000. My parents recently got divorced and my mom wants to put that I live with my dad in order to recieve financial aid. My mother makes about $120,000 and is my primary residence. My father makes about $55,000. Thus, if I stated that I lived with my dad they would possibly give me more money. I am not a stellar student that would gain fin. aid based on my grades. I do have high SAT scores (1900s). My father, is not legally obligated to pay for any part of my college, and he probably won't. So is unethical to state that I live with my father considering he makes about 1/2 my mom's salary?</p>
<p>From what I understand, your parents' combined salary will be taken into consideration. Frankly neither your dad or mom are legally obligated to pay anything. However, their incomes will go into your FA calculations regardless. Your ethical dilemma is made moot, from what I understand.</p>
<p>There is nothing ethical about the outrageous cost of tuition that colleges make you pay, so go ahead and do it.</p>
<p>My guidance counselor told me that they only take into consideration the parent's income of whom one primarly lives with.</p>
<p>Schools request financial information from the non-custodial parent and will calculate financial need with your parents' combined incomes.</p>
<p>The FAFSA will ask for information only from the custodial parent, but the FAFSA is only for government aid. A mere pittance in the large scheme of things.</p>
<p>Bottom line, though, is that you should tell the truth.</p>
<p>yeah they use both parents because they expect both of your parents to chip in. I'm guessing especially the mother seeing as its very rare that a mother does not win a custody battle, especially high income.</p>
<p>I've seen this done a lot. How closely this is examined, I do not know. There are kids who get state residency rates by stating that a parent who lives in that state is the custodial one. Parents claim kids as dependents on tax returns as financial planning rather than who is truly the the custodial parent. </p>
<p>Do keep a few things in mind about this. As Debryc says, FAFSA is only for government aid. I don't remember the income cut off for the Pell grant but the max amt you can get is about $4K. That is about all that is guaranteed unless your state has some programs as well. If you make the cut off for the Pell,you may get some FSEOG money, but that is really up in the air, and ACS grants that go up to $750. The rest are loans. </p>
<p>Most schools that use just FAFSA do not tend to meet need. If you are looking at private school, most of them ask for Profile which will ask for non custodial parent's financial statements.</p>
<p>Remember as well that colleges also ask for copies of your tax returns. If your mother claims you as a dependent, it would look odd for your father to be your custodial parent. Tax forms and FAFSA should match up.</p>
<p>BTW, what you're talking about isn't just an ethical question. By signing and submitting the FAFSA, you and your parent (which should be your custodial parent) are certifying under Federal law that what you've put on the application is true. You also give the IRS and other federal agencies the right to review your filings. Lying about your custodial parent is a Federal crime (fraud). Don't think they don't check - they do, perhaps only on a random basis, but do you want to be the one that's caught?</p>
<p>Additionally, the schools you're applying to also get copies of the FAFSA. If your father's address doesn't match your school district, and it's not the address on every other piece of paper you submit, don't you think someone will notice? That could also trigger an audit, and Federal penalties.</p>
<p>also keep in mind that your teacher recs and high school transcript my raise some suspicions -- if your teacher rec mentions that you live with your mom, that will look strange. also -- is the high school near where your dad lives? If not -- that will make them wonder.</p>
<p>As has been said before -- it is a moot point. Most private (and some state) schools ask for the Profile in addition to the FAFSA -- and it will require information from both parents. Both your father and your mother's income AND assets will be used to calculate your EFC -- and from what info you have shared, that will be significant.</p>
<p>Have a long talk with mom and dad -- private schools may very well expect your family to pay close to full price. If they aren't willing to fork over $40,000+ for school you may need to rethink your college list.</p>
<p>Related question: I'm helping a boy apply who lives with his mother. She claims him as a dependant on her taxes. The boy's father is non-custodial, non-supporting and does not claim the boy as a dependant on his taxes.</p>
<ol>
<li> Does the boy need to put information about both parents on the UC and common applications? Address, phone, education and so on?</li>
</ol>
<p>Assuming boy can get the above information:</p>
<ol>
<li> Is the boy required to put father's income? (hard to determine, since father is not in contact with the family and hasn't been for some time.)</li>
</ol>
<p>This boy is very bright, has outstanding stats and is a URM, but will need maximum financial help to attend college.</p>
<p>there's no question of ethics. the bottom line is you should not risk being caught lying. Tell the truth.</p>
<p>Ignore clockstrawberry1 who in one breath decries the high cost of tuition (as if schools were a Lexus dealership or something) and then tells you to stick it to the system (and your fellow students) and get what you can. Don't compromise your principles just for a short term benefit (if any)</p>
<p>riverrunner, yes assuming the boy you are helping can get the information about the non custodial parent, it needs to be listed. If it cannot be due to no contact, the student should contact the school's financial aid office.<br>
I recently helped a similar student, however, her father was not listed on her birth certificate and the parents never married so we only had to list the mother's income and mother's information. She was also URM and ended up with a full ride at a state school.<br>
We specifically looked at the state schools because they have a special program for URM and the tuition/travel costs, etc. were reasonable.<br>
Private schools may be different, some will not meet full need. The boy you are helping should be careful to choose a spread of schools to guarantee acceptance at one that will meet full need.</p>
<p>Always tell the truth. Parents usually have no obligation to pay for college, whether they are marrried or not (often a divorce decree mandates that one or both parents pay). The financial aid system isn't perfect, but maybe by cheating you are taking $ away from some bright kid whose family has no resources. Try to persuade mom and dad to cover your EFC; $120,000 seems to be a fairly high income especially if you are an only child.</p>
<p>I don't see how this is an ethical "dilemma." Under what system of ethics is it proper to lie in order to gain an undeserved government benefit? What the OP's mom is proposing is not only unethical but also a federal crime.</p>
<p>Come to think of it dt123 is absolutely right. You are FORTUNATE enough to have parents earn a combined $180K per year. And you want to squeeze out someone else's FA reward so your parents' vacations can be a little sweeter next year? Or an upgraded SUV? </p>
<p>As I consider this, I have no patience with what you're proposing. If you do it, I hope you get caught. Half the world's population lives on less than US$2 per day. Your parents need to do what mine did and what I'll do for my kids: sacrifice money for your well being. If they aren't those kind of people, my condolences to you.</p>
<p>Really it is a moot point. If you are going to private schools they mostly require profile and you have to give the financial info of both parents (and their spouses if applicable).</p>
<p>to the OP,</p>
<p>looking through your posts it seems that you are interested in Tulane. In order to get FA from Tulane, you are required to submit the following:</p>
<p>
[quote]
General Requirements
Undergraduate students applying to or enrolled in a full-time division at Tulane University (Newcomb-Tulane College, School of Architecture, A.B. Freeman School of Business, School of Liberal Arts, School of Science and Engineering) must complete the 2007-2008 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the 2007-2008 College Scholarship Services (CSS) Financial Aid Profile to be considered for financial aid during the 2007-2008 academic year. Students who only file the FAFSA will be considered for federal aid only. Students who file the FAFSA and the CSS Profile will be considered for both federal and institutional aid. </p>
<p>Students can complete the FAFSA online at FAFSA</a> - Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Students who choose to complete their FAFSA online will need to register with the Department of Education for a PIN. Students who complete the FAFSA online MUST electronically sign their application OR print out, sign, and mail the “Signature Page” to the Central Processor; the application will not be processed until one form of signature is received. Tulane's school code for the FAFSA is 002029. </p>
<p>Students can register for and complete the CSS Financial Aid Profile application online at College</a> Board - SAT Registration - College Admissions and selecting "Paying for College" on student's home page . Tulane's school code for the CSS Profile is 6832. </p>
<p>
[/quote]
this means that Tulane will consider the income and assets of both your parents in determining your eligibility for FA.</p>
<p>Skidmore, Ursinus, Hampshire and Clark also require the CSS profile. </p>
<p>At the end of the day, you should consider yourself truly blessed that your parents combined income is $200,000 (and since your mom is an attorney -or atleast works for a law firm, she first hand should understand the legal ramifications involved with committing fraud).</p>
<p>Yea Sybbie. /That is the final word here. Who your custodial parent is, will only effect what the govt will kick in. Given your parents $$ numbers, you may not be eligible for aid from a school like Tulane. Run FAFSA with your father as your custodial parent and see if you even qualify for Pell. Otherwise it is just loan money that you can get even if you go that route.</p>
<p>Tell the truth. If the schools use only the FAFSA, they will consider only your custodial parent's income (that would be your mom). The FAFSA does not ask for information from the non-custodial parent (your dad). HOWEVER, check your schools, because schools that require the Profile will also require that your non-custodial parent complete a non-custodial parent form. For Profile schools, the income and assets of BOTH parents (and spouses if there are spouses) are considered for divorced parents. So...if any of your privates require the Profile, it won't matter...both parents will need to give their financial info for you to be considered for finaid at thoses schools.</p>