Re: #19
College financial aid definition of dependency is different from other definitions.
For federal aid and colleges that follow the federal aid definition, see https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/dependency . Some colleges may use their own definitions.
Dependency for income taxes and status as an adult for most transactions and other types of personal and parental responsibility may differ (and from each other).
Please read the link above about emancipation. It is a VERY serious legal process whereby parental rights are severed. There has to be good reason for this…and it’s not “gee, my parents won’t pay for college”. Oh…and you have to be under age 18 by the time th process is completed.
Tax filing status has NOTHING at all to do with financial aid dependency. This student could be fully self supporting, and living in a different town than the parents, and not declared on their taxes…and the student would STILL be required to provide parent financial info on the FAFSA and Profile.
You are giving very misleading and inaccurate information. Student and parent tax filing status is NOT at all related to the filing of the financial aid forms. In fact, there is nothing on those forms that even asks about income tax dependent status…because…it doesn’t matter for financial aid purposes.
Now…can this student become independent for financial aid purposes? Sure. Here are the criteria.
When one of those applies…the student will be independent for financial aid purposes, and won’t need to provide parent info…oh except at some colleges, if you are a dependent for aid when you enroll…that doesn’t change.
And this…most colleges do NOT meet full financial need…at all. So even IF the student EFC was $0, the on,y guaranteed grant aid is $6000 Pell Grant and a $5500 Direct Loan as a freshman. That $11500 barely pays living expenses…never mind college tuition.
You go to school to get two things: critical thinking and job skills that are in demand. If you go through the school with out obtain either of them (the best would be both), then attending school will be a waste. Should try to take less classes or work less to balance the study and work first; otherwise, it will be a failure from the start. Any one graduates top 5-10 % from any college in the US probably will be doing fine after graduation.