<p>My parents have expressed that they dont have plans on contributing on paying for my college education... does FAFSA take that into consideration? How could this effect Financial Aid?</p>
<p>No FAFSA will not take this into consideration and it will not affect the amount of aid at all. Your EFC is based on your families financial circumstances (parents and you). An unwillingness to contribute is not taken into account. Otherwise everyone would just say they would not contribute.</p>
<p>FAFSA does not take into account parents not wanting to pay, only what they estimate parents can pay. Sit down and have heart to heart with them. If they will not pay, ask them, NICELY, if they will at least fill out a FAFSA estimator so you can plan. If it turns out they have 0 EFC, then you know they are not expected to pay. If they have a higher EFC, then you have to try to discuss with them why they wont pay. If it is because they are paying high medical bills or private school tuition, then some private schools MAY consider that in giving aid. Then you have to ask rents will they fill out FAFSA and CSS so you can see if you can get aid. </p>
<p>If none of this works, then you will have to look to finance education on your own. Speak to GC and tell him or her. Beleive me, they have heard every story in the book, so dont be embarrassed. It is easier for them to help you if they know what is going on.</p>
<p>Your choices may be to go to private (or even public school) where you are in top 10-25% of students, and you will get merit aid. For this to work, it is critical that you get the best grades you can, Extra Curriculars and SAT scores. If your parents cant pay for SAT tutor, review old tests in books, etc. </p>
<p>Or live at home and go to community college.</p>
<p>^^ I am a twin, and my parents are divorced… so does that help the situation a bit?</p>
<p>Not a bit. </p>
<p>Please tell me you are not a graduating Senior just dealing with this now.</p>
<p>Well…if your twin is also planning to go to college, the EFC (expected family contribution) for each of you will be half of what it would be if only ONE of you was attending college. BUT the total added together would be about the same as if one were attending. Does that make sense?</p>
<p>If your parents are divorced, the FAFSA only inlcudes the income of the parent with whom you live, and his or her current spouse, if any. However, most private schools and the CSS will look at income of both of your parents.</p>
<p>If you provide more information as to your age (senior, junior), where you have applied or plan to apply for college, and your academic statistics I’m sure people will give you a lot of advice on what your alternatives are. Unfortunately this situation (parents able but unwilling to pay) seems to come up quite a bit.</p>
<p>^^ Well Im a junior, In the top of my class ( 7 out of around 600), have a twin who is planning on going to college at the same time. Havent taken SATs yet, but did take Chem SAT II- got a 620… Im an IBDP student, have a 3.8 unweighted GPA ( have no idea what it is weighted) , and I would like to apply to the following:</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon, Drexel, MIT, Columbia, SUNY Buffalo, RIT, RPI, U Delaware, CalTech, IIT, Northeastern, Johns Hopkins,- but this list could change (+/- some other schools)</p>
<p>Did you take the PSAT’s? Do you have any idea how much your custodial and non custodial parent earns. THis inof will also help people on the forum come up with ideas. You are in a good position being a JUnior and looking into this, but some of the recommendations people come up with will probably include a list of schools that are more appropriate for your financial situation.</p>
<p>^^ My custodial earns more than 65,000… my non-custodial took a lower paying job for benefits, and he earns less than 30,000.</p>
<p>On my PSATs this year I got a 165… im studying for the SATs.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Many privates will give aid with 65K</p></li>
<li><p>Can some of the experts weigh in here? Is is too late (and for nk, is it possible) for you and twin to move in with noncustodial now – like right now – and have their income go on FAFSA. btw, where I live, if your parents have “joint custody” which many do, you can live with either and as long as one is in school district continue in district. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>The privates will still look at non-custodial, but if that parent is not much more than 65K, you may still qualify for aid at many of the better schools. </p>
<p>As a backup, talk to GC, there are many schools that are a notch down that will give you a free ride. If you do well undergrad, you will have your choice of grad schols.</p>
<p>If your custodial parent makes less than 30K, you will be eligible for federal financial aid based on the FAFSA which only looks at that parent’s income (unless remarried then you need to include step parent’s income)</p>
<p>You would qualify for the:</p>
<p>Pell Grant (approx 5K)
NYS TAP (if you attend a school in NYS) (4K)
subsidized loans (3500 for freshman)
ACG ( - if you are taking an approved rigourous HS courseload) 750.</p>
<p>As far as institutional aid is concerned, most of the schools you are applying to are Profile schools, and they will include your non-custodial parent’s income. You may need to find FAFSA only schools that do a good job of meeting need (there was a list recently - I’ll search for it later)</p>
<p>based on your PSAT scores many of your schools are also match to reaches which means you may not be offered merit scholarships, and a few don’t offer merit aid. </p>
<p>If you brought your SAT’s to over 1850ish Buffalo may give you 2500 to 5000 a year merit, which means that most of the 18-19K cost would be covered by aid. WOrking over the summer could give you any other funds needed.</p>
<p>Udelaware (FAFSA only) would definately be out of reach financially because of the OOS tuition, no TAp, and the fact that they don’t meet need. I’m not sure how good their merit scholarships are.</p>
<p>^^ There is no way im going to live with my non-custodial… besides his home is under construction and would have nowhere for me to sleep/live really… im not sure if this complicates things, but each of my parents claims one of us on their taxes…</p>