<p>My daughter is a high school junior so I am new to this. I need to learn more about Financial Aid; I am concerned that we will look like we can pay more for her and her brother than we can. I am divorced from her father, who says he can't contribute much to their education although the divorce decree says he needs to (he has a good salary but is financially irresponsible). I know that will be a tough one and I won't be able to rely on him to fill out Financial Aid forms anyway. Also, my husband of the last five years makes a great salary, but he has already paid for college for his two daughters who are grown, and he will be 57 when my daughter goes to college. He should be saving for retirement, not needing to pay for college for my kids because their own father won't. She could qualify for merit aid at some schools. She is likely to be a National Hispanic Recognition Scholar (hispanic through her father), but she is exceptionally strong at English and dreams of going to Kenyon or Grinnell. I have an above average salary compared to nationwide stats but nothing significant for the high-priced place we live. I am worried we won't qualify for financial aid due to her step father's salary, I don't want him to have to pay that, I don't want to have to take her own father to court, and I can't afford to pay $200,000 multiplied by two kids. Do colleges take these unique family circumstances into consideration? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>The fafsa will only ask about your income and your husband, not the exhusband. Kenyon also requires the Profile which will ask for the exhusband (and their spouse) income. And also home equity.</p>
<p>Grinnell has their own form in addition to Fafsa.</p>
<p>Your situation isn't unique. The fafsa doesn't care if the step parent doesn't want to contribute.</p>
<p>Your daughters best options may be merit scholarships that are not related to need that the schools offer.</p>
<p>Have you run your numbers thru the efc estimator</p>
<p>FinAid</a> | Calculators | Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and Financial Aid
Federal method is like FAFSA
Institutional method is more like Profile.</p>
<p>You can always appeal, but if your efc is high you won't get federal aid other than unsubsidized loans. Merit aid is your best bet</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply and the calculator. According to Collegeboard.com Grinnell asks for the Profile also. This is an amazing situation. Her father has already said he won't pay for education (he gives all his money to his MOTHER). His new wife owns 4 houses in Florida which are now all underwater, but additionally, doesn't want my ex to have much to do with his own kids. I doubt he would even fill out the paperwork. So as a result, we end up not qualifying for financial aid when I cannot pay this bill for two kids, one year apart, on my own. They are good students but neither test well. hopefully some school will like their English scores and overlook their math scores! I can only imagine how many other people are in this situation. The kids I have seen on here where NEITHER parent cares is heartbreaking.</p>
<p>Both Kenyon and Grinnell will consider the income and assets of all parents and step-parents in determining student need. Many state universities have solid English departments and they are usually more affordable. Depending on where you live, your state may have agreements with neighboring states wherein students can attend for in state costs.</p>
<p>Even if you choose a fafsa only school, there is no avoiding putting down the stepparent information. Schools assume you will pay for school out of savings, income and possibly loans. Home equity is not part of the fafsa and any money in a retirement account is excluded (although tax deferred contributions are counted back in - which is nuts, but that is the way it goes). I suggest you run your numbers and see what the EFC is using the federal only method. </p>
<p>Also, the cost of living in a high cost area isn't factored into the equation at all. </p>
<p>Make sure your daughter applies to a financial safety (in case she gets accepted to but you can't afford her dream schools)</p>
<p>Lots of people in these situations and the funny part is that the post always says unique. Unfortunately in today's society your situation isn't really unique. The harsh part is that FAFSA doesn't care.
As other posters have suggested you should look at schools that may have merit options or reciprocal in states.
My other major piece of advice is that you need to sit down with your daughter NOW and explain the situation in detail. Let her know that finances will play a part and what you think you will be able to contribute.
Don't let her apply to a bunch of schools only to decide later that you can't afford them.
It seems to me that parents sometimes get feeling guilty about these issues and aren't totally honest with the kid in the beginning.
Nothing to feel guilty about...the finances are what they are. If she were asking for a new Porsche and you couldn't afford it you would say so. Unfortunately some colleges will cost even more than that Porsche and there are lots of Jetta schools out there where she will do just fine.</p>
<p>I have nothing more to add. Your situation is not unique at all. There are many students with stepparents who also have other children. The reality is that the spouse of a custodial parent DOES contribute to the family income. It's an expected FAMILY contribution, and your spouse is a member of your family. Spouse income and assets must be reported on the FAFSA.</p>
<p>For the Profile, it's the same except that the non-custodial parent must also file..and their spouse info, if there is one, is included as well. </p>
<p>That your child might be a National Hispanic Scholar is a good thing. Look for schools where that will net him some merit money which might not require other financial aid forms.</p>
<p>And look at your state flagship university. The honors program at these schools makes the "big school smaller" and can be quite terrific. Some states have scholarships too...but the prices are far less than those of the private schools even without financial aid.</p>
<p>susanr64 - </p>
<p>Happykid is a junior too, and I've tried being really straight with her about the money. The FAFSA calculators indicate that Happydad and I are good for about 2k more than in-state COA (including room and board) at our public universities, but the simple fact is that we are only truly good for what the community college costs. Happykid has that figure as her "what the college/university has to meet" if she is to spend her first two years anywhere but up the street at the community college.</p>
<p>One thing that you can keep in mind through this whole terrible process, is that there is an international financial meltdown going on that is going to make it less freakish for loving parents to tell their children that the final college choice will indeed be determined by cost. If you fall into that category, you will not be as alone as you would have been even one year ago.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>the real problem is when parent has an EFC from FAFSA that they have no way to pay. It's hard (but not impossible) to find a school that will cost less than your EFC. I got the feeling from the OP's first post that this might be the case.</p>
<p>Hey OP, when you do have 2 in school your EFC for each student will be 1/2 what it would be for 1 in school. Having 2 in school at the same time, vs consecutively can work to your advantage.</p>
<p>I know this sounds cruel, but is it worth being married a second time from the financial aspect? I understand that health insurance and tax deductions may be an advantage, but I would look at your finances on paper as a married couple and then as a divorced couple. It might be better for your kids' college education if you divorced husband #2 for a few years. You can always remarry when the children start their senior year of college.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>It might be better for your kids' college education if you divorced husband #2 for a few years. >></p> </blockquote>
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<p>That would only help with the reporting of the husbands income and assets. For the other Profile schools, it wouldn't negate the reporting of the income and assets of non-custodial dad and his wife who owns four houses. </p>
<p>There are schools that award merit aid without the need for the financial aid forms. They are not Grinnell or Kenyon...but they are out there. </p>
<p>You and your child should look at the qualities of those schools and then try to find others that have the same qualities where this child might get some merit aid.</p>
<p>Just a thought....do you receive child support? If so, start banking it for college expenses.</p>
<p>How do I find out what schools give merit without the financial aid forms? When looking at the school websites, they all say Fafsa or Fafsa+Profile. I have found that she would qualify for merit at Wooster, which I like but she isn't sure about. We are going to look at Denison, which I heard gives good merit, and I know she will love once she gets over Kenyon. So with my husband, my exhusband and his rich wife, is there any point in filling out the financial aid forms (if the ex agrees to do it) and explain the situation somewhere on the form, or is it pointless? It's amazing that yesterday morning I thought I could pay for Harvard with their 10% policy (not that she is looking for Ivy League). Things sure change in the span of a few hours. Better to know now, I think. thanks! There are so many people on this website looking at HPY. How on earth do they afford it?</p>
<p>For merit aid you still fill out the FAFSA but they don't penalize you for it. You have to look for what I call a reverse situatino. In other words, your D is at the top of their applicant pool, your D is from the West and goes to a school in the East which wants more students from the West, etc.<br>
You should absolutely fill out the FAFSA the first year as I have been told if your situation changes you need that first filing in place.
AS far as an explanation of the situation there isn't anything in your situation that would make them reconsider the need based aid.<br>
You need to look for FAFSA only schools. On the FAFSA plus profile you will have to get daughter to talk with ther father and get him to release the information.</p>
<p>And by the way, Wooster and Denison are good schools to consider for Merit Aid. Kenyon, not so much.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>So with my husband, my exhusband and his rich wife, is there any point in filling out the financial aid forms (if the ex agrees to do it) and explain the situation somewhere on the form, or is it pointless?>></p> </blockquote>
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<p>I hate to sound heartless...but you can explain away. The reality is that the ex husband is the child's father and your husband is a member of your family now. The financial aid departments know that your husband is contributing to YOUR living expenses. Presumably that would free up some of your joint income to use for college expenses. The child's bio dad is just that...and HIS wife is contributing to HIS living expenses. Everyone's family finances are better because these folks (the new spouses) have some money.</p>
<p>Examples of colleges where merit is given based on sat or act/gpa...University of South Carolina gives the McKissick and Cooper Scholarships based on application only and this also reduces tuition to instate.</p>
<p>Check York College in Pennsylvania. Costs are modest to begin with and merit aid is also available.</p>
<p>Look at momoftexas's thread on full pay colleges. Then look at what local options your D has and if there are any outside options that are affordable. You are in the same situation as many, many folks. </p>
<p>You can talk to an attorney about getting money from your ex, but there is no law that says he has to complete the financial aid forms. However, you may be able to get your child support and later college money directly from the court who will collect from your H. That might get him hustling about filling out the fin aid forms. Doubt a judge will be sympathetic if he is supposed to be paying for college, won't do it and then refuses to fill out the forms for aid.</p>
<p>Before doing much else, I'd talk to your lawyer and see if there is a way to judicially enforce the dad's contribution. Different states have different rules, and I don't know how your divorce and child support agreement was worded, but it would be worth figuring that out now before worrying about the rest of it.</p>
<p>Cases in Illinois, where the divorce was handled, will enforce the other parent to pay half the cost of average tuition in Illinois, which is $9000, around the cost of University of Illinois. I don't know if room and board figures into that. I think you are right; I will need to talk to an attorney because their father is already telling me what he will and will not pay despite what is stayed in the divorce agreement. This website is great! Thanks to all for your feedback.</p>
<p>How often is your ex in contact with your children? Does he provide child support on a regular basis, or has he been negligent in meeting support over the years?</p>
<p>If your children's father is out of the picture, and does not provide child support, I would suggest talking to individual colleges directly about your situation. In some cases, colleges have been willing to grant a waiver to some of my students who can not get information from their non-custodial parent. However, this will require at least one written statement from a third party (such as a school counselor) to testify that your child's father is NOT in touch with them, and doesn't pay child support. If neither is true, then, yes, you will need to get him to supply information about his assets and income for the profile schools. The good thing is that many profile schools are willing to set it up so that you don't have access to his information --- some non-custodial parents feel "safer" that way.</p>
<p>In terms of merit money, there are a number of colleges that do not require you to apply for need-based aid in order to get a merit scholarship. Again, your best bet is to talk to each college your children are considering individually and ask about particulars and availability of merit money. There are a number of schools that do not offer any merit money.</p>
<p>Finally, if your child does qualify for National Hispanic Scholar, there are quite a few colleges and universities that offer excellent deals in terms of paying little or no tuition. Be sure to research the PSAT scores required for your state to qualify, and then do a search on goolge for "National Hispanic Scholar" and you will find some of the names of the colleges. But, the key is that your child has to WANT to attend those schools -- NHS does not give you money for any college -- it is only good for colleges that sponsor NHS winners. So, before your child gets too involved with looking at "dream" colleges, I'd track down a list of NHS schools and be sure to include some of them in the search process.</p>
<p>Good luck. In one way or another, all of us parents face the same issues about paying for our children's education. Unfortunately, there are very, very few "free rides" when it comes to college.</p>
<p>Susan...there is a thread on this forum someplace called "full rides for National Hispanic Scholars". I'm sorry I can't post the link to it...but someone might be able to do so for you. There are a number of posts on it listing the types of awards schools give for this recognition.</p>
<p>Actually even easier...just scroll either up or down for the thread on National Hispanic Recognition Program. There is a link to the other thread in one of the posts there.</p>