Cutting the "financial cord" to become eligible for financial aid?

Parent Cafe
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<p>Back in the dark ages, when I was planning to go to grad school, I "declared" myself financially independent from my parents to improve my ability to get financial aid. I had some scholarship money and took some small loans; I did not move home for the last 2 years at my UC and worked part time. When I applied for grad school I was eligible for financial aid based on my own paltry income and took another small loan to make it work for the first year out of state. Once I had established residency out of state, I became eligible for in state tuition as a grad student. </p>

<p>So here's my question: Anyone heard of kids these days going it on their own to make themselves eligible for financial aid based on their own income.......by "biting the bullet" the first year or two with loans and not take support from parents. After college/grad school, parents can help the student pay back those loans from the early years.</p>

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<p>I'm not an expert on financial aid by any means, but I do not believe what you're saying is possible. That's why kids whose parents refuse to pay for college have so much trouble. They don't qualify for much financial aid, if any, even though they're not getting help from their parents.</p>

<p>Correct me if I'm wrong.</p>

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<p>According to fafsa u must be 24 to declare yourself independent. S is 24 now and returning to college:)</p>

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<p>Corranged, I think you're talking about undergrad whereas OP is referring to grad school.</p>

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<p>Back in the mid-70's when I went to Cornell nursing school, my memory is that I applied based on my own income (just about zero, as a Head Start teacher in WV). I had been out of school for a year working, but I was only 21. Maybe my memory is faulty. When we visited Evergreen State last year, we met more than one undergrad who had established residency in WA to get instate tuition there. They said it was common.</p>

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<p>Establishing residency is not that difficult - it depends on the state, but in many states it simply requires living independently in the state for a year prior to application. Proof that the person was self-supporting, such as pay stubs and a tax return - and other indicia of residency, such as getting a driver's license, registering to vote, signing a lease, and utility bills mailed to the local address would all help establish the residency. </p>

<p>Qualifying for financial aid is a different matter -- no matter how truly independent, an undergraduate student will be treated as "dependent" and parental income included up to the year that the student turns 2. A grad student will be presumed to be independent, however... and a young student living on his or her own can also gain "independent" status by marrying. (Pretty dumb idea for most 18 year olds, but certainly a reasonable course of action for many 22 year olds).</p>

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<p>Op is a grad student so s/he will be considered an independent student (regardless of age) because a first bachelors has been completed.</p>

<p>while OP will not need parents information for FA purposes (totall different situation if considering professional school) OP needs to keep in mind that most of the financial aid at the masters level is in the form of students loans (as you can now borrow 20k through stafford)</p>

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<p>Sybbie, the OP didn't ask about her own situation --she is past that point in her life. The question is in the 2nd paragraph (after the words, "here's my question"): "Anyone heard of kids these days going it on their own to make themselves eligible for financial aid based on their own income.......by "biting the bullet" the first year or two with loans and not take support from parents"</p>

<p>That's the question that was asked, so that' the one I answered.</p>

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<p>The rules have changed significantly since <em>we</em> were college students. It is very difficult for undergraduate students to declare themselves independent for financial aid purposes (note...different from TAX purposes). To be independent for finaid purposes, the undergrad student must be an orphan, or a parent of a dependent child who they support, or a veteran, or married, or a ward of the state, or over the age of 24, or finished with their first bachelor's degree. The financial aid folks don't really care how a child supports themselves if they don't meet the above criteria. There are a number of threads about this and related (getting in state tuition) in the financial aid section of this forum.</p>

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<p>Thanks all. It was the 24 year old info that I did not know. I was only 20 when I did it on my own...............</p>

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<p>Oh, too bad it's been changed. It was a real life-saver for me back then. I guess we had a very good deal back then with lower tuition and looser rules--who knew?</p>

<p>Yeah, I know residency is a different issue, but it's a good way to save some money.</p>