<p>I know that the CSS PROFILE requires financial information from both parents, but my mother is refusing to ever give me the proper forms. My father was awarded custody of me just prior to my freshman year in high school. So I have not lived with her for roughly 3 years. My father makes about $85,000 and my mother makes somewhere between $20,000 and $35,000 a year. I was wondering what I'm supposed to do. Any help is always greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>It sounds like your mom is your non-custodial parent. She would need to complete the non-custodial parent form for the Profile. There is NO NEED for her to share the information with you or your dad. This can (and should) be sent directly to the college board. This form and the information on it are NOT shared with the rest of the family. The information is submitted to the college(s) and the colleges determine how they use that non-custodial information. </p>
<p>I haven't looked on the college board website, but perhaps there is some information there you could share with your mom so that she KNOWS that her information is not going to be seen by you or your dad. Perhaps this is her concern.</p>
<p>Her concern is not sharing information with myself or my dad. She is simply hard headed (for the lack of a better term). I do not believe she will fill out the Non-custodial parent for either, just to be difficult.</p>
<p>Marine...you need to sit down and have a talk with your mom. Is there some other trusted adult who could help you?</p>
<p>If not apply to FAFSA only schools whereby your mom's info isn't required.</p>
<p>Well...I live in Tennessee while my mother and two siblings live in Nebraska. The court case that determined I would live with my father was not very...pretty. Without going into all of the details on this public forum, there is a strong chance that she will not fill out the proper forms just because of spite. I apologize for seeming difficult but there is little I can do in convincing my mother. However I am not doing all of this at the last second. I'm trying to gather information so I will be ready to apply for everything next year.</p>
<p>AS thumper said - make sure you include some FAFSA only schools in your applications as FAFSA does not require the non custodial parent information. Some schools that require CSS/profile may grant a waiver for the non custodial parent info in certain situations. You would have to talk to the schools about that.</p>
<p>Well almost every prestigious private school uses CSS PROFILE. So there is a chance that I could not attend a college because my mother refuses to fill out a form. That is not just.</p>
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<p>Marine...there are a lot of WONDERFUL colleges that do NOT require the Profile. Only 300 or so colleges use the Profile and there are over 4000 four year colleges in this country. Surely you can find a school that is wonderful that does not require the Profile.</p>
<p>And you may be able to get a waiver of the non-custodial parent Profile. You will have to contact the colleges directly and be prepared to provide documentation as to why you should have this. If this includes something like a court order or contentious situation, you need to be prepared to document this. </p>
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<blockquote> <p>there is a chance that I could not attend a college because my mother refuses to fill out a form. That is not just.>></p> </blockquote>
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<p>What isn't "just" about it? The financial aid system for schools using the Profile non-custodial parent form says that both parents are responsible for paying for college. It's not against YOU....this is for all students applying to those schools in the same situation.</p>
<p>I just do not believe that anyone's college choices should be limited because they are in a situation similar to my own. I know that there are plenty of great colleges out there that do not require CSS PROFILE, but the colleges that I want to attend do require it.</p>
<p>then contact them and ask them what you need to do if your mother won't fill out the form. We here can't answer that for you.</p>
<p>There are a lot of kids in your situation. My friends kids did not get aid from their colleges because their father refused to fill out PROFILE. Just flat refused to do it and did not budge. Not that it would have made much difference since his input would eliminated any chance for financial aid since he makes a lot of money. </p>
<p>You can contact schools and ask for exception. If you have had no contact with your mother and she is considered to have deserted you, there is a form/letter that your counselor can provide. But I am telling you right out that this did not help the kids I know. Schools are looking at this very strictly. It is not fair but with limited resources the colleges cannot fool around with these situations. If your own parents won't cooperate to pay for college, then why should they? That's the way it works.</p>
<p>Your best route is to be able to sweet talk your mom into filling out the form. I would run through a few sample PROFILEs to see if you will get much or anything from the colleges you are eyeing. Since your family income will be in 6 figures, the fin aid may not be the windfall you are thinking it may be. If it looks good, then it might be worthwhile paying her a visit, giving her a good pitch, beg, and even paying her to do it, or doing it with her. Sometimes you have to humble yourself to get what you want in these tricky situations when spite, pride, emotion are involved.</p>
<p>when my son was applying to colleges that required Profile, I sent copies of my son's birth certificate with NO FATHER listed. Not sure what more they could ask for (I could have sent 18 years of tax returns showing no support payment)</p>
<p>Colleges would not grant waiver. He is at a FAFSA only school (and a prestigious one at that, NYU)</p>
<p>My son's good friend got a waiver from Northwestern when his father refused to respond. There was a record of zero financial support (no child support at all, ever) for the kid's entire life.</p>
<p>It's defnitely worth explaining your situation to the FA offices at the schools you want to apply to. As others have said in this thread already, waiving the non-custodial parent Profile form is entirely at the schools' discretion and they may well say no. You need to be able to live with that and open your mind up more to FAFSA only schools. There is much that is 'not fair' about college admissions and paying for college. It's life. There are people with far more difficult and painful situations than yours, and situations that are none of their own making.</p>
<p>Countless other students' college choices are very limited by family circumstances. Perhaps they should not be, but college, like k-12 education, health care, housing, transportation, employment opportunities... all these things are necessary, basic aspects of living a productive and secure life, but they are --unfortunately-- generally taken for granted only by the very fortunate.</p>
<p>There are some great college options at FAFSA only schools. Does your state univ. have an honors college? Those can be a brilliant option for kids in situations like yours.</p>
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I just do not believe that anyone's college choices should be limited because they are in a situation similar to my own. I know that there are plenty of great colleges out there that do not require CSS PROFILE, but the colleges that I want to attend do require it.
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<p>I think you are railing at the wrong people. When it comes to financing your college education ** the line starts with **your parents. When your parents are uncooperative or refuse to pay for your education, they are essentially saying let someone elses parents pay for your education -this is where the endowment $$ comes from; other peoples parents. If it were this easy, everyone would simply disown their kids, refuse to fillout paperwork, rail about not paying and every one would get FA. Unfortunately FA does not work that way and the same standards are applied to everyone. </p>
<p>It is up to you if you know that you have an uncooperative parent is to choose a school where you will not need the other parent's information, or find a school where you can get merit $$ (if you believe you are a contender for Yale and the ivies, then there are schools where you could be a contender for merit $$).</p>
<p>With the current economy and many colleges taking losses to their endowment, I think waivers based on a parent's unwillingness to fill out the paperwork may be harder to get (While your father has custody of you, has he lost his parental rights to your sibling who live with your mother? has your mother been stripped of her parent rights to you? Is there a support order going either way: your mother providing support for you or your father providing support for your siblings? This will consitute contact and make you ineligible for a waiver).</p>
<p>Most colleges that require the CSS Profile do not require the non-custodial parent to fill out the form. Check this list to see if the colleges you're interested in require it:</p>
<p>But also check with the school's own website. Some may not require the CSS non custodial form but do require their own non-custodial form. For instance Princeton and Notre Dame are listed as not requiring the CSS non-custodial parent form but they do require that their own non custodial parent form be completed.</p>
<p>As with every question about financial aid on CC - it is essential you check with the actual schools you are interested in for their policies.</p>
<p>I would like to apologize to everyone for seeming difficult. I appreciate the help and I will take your advice. Thank-you very much.</p>
<p>Marine4Life, I do not think the way financial aid is calculated is fair. You are an adult for legal purposes at age 18, but your parents involvement is essential for getting college financial aid. If your parents refuse to cooperate, you are limited. It puts those kid who have supportive, informed, able parents at a huge advantage. That is the way the system works in this country.</p>