CSS Confusion (Separation-Bad Timing)

<p>I've applied to Barnard ED, and I'm stuck in a weird position for the CSS Profile due the 17th.</p>

<p>I haven't spoken to my father since May (and no attempts the other way around), he moved thousands of miles away, and I don't know an address, etc. My parents were married my entire childhood; it was after my mom got sick my sophomore year of high school that my dad cracked, went a little crazy, and left us in about the worst way possible. I'm not trying to throw a pity party here, but I want to make it clear that this isn't an "I see him every other weekend, send him the noncustodial login and he'll get it done" situation.</p>

<p>The thing is that my parents filed taxes jointly up until and including 2013, and weren't legally separated until Spring of 2014. So does the situation with my dad not even matter for the purposes of this CSS? That is to say, do I put their current marital status as married because of the tax return I'm using to fill the form out? Would that make the noncustodial parent form a non issue for now? ~X( </p>

<p>It sounds like the current marital status is decidedly separated, I don’t see any question about that, so that is what you should put. But you are saying that you then don’t have your Dad’s info to fill out to estimate for this year? I think your mother needs to handle this and figure it out. For FAFSA it is really clear that you can just put your mother’s info for this year. I would say to email the college about it, but you have left it awfully late. Maybe someone else will have a better suggestion.</p>

<p>The CSS asks for an estimate of 2014 income, and tells you to use 2013 to estimate. I’d use just your mother’s info, and file the request for a NCP waiver with the basis being you don’t know where he is. </p>

<p>Your parents are considered separated.</p>

<p>I think you should try to get a NCP waiver. Contact the school and find out what they need for this.</p>

<p>You may need to have a reliable third party that knows the situation that can write that the dad essentially abandoned the family shortly after your mom became ill. They are likely familiar with situations where one spouse can’t handle serious situations and abandons the family. We know of a family where the dad abruptly left the family when a child was diagnosed with a serious heart issue, so likely the school has heard of such situations. </p>

<p>I sure hope that your mom is doing better. </p>

<p>You need to ask Barnard to change your app to RD-- you might want to contact financial aid first, explain the situation, and ask whether they would be able to give you an answer about an NCP waiver consistent with ED deadlines. But without that commitment, you are boxing yourself in financially in a bad way. </p>

<p>No one who relies on financial aid and has a complicated financial situation should ever apply ED. </p>

<p>I agree with Calmom. You don’t have time to sort out the financial aid issues with any college for ED. You might get a NCP waiver, but you might not.</p>

<p>Apply RD…unless you can afford to be a full pay at Barnard.</p>