<p>I've already submitted my FAFSA but I just realized something potentially horrible. The FAFSA considered me as an independent student because I was briefly in foster care after the age 13 but, other than that, I'm completely a dependent student. My father supports me 100% and I don't have any financial information whatsoever. So, I decided to report mine and my dad's information on the application, while being considered independent, just to be safe.</p>
<p>The problem is that my dad has lived in California for 5 years and therefore is definitely a resident. I, on the other hand, have only been living in California since June 2012 but with no concrete resident status other than the fact that's when I started living with my dad and attending school in California (no driver's license, etc) . And all of the colleges I'm applying to are in California. Before, I thought I would be considered an in-state resident for sure because my dad had been living here for so long and I would be an dependent student. However, now that I'm an independent student, I'm not sure if I will be considered an in-state resident solely based on my info if I've lived in the state for less than 2 years thus far. Or would my dad's residency still count for mine despite my classification being an independent student.</p>
<p>Sorry for being so long-winded. What do you guys think about my situation? Any help would be appreciated and thank you.</p>
<p>Dependency for FAFSA is not necessarily related to residency for in-state tuition and fees. You need to read pick up the phone and call the public colleges and universities that are on your list, and ASK how the residency is determined in your case.</p>
<p>Then go back into the FAFSA and fix the business about being independent, because you are.</p>
<p>I’m not sure why you included your parent financial information when the FAFSA deemed you independent. Why did you do that?</p>
<p>You need to get a CA drivers license. You need to register to vote when you are 18. If you have a part time job in CA, that would also help show your residency.</p>
<p>Check EACH college as requirements for instate residency vary wildly!</p>
<p>I’m surprised fafsa presented the parent questions once you met the independent requirements. </p>
<p>So you will have attended a CA high school for 2 years and will graduate from a CA HS? I don’t know what the rules are specifically but that should help. Usually the residency rules are posted on each school’s website and if you’re not sure after reading them, contact the schools.</p>
<p>I googled UC Irvine Residency at random and found this:</p>
<p>[UCI</a> University Registrar - RESIDENCE CLASSIFICATION FOR TUITION PURPOSES](<a href=“http://www.reg.uci.edu/residency/classification.html]UCI”>UCI University Registrar - RESIDENCE CLASSIFICATION FOR TUITION PURPOSES)</p>
<p>You can google the schools you are applying to.</p>
<p>I chose to include my parent’s information because I felt guilty. I’m not really independent, in any way, and I wanted to include other information in case my situation worked against me or one of my colleges required parental information on the fafsa regardless of dependency status. </p>
<p>I will be getting a CA permit this month but not a license until July or August. And I’m turning 18 in August. But, I will have been in CA for 2 years by June this year and will graduate from a CA high school.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions.</p>