<p>After tons of trouble, I've finally decided to take a year off and apply to school for the fall semester. However, I'm a bit confused as to how colleges view me for both financial aid and acceptance purposes. Are they going to judge me the same way they do the the high school seniors or are they going to think less of me? </p>
<p>I was looking at colleges for the spring, but I think I might ruin my chances for aid I try to do that. Right now, I'm just trying to find a good school financially and academically, which is feeling kind of hard to do. I'm also going to begin working full-time and I'm trying to find a part-time job at night, so I'm afraid my EFC is going to skyrocket. My mother still believes I can file independent for FAFSA, and when I tell her otherwise she gets upset at me calling her a liar. She's still not contributing and feels college is bonus in life if you can afford it, not a necessity. Regardless, I'm just trying to make everything work out to the best that it can.</p>
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My mother still believes I can file independent for FAFSA, and when I tell her otherwise she gets upset at me calling her a liar.
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<p>You are right. Unless you fulfill one of the following categories:</p>
<p>You are married
You are over 24 years old
You are a veteran
You have a child for whom you provide more than 50% of their support
you have completed a first bachelors degree
you were a ward of state before you turned 18 years old</p>
<p>You will be considered an dependent student for financial aid purposes. So if you work (or in your case work a full and a part time job) your income as well as your parent(s) income will be a factor in determining your EFC. Depending on how much you make your EFC will "skyrocket."</p>
<p>Sad to say that there are many parents who feel the same way as your mom. Your best bet would be to make sure that you choose a school that is financially feasible for you to attend. Since you are looking for a job You should consider trying to get some type of entry level postition at a corporation that offers tuition aid benefits (these tuition aid benefits would extend to everyone from the mailroom to the CEO's office). You may have to attend school on a part time basis and perhaps even go locally, but at least your company will help pay for your education.</p>