<p>Okay, I've found myself in a very scary position and I have no idea how I am going to be able to finance my education by myself. I am 17 and a senior in high school finishing up my last few weeks and plan to go to the University of Washington - Seattle in the fall quarter of 07. My parents are getting rid of me when I turn 18 and have clearly stated that they are not supporting my college education in any way whatsoever. Although I have a place to move into rent free (an aunt of mine who fortunately enough is willing to take me in) I do not know how I am going to pay for tuition and books. I will be living with my aunt in Woodinville which is about a half hour out of Seattle and commuting to and fro. I don't have the last idea of how I can pay for this college! Do I file myself as independent? Will I get enough money either in loans or grants by doing this? I will apply for scholarships left and right, but I will still need some kind of huge student loan.. How do I go about doing this? Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>Unfortunately you cannot file yourself as independent. The criteria for that is very strict <a href="http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/completing_fafsa/2007_2008/ques4.html%5B/url%5D">http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/completing_fafsa/2007_2008/ques4.html</a></p>
<p>You are in a difficult situation. The possible solutions would be to start off at a cheaper school - community college maybe - to get your basics out of the way. If you have good stats apply to schools where you would be eligible for good merit money. Work. Loans are a possibility - but to be eligible for financial aid type loans you need to submit FAFSA and you will need your parent's financial info - even if they will not help you financially the information must still be provided. Search for jobs with companies that helptheir employees with tuition. For instance UPS has such a program <a href="https://ups.managehr.com/benefits/earn.html%5B/url%5D">https://ups.managehr.com/benefits/earn.html</a></p>
<p>Good luck. There are ways to get yourself an education though you may have to follow a different path than that you have dreamed of such as maybe a different school, going part time etc..</p>
<p>Two words: community college.</p>
<p>Either that or rack up a whole bunch of debt. Remember that you can always transfer into UW after two years.</p>
<p>(this is assuming that community college costs less than UW, i dunno about your financials at UW)</p>
<p>As mellow stated community college should be your first line of defense. Most have honors programs and are very affordable. Also, many state schools have merit scholarships which are very generous. Elite schools can also be an option if your parents are low income, some like Harvard, Princeton and Yale have eliminated parental contributions for low income families so that could work for you but you would still need to have your parents tax info for the fafsa and css profile in order to maximize financial aid. Go go <a href="http://www.finaid.org%5B/url%5D">www.finaid.org</a> to calculate your expected family contribution.<br>
My advise is to apply to community college, state and private schools to give your self a mixture of options. Stay on good terms with your parents so they will give you the info you need to apply for aid but letting them know that this does not obligate them to pay anything. You should also write a special circumstances letter to each financial aid office letting them know you are on your own. Also, have a written statement from a professional who can validate your circumstances...I just did this for a senior who is in the same situation as you and she is now deemed an independent student as Univ. of Cincinnnati.</p>
<p>Other resources:</p>
<p>Try To Give Your Parents & Yourself a Tuition Break</p>
<p>Get a copy of 'How to Pay for College Without Going Broke' either the 2007 edition which is out now or the 2008 edition, which will be out in October, it is published by <a href="http://www.princetonreview.com%5B/url%5D">www.princetonreview.com</a>. Also, look for schools where you may qualify for merit aid such is those profiled by Loren Pope at <a href="http://www.ctcl.com%5B/url%5D">www.ctcl.com</a> and get to book, 'Peterson's Smart Choices: Honors Programs & College' 4th Edition, at <a href="http://www.peterson.com%5B/url%5D">www.peterson.com</a>.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the replies guys - now I at least have an idea of what my options are. Say that I am still committed to going to the University of Washington in the spring (which I really am, seeing that I have enrolled and all), I am estimating that I would have to come up with about 10K a year. I plan on working part time (and really appreciate the advice SCM suggested earlier about different companies that would help out with tuition), and I do expect that i can get my family's financial information seeing tha they wouldn't be paying anything on their side. Is this a possible route?
I don't expect it would be too hard to make 10K a year seeing that I would have a part time job (that would hopefully pay for some of my tuition or relieve me of some student loans) and would perhaps have the benefit of a government subsidized student loan.
The option of going to a communicty college honestly just really turns me off..</p>
<p>I think you might want to look to the laws of your state. You may be deemed emancipated and might be able to seek financial aid on this point.
I know I know I lnow that the college financial rules for independents state one thing but your state staututes might state another thing entirely.<br>
State statutes rule on this point.</p>
<p>yea, i am pretty sure you can get 10k per year...as long as you work full time in the summer and during winter break. Also, make sure you get on the plan where you pay in installments and not straight up.</p>
<p>See if ROTC is a possibility.</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <p>My parents are getting rid of me when I turn 18 >></p> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>I don't want to pry...but why is this? Do they think that you will be able to support yourself after 18 while going to college? What kinds of discussions did you have before your college application process re: what was going to happen after high school? I know that community college is not your first choice, but many folks with financial constraints find it to be a fine option. You could go there for a couple of years and then transfer to your state U for the degree years. It would save you money, and that money you earn while working could be put away to help finance the final two years at the state U. I am, however, concerned about your wording "get rid of me". In addition, what will you do for things like health insurance?</p>
<p>brooklynmom, I'm sorry, but state statutes do not rule on financial aid issues. FAFSA is a Federal program; Federal rules trump state rules. And unless a state statute specifically says that all private colleges in their state must treat 18 year olds as financially emancipated from their parents for institutional financial aid, state laws regarding age of majority simply do not apply to the financial aid process. There is no right to financial aid.</p>
<p>That being said, since this is a public university, Washington State may have some rules about proving financial independence from one's parents. Unlikely, but check with UW's financial aid office.</p>
<p>yes, you need to make an appt. with the financial aid office and get their help/advice...BTW, I hope you have been applying for scholarships already!</p>
<p>you mentioned that you weren't all that enthused with attending a community college and I know that after thinking that you would be attending a four year college, is isn't what you were hoping to do -- but have you considered that even if you attend the Univ. of Washington, that you will not truly be experiencing the "college life" you might think they offer? As a commuter student who will need to work to pay her way through school, you will be very limited in the time you have for anything other than just class. It might not only be cheaper to go to the community college, but you might fine that it is easier -- if it is closer, you cut down on commute time and transportation costs, many CC kids work full or part-time jobs and often the basic classes are excellent and smaller than the same basic class at the university.</p>
<p>If the state staute says that a child is emancipated then the statute rules-sorry you are incorrect in your thinking.</p>
<p>Once a person is legally emancipated from their parents-then they are adults -they take on a new set of rules.</p>
<p>from <a href="http://www.finaid.org/questions/glossary.phtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.finaid.org/questions/glossary.phtml</a>
[quote]
Emancipated
To release a child from the control of a parent or guardian. Declaring a child to be legally emancipated is not sufficient to release the parents or legal guardians from being responsible for providing for the child's education. If this were the case, then every parent would "divorce" their children before sending them to college. The criteria for a child to be found independent are much stricter. See Dependency Status.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes, once a person is a legal adult, there is a different set of rules for them. However, that does not affect what other private individuals may consider in dealing with them. A bank can require a legal adult to have a co-signer before giving a loan, even though the adult can enter into a binding contract. Unless there is something specific in the law that states that colleges cannot consider parental income for financial aid purposes for a legal adult, they can do so.</p>
<p>Do you have any citations to the contrary, brooklynmom? Are you aware of any state laws anywhere that say that a college cannot require parental information, or that have been interpreted that way?</p>
<p>To be considered independent for Federal Funding, you must answer at least one of these questions as yes:</p>
<p>Born before January 1, 84
Working on Master degree or higher.
Married as of the date you complete the FAFSA
Have children who receive more than half of their support from you.
Have dependents other than child or spouse who receive more than half of their support from you.
Both parents deceased or (until age 18) considered to be a ward/dependent of the state.
Currently serving in the armed forces
Veteran of the armed forces.</p>
<p>If you cannot answer yes to any of those questions, emancipated or not, you will not be considered independent for federal funding. Emancipation is NOT the same as being a ward/dependent of the state. Being considered an adult at the age of 18 does not make you independent for Federal Funding purposes. It doesn't matter what the state laws are...Federal Funding is governed by federal laws; federal laws supercede state laws; and dependency for Federal Funding is spelled out in black and white by DOE.</p>
<p>ipwn, tuition at UW last quarter was $2041 (includes Metro pass) and at a CC it's $800 - $900 depending on the campus. In other words, every credit that you can get at a community college cuts your cost/credit in half. By the time you graduate nobody will know or care where you spent the first year or two, the diploma is the same. As long as your last 2 years (90 credits) are at UW you can be Magna cum Laude with the best of them. If you can at least do fall and winter quarters at Bellevue or another location it will provide you with a big savings. You are in an unusual situation and may have to do things differently than your high school classmates. That will take some time to adjust to, please don't write off a great choice until you look into things more.</p>
<p>You could move in with your aunt, take a gap year and do Americorps. You'll earn about $200 a week that you could save for college. At the end of your Americorps year, Americorps gives you $4,700 to use for college. That will cut your first year costs a lot.</p>
<p>Afterward, if you work during the summer --50-60 hours a week, plus work at least 10 hours a week during the school year, you should be able to afford U Wash while taking out relatively low loans. The average student in the U.S. takes out $20,000 in loans to pay for a total of 4 years of college.</p>
<p>Americorps is in Seattle, and there's a CC parent whose daughter was an Americorps volunteer for a year there before going to college. My S is completing a gap year as an Americorps volunteer, and it has been a very valuable experience for him. There even are some colleges that will match Americorps $4,700 to help with college expenses. Americorps also could help you qualify for community-service based scholarships that many colleges offer.</p>