Constantly changing custodial terms and F.A.

Paying for College
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<p>Hello, I'm a senior in h.s. and I'm applying for fall 2013 admissions at Georgetown, Penn, Columbia, NYU, Cornell, GWU, Johns Hopkins, Villanova, and Fordham (and a few others where I'm an excellent candidate for good merit aid). I am so confused about my current financial situation and how aid will work for me, I was hoping maybe someone with experience around here may have an idea. </p>

<p>So, over 2012 my custodial arrangement has gone from mother primary father partial, father sole mother none but paying child support solely in the form of paying for my insurance, to emancipated minor (this wasn't what was desired or every indicated by me, but there was a mix up with the court, which should be resolved by the end of the month before the holiday) so hopefully back to father full, and mother none (as she refuses to talk to me, my dad, or even her own father).</p>

<p>Does anyone have an idea on how this will effect my financial aid? Under both parents I qualify for a lot of aid and I'm a first-gen college student. Basically I act mostly independent, and my grandfathers help contribute expenses (as my dad can't afford much), while I live with my father and one of my grandfathers in a suburban house owned by said grandfather. I have asked my h.s. guidance councilor for help, and though she is very helpful, she has never dealt with a situation like mine, but she's trying to find an advisor I can talk to. </p>

<p>I've read that emancipated minors don't really get much aid if any, but I live with my dad, he's supposed to be my primary custodian, and I should be able to report him as my father on FAFSA and CSS. </p>

<p>Thank you so much if you've read all of this rambling, I really really appreciate it. :)</p>

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<p>For your FA your father will be your custodial parent but most of those schools will consider the income of both parents. It sounds like they don’t make much money together so you should still get good aid at most of those schools (don’t hold out any hope for NYU - notorious for bad aid). I hope you have some other schools where you can get some good merit aid.</p>

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<p>Yes, as Erin’s Dad indicated, since you’re living with your father, he’d be considered your custodial parent for both CSS and FAFSA . . . regardless of what the court orders say. So, don’t worry about all the changing court orders - they shouldn’t make any difference at all.</p>

<p>However, if your mother refuses to speak with you, you’re going to have a problem with the schools that require non-custodial parent financial info . . . unless perhaps you got that before she stopped speaking to you? Telling the schools that she refuses to cooperate is not likely to fly . . . they hear that all the time, and it usually means the non-custodial parent has buckets of money and doesn’t want to pay for school. I realize that’s not the case here, but if she really refuses to cooperate, it’s going to be an uphill battle to convince the schools of that. Try to get her to participate, and if she really isn’t willing to, see if you can get a statement from a neutral third party (your school counselor, perhaps?) explaining what the problem is.</p>

<p>Good luck with college . . . and I’m sorry it’s been such a difficult year for you.</p>