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<blockquote> <p>Anyone heard of kids these days going it on their own to make themselves eligible for financial aid based on their own income>></p> </blockquote>
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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>