I was wondering if someone could give me some advice since I’m at a difficult situation. I don’t have any money for college and my family is in debt. Not only that, but my mother will not fill out the FAFSA since she believes I can just work my way through college (and she’s busy with a lot of family problems we’re having right now, so she doesn’t really have the time to help me through it).
I’ve considered just going to a community college, but it’s the same issue with the financial aid. I’ve been working part time all these years but it’s just not enough.
I’m in JROTC, and I’ve considered enlisting, but I’ve decided that I just don’t want to do that right now… what other choices do I have? Any suggestions will be welcomed!
If your mother will give you a copy of her income tax return for last year and copies of her bank statements, you can do the FAFSA yourself or ask your guidance counselor to help you. It isn’t too hard.
Yeah, my counselor told me that, but my mother won’t give me the info because according to her I’m supposed to “take responsibility for my own education”.
Maybe you can explain to her that by attempting to fill out the FAFSA you are taking responsibility for your education. Without knowing your specific situation ( and I don’t really want to know) I see one of two reasons she doesn’t want you to have the info for FAFSA 1. She doesn’t want you or the person assisting you to know her financial situation or she hopes that that she can keep you from going to college. I would ask your GC how to proceed.
NorthernMom, you can’t (legally) complete the FAFSA for another person. Each person (parent or student) must ‘sign’ the FAFSA with the pin number. What the parent needs to understand is that the FAFSA doesn’t obligate the parent for any loans and can lead to grants for the student.
OP, can your GC get your parents to meet and learn about college and financial aid? Another parent you know who could explain it? This info doesn’t come in the parents’ handbook, and it is very confusing even to parents who went to college themselves more than 20 years ago. I was shocked to learn my kids couldn’t become independent at 18 like I could, that I’d have to fill out FA forms for years even if I didn’t pay for college, that taxes could be owed on scholarships, that there might be tax credits available. No one knows this stuff until they have a 17 year old.
Has your mother gone to college? Is she a single mother or do you have another parent or relative in the picture?
Even if she went, things have changed A LOT in 20 years.
Does she understand that the FAFSA is basically the only way a student CAN go to college until they’re 24 (you can’t be declared independent until then unless you marry or enlist…)?
Does she expect you to live at home and work at a job until you’re 24, and then go to college, or does she expect you to attend college after high school?
Can a trusted adult talk to her - the guidance counselor, perhaps a pastor/imam/priest/rabbi?
FAFSA, as others have noted, is the way that you WILL be able to go to college. Even community college. I hope somebody can speak with your mom to explain this to her. FA can be a daunting and intimidating process but it doesn’t have to be if you have help with the process.
Hopefully, as someone noted, your mom has filed tax returns over the years.
Try to set up a meeting between your Mom and your guidance counsellor. The GC can explain it to her, because she probably won't listen to you.
You can complete the form for her, but she has to sign it. It is not very difficult.
It is possible that she did not file her taxes, as others have noted. GC can explain it is primarily about this year's taxes.
If she refuses to complete the form, then you are pretty stuck until you are 24, other than the ROTC option, or possibly living at home, work, and attend community college.
And a few give extra aid for filling out the FAFSA.
If you aren’t going to fill it out, make sure the FA office knows it. Last year our filing the FAFSA was delayed (well it was actually the verification that was delayed) and the school did not process a few types of merit aid because it was waiting to do the entire FA package once everything was received. I kept checking and checking and none of the merit aid was posted before the FAFSA was verified.
And depending on which state OP lives in and how far the CC is, she may well have to fill out FAFSA in order to be able to attend.
Pretty much, unless one has millionaire parents, you need FAFSA to go to college and parents’ signature until you’re 24, married, or have a child.
Colleges do not see you as responsible for your own education, financially, until you are 24 (or married, or got to court to be emancipated, maybe a few other conditions). They take into account parental income until you are 24 and require a FAFSA on both parental and student finances until you are 24. Your mother may not understand that the ONLY way to get financial aid is if parents do the FAFSA. Community college may be free, and other schools may be free or low cost, if your mother does this. She and you can say no to loans. Without the FAFSA there is no way you will be able to pay for college through working.