I am confused as to how to answer some of the questions on the financial aid application and whether I’m even qualified for federal aid considering my current situation. As stated in the title, I am 24 years of age who still lives with their parents. While my parents do provide me food and roof over my head, they aren’t able to fully cover some of the school expenses beyond textbooks and a few units worth of courses. There is no income for me to speak of since I was discouraged from working after high school and it has now proven to be a disadvantage since the lack of experience for someone my age has made it difficult to secure any job interviews. The only job I think I’ll have a shot at anytime soon is being a bio/calculus tutor and a bio supplementary instructor at my CC this fall. But still the pay I would be getting from those won’t be enough to cover my full-time student expenses for the fall and spring semesters. The most important thing I hope to get from the said positions is job experience and something to pad my future applications with.
Anyway, considering my current situation, how will providing or not providing my parent’s info on the FAFSA site affect my chances (if any) of receiving financial aid?
Also, how do I specify that I am still living with them and not by myself? I ask because the household size tool tip that appears at the side only suggests listing people that receive financial support from me which is currently 0. However, our current household includes me, my parents, and a younger sibling.
You just answer the questions asked. “Address” is where you live. “Age”. “Income from 2016 taxes” (If you didn’t file, then you answer that as ‘no’ and you will probably have to submit a statement of non-filing.
Once you answer that you are 24, I think the ‘skip logic’ of the form will then ‘gray out’ any questions from you parents. If it asks about amounts you receive from others, read the questions carefully as it may exclude the basic support (I don’t know how those questions for independent students are worded).
I think you’re underestimating your ability to get a job. Most retail jobs hire 16+ and welcome first time job seekers. Target, Walmart, Chile’s, Walgreens, CVS, etc. all are great places to get a first job, no experience needed.
Or, be a clerk/level 1 secretary (no experience needed with many level 1 secretary jobs) at the desired school to get free employee tuition.
Most forms grey out the “parent questions” for those your age and above. If the form doesn’t let you skip the parent questions, you might have to fill them out.
I agree with @finallyastudent - if you want a job, then unless you are living in an area with abysmal unemployment rates, you should be able to find a retail or wait staff job. Perhaps you’ve been looking in the wrong places.
Yeah, I pretty much got up to here: " There is no income for me to speak of since I was discouraged from working after high school and it has now proven to be a disadvantage since the lack of experience for someone my age has made it difficult to secure any job interviews."
Here’s my question: At what point in your life will that excuse no longer be valid? I mean, from your point of view, the older you get, the more of a hindrance that disadvantage is going to be. So are you planning to NEVER get a job because you were discouraged from working when you were 18??
My 17 year old daughter is spending her 3rd summer working at an Italian Ice stand. Her 19 year old brother spent the summers after 9th and 10th grade walking dogs, then got a job in a local supermarket, where he’s been for 3 years. Neither had any experience when they started.
My 14 year old is planning to get a job next summer. We won’t let her look this summer. But I can pretty much promise you that this time next year she’ll have a job, even though she has no experience.
My point is that there ARE jobs out there for people with no experience. Hey, if things are that rough, get some volunteer experience to put on your resume.
You mention tutoring… why aren’t you tutoring high school kids?
But at some point-- and I think it was several years ago-- the “my mom and dad didn’t want me to get a job when I was 16” becomes worse than a crutch-- it becomes a punchline.
I don’t think FAFSA is the overriding issue here.
But to answer you asked, reply #1 gave you what you asked for…
OK, 20 minutes later: I owe you an apology. My response was unkind. I don’t know you or what else is happening in your life. I don’t know what other factors there are that are keeping you from working.
But if it’s simply a case of misinformation-- of honestly believing that a lack of experience is the issue, then let me name some places that hire people without experience— places where the friends of my own kids work:
Supermarkets
Fast food
Starbucks. (And they have a tuition reimbursement program as well.)
I think @bjkmom has a valid point, though. The longer you wait to start work, the more difficult it will be. I don’t think it will matter for FAFSA. I think you’ll just be flagged for verification. If you’re low income, you may get work study at your school. Take whatever job you can get there. If you’re in an area without many job prospects, getting a job at the CC could be a good place to start.
You’re an independent student and will have an EFC of 0. You don’t support your family so why would you include them??? And 0 is 0 anyway. You wouldn’t get more aid because they exist.
Stop making excuses. Many McDonalds hold interviews every afternoon or every Tuesday or whatever. They hire anybody and everybody. You don’t need experience to get a job at a local retail store like CVS, Walgreens, etc.
In the meantime, start tutoring high school students, etc, so you’ll create a resume and experience.
My kids had a really hard time finding jobs this summer. We live in a very competitive area.
My son signed up to be a tutor, and the company hired him but he did not receive any clients all summer.
My dd2 got a job after putting in more than about 20 applications. She’s working in food services at a zoo.
The point is that you have to be tenacious about looking for jobs but you have to be willing to grovel and work at anything. You cannot afford to be picky.
Want to know how to find work without work experience? Contact your state Dept of Rehab. They help adults without skills find employment. They offer resume classes, placements with companies that work with them, etc.
Another place to find a job with zero skills is Goodwill. They have the mission of helping adults get on their feet.
Are they necessarily the jobs you want? Maybe not. But, you will get work experience and earn $$.
I am a parent who discouraged my children from working in HS. I had to work from age 14 to support myself and i wanted my children to enjoy their childhoods and teen years. I sometimes, but not often, regret not forcing them to work.
A couple of years ago, my son was 25 and had virtually zero work experience he could put on a resume other than a stint at Domino’s as a driver. He primarily worked off the books delivering for an Italian restaurant. When I told him he needed a job because my health insurance was ending, he went to a local version of BestBuy that focused on computers and used his home grown computer skills to get a job as a cashier. When he wasn’t made permanent (eligible for health insurance) after 3 months, he took the test for the USPS about 18 months ago. He is now working as a mailman on a temporary certification but he has health insurance and is apparently good at what he does because several other PO’s in the area frequently request him as a fill in. He thinks he will be permanent by this time next year at the latest. He didn’t like college and after 4 semesters, when I pulled the plug, had 10 - 14 credits (the higher number is if he returns to his last school because the D in German won’t transfer but will count there).
I am hoping that my son will return to school so he can go into management but the cost will be on him because he’s over 24.
Good luck to you, OP, there are jobs out there. If you can type, you can do data entry.
If you want to find a job fast, look for dog boarding facilites/vets offices in your area. They always need people to work as a kennel tech- clean, walk dogs, feed them, etc. At the last facility I worked at we hired anyone who walked through the door. I’ve never gone to an interview at one of them and not been given a job. It’s not the most glamorous job, but you will gain experience and start earning money.