My first thought was that the child will not be granted permanent disability status, but it is possible. Some people are able to qualify because they know the system. A former classmate of my daughter’s (age about 23) is applying for permanent disability because he cannot function outside his home and it’s getting worse. He had issues in secondary school, but no one thought they would restrict his lifestyle to this extent.
This student might have other issues because of the diabetes. The father might have been advised by experts he knows because of his own disabilities that the child will qualify.
True…
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he cannot function outside his home and it's getting worse
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Sounds like someone who couldn’t go to college full time, either.
However, IMHO…if a person is so disabled that they could never earn an income, then it’s likely they can’t go to college full-time either. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case, here. Sounds like the intent is for the student to get an education and be employed after graduation.
Unless I’m reading this incorrectly, this kiddo is already a college student. The issue is money is not readily available to pay for the upcoming year(s).
Perhaps the student should take a leave of absence…and use it to sort out finances…and work.
In addition, if this student has a disability that would hamper ability to work, I would suggest contacting the vocational rehab department in your state. Perhaps they can be of some help…IF the student is disabled.
And to the OP…did you EVER request professional judgement or a special circumstances consideration? Did you?
That said, they’re really cracking down on labeling people as being fully-disabled and qualifying for Disability payments because it’s so abused. Too many are collecting monthly checks, food stamps and getting free healthcare, while also working under the table. It’s become a huge scam.
I know a guy going to the Harvard extension school. No intention of every working more than 10%. Has too many issues but wants to go to college. He has his tuition and expenses for his family paid for, they receive benefits from different programs, and it’s what he wants to do.
Last month I was riding the mall bus (lots of homeless on it) and a guy started telling another guy about starting a master’s program because he already had an AA, a BA, and a masters so his government programs would only pay for another masters or higher. Didn’t matter what the degree was in but it gave him something to do and it was free to him. This guy was polite and had offered me his seat but it was pretty clear he was wearing his belonging and would never work. There are 6 or more college programs downtown, so he’ll just go to one that will be paid for.
I think it’s the outrage we’re responding to, no indication of what they did to try to make college affordable or what options they chose among. The CSS would have allowed info about medical.
With no idea what college, not even a hint, we have no frame of reference. But we do know many Fafsa only schools just don’t have the money to give.
@mom2collegekids You’re a bit confused. The program that pays tuition for disabled students is called Vocational Rehab. It is not the same as federal supplemental security income disabilty (which is actually not a social security program, it’s administered by the same bureaucracy to save the government money, but not paid for by the social security trust fund). Vocational rehab is to keep people off the programs you are referring to in post #23.
Vocational rehab is block-granted to the states to dole out as they see fit. I’ve seen a kid with very obvious disabilities (literally just one usable arm/hand) denied, and in another state a kid with ADHD getting free community college tuition. It is possible that a student with diabetes could qualify for vocational rehab but it depends entirely on her state and quite possibly on the whim of her rehab caseworker.
@PLS__Help , I hope that you are not taking offense at these posts, but are able to glean some very helpful and important information from them. It is true that looking for significant aid is something that starts well before college applications are submitted and often requires modification of what would otherwise be “the list,” but I think that many people are unaware of that until too late. The idea of taking a gap year and starting over after realizing that the application strategy did not yield the desired result is very daunting to most people.
You sound like a caring and committed parent, and I imagine you are unhappy that you were not able to contribute more financially and in other ways due to your disability. If you listen to the advice here, I believe you will be able to contribute to your child’s current situation in a very productive way now through seeking more aid from the current school due to extraordinary medical expenses and/or helping the child chart a new education plan that would be more affordable.
Your child has been able to perform well so far in college and appears to have a bright future, one which can be pursued via a variety of paths. I wish you the best of luck.
@AroundHere not sure what you’re talking about. I wasn’t talking about any thing that pays for disabled students’ tuition.
@mom2collegekids You were complaining that a diabetic shouldn’t get disability checks. There is at least some possibility that this student’s medical condition would qualify them for a vocational rehab tuition program, but that would not be the same thing as collecting disability checks given to people who cannot work.
@AroundHere
Upstream someplace, I suggested contacting vocational rehab…once the student is deemed disabled. Sometimes they DO provide tuition…but it has to be for a program that will lead to realistic job potential.
But back to the subject.
I honestly do NOT see any discrimination based on what the OP wrote. Unreimbursed, essential expenses ARE considered by colleges, but the applicant has to ask for this to be considered. And it has to be real expenses…not future ones or possible ones. But especially with someone on permanent disability…many colleges would work with the family to deal with the added financial issues medical expenses present.
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
What else is there to say? The thread has strayed off the original topic, so closing.