Got Accepted, but in a bit of a Dilemma

Okay, so I got accepted to UPenn early decision, but when I called my father, who I don’t live with and previously stated that he was willing to pay for my tuition, he didn’t seem excited at all and told me to look at other schools for a full scholarship, stating that he didn’t care about UPenn. My mother refuses to pay as well, and according to the net price calculator, Penn would cost ~21k a year. My father also still hasn’t given me his tax forms (which I’ve asked for multiple times in advance), so I’m honestly confused and lost in terms of what to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

What does your parent’s divorce agreement say?

Hi Melvin, thanks for the reply, but they’re not legally married in the U.S. Does that change things?

I was thinking that if they had gotten a divorce in the US, their divorce agreement would have said who was responsible for how much of your college tuition.
A parent had to sign the ED commitment form, who did that for you?

The NPC isn’t a financial aid offer. So you didn’t complete the fin aid application?

My father signed the form, and yes, it still hasn’t been completed. My parents are separated as well.

You probably need to consult with a lawyer regarding this if your parents do not care about your education

So your father is in the US, right?

Yes melvin. Thanks for the reply J2H, but I hope it doesn’t need to be this serious.

Talk with them throughly. As parents, they should be very proud of your great achievement. In any situation, you might prepare to attend Penn where you will be flourishing…

Your dad might be having sticker shock at the moment. He signed the form, so he should have given some thought to it beforehand. What does your mom say? Go to your guidance counselor’s office first thing tomorrow morning and talk to them. Maybe they might need to call your dad and talk to him about the fact that he signed the ED contract?

Thank you guys so much! I’ll try and work it out, but if it doesn’t work out, that’s okay!

If you didn’t complete the full FA app, I don’t see how they have the info to confirm any aid. Parents’ copies of tax returns were due Nov 6.
Sorry, but this is an important process.

Yeah, I know it’s very late, but I’m going to send it as soon as I can. I’m not happy about being late to send it at all.

Im sorry, but you leave me with many doubts.

I definitely see where you’re coming from, but what doubts do you have?

The acceptance stands. If you can’t afford it, you can go elsewhere. People are getting initial financial aid offers that are much lower than what the FAFSA calculates as their need, and are having to go back to ask for more.

I’m sorry for your situation. You need to have a very frank discussion with him, calmly. Can you meet with him, show him how incredibly hard it is to get into Penn, and get an answer from him of what he’s willing to pay, and get him to submit his tax return?

If he won’t do it, you’e just going to have to accept that you’re on your own for college, and make other options.

If you haven’t completed the financial aid application, I don’t think you’ll receive any aid. How would colleges be able to calculate what you can pay?

It’s unfortunate that you’re in this situation, but it’s not unusual. If your parents won’t pay, you need to find a school that you can afford. Will they pay anything? Have you applied to any financial safeties?

Thanks for the advice guys! I just got his tax returns and finished the FAFSA today, so I’ll just have to see what happens.

@UltraInstinct best of luck, you’re in a tough situation, hope it works out for you