<p>how does that work </p>
<p>should i just get married?</p>
<p>Might be a problem since you are marrying for financial reasons and your spouse is actually in love.</p>
<p>That's really a horrible idea. That's like the same principle as a shotgun wedding. Don't go there.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if that would work, because I think some schools still consider you dependent if you weren't married when you came in. I've actually considered doing the same thing with someone else who's in the same situation I am, and I wouldn't hesitate if I knew it would work and I could get a divorce after college. Some of us really, really want to go to school.</p>
<p>FAFSA changes the minute you change your designation, so at least for federal money, you will be independent. However, if you come from a lower income family, you may find your EFC actually goes up once the spouse's income is used instead, since spousal income is counted at a higher percentage than family income. Some students I work with don't get married for that very reason--they know others who lost aid.</p>
<p>Bottom line--don't use financial aid as a reason to get married, for all kinds of reasons.</p>
<p>I think it is a great idea!
:D
To * really*
lower EFC- be sure to have at least one little deduction-</p>
<p>It may work. Once you get married you both will become independent, and if you both are working part time jobs or w/e you really arent bringing in alot of money. It could work. Check out an EFC calculator and do the math...</p>
<p>dont forget about the part about community property
share debt- share assets :)</p>
<p>What about respect for marriage? If you are doing it for only financial reasons, how will you feel telling a future, serious fiance that you were married before, and that it was a sham union?</p>
<p>I have thought of doing it myself. Like others have said, people really want to go to school.</p>
<p>I'd just like to point out that the question did not presuppose that the marriage would be a sham -- so I think the reaction is unwarranted. It is very possible that the OP (or another student with a similar question) is in a committed relationship with another person and is weighing the pros and cons of marrying their significant other. </p>
<p>Contrary to the statements of some of the posters here, financial reasons are very often a strong consideration in marriage -- historically and in many cultures, financial considerations have often been the dominant factor. </p>
<p>It is a legitimate question to ask, and if it makes college affordable for a young couple who are not getting help from their parents, it may be a very wise decision -- as opposed to one or the other foregoing their college education. In fact, this may be the only realistic option for college for a couple where one or both is under age 23 and they are indeed living on their own and supporting themselves -- but treated as "dependents" of their parents for financial aid purposes. (So if it is wrong, then blame it on the government and its stringent rules about financial aid and dependency -- there are plenty of 19 & 20 year olds in world who are no longer living at home nor relying on parents for financial support, yet are caught in the middle by an arbitrary set of rules). </p>
<p>Also - if it came down to it -- I'd much rather see a kid enter an early marriage to get financial aid for college than to use the other FAFSA route toward early "independence" - the US military. Marriage is a lot safer and easier to get out of than the Army. </p>
<p>That being said -- many colleges will not adjust financial aid awards for continuing students based on a change of marital status; and if the couple are getting financial help & support from their parents, they will probably have to report that as income to their respective colleges.</p>
<p>who will get married for that reason? having children will reduce ur efc too. Will you do that?</p>
<p>having children won't reduce your efc...may help qualify you for some form of welfare.....</p>
<p>
[quote]
having children won't reduce your efc...may help qualify you for some form of welfare
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well it could. An independent student without dependents other than a spouse does not qualify for automatic zero efc - an independent student with dependents other than a spouse might. (Not that I am advocating having a child for the purpose of getting financial aid - a lousy reason to have a child plus they tend to cost money ;) )</p>
<p>OK, if they have a sham marriage, well there is a whole bunch of morale issues, but I think morality can bend a little if that is his only way to college. </p>
<p>Now if it a genuine marriage, I think it would be a horrible idea. Most high school couples never last much less stable and mature enough to work well a married couple. The odds are against them that this is one of the 1/20 (yes, I have read from a study, but cannot cite since I don't have it on me right now) couples that are actually developed in a way that could lead in a successful marriage. Also, those couples that do, I doubt they married right out of high school to gain aid for college. If you do get married for get money and are a genuine couple, you better make sure if you abosolutely no doubts (her as well) and see if you actually work together well enough (there are many couples from high school that are not strongly bonded at all).</p>