<p>If you look at Loyola of New Orleans interpretation of the rule, the “because the student has nowhere else to go” applies only to “temporary living” and not to shelters, motel or cars.
[Homeless</a> Youth and “Unaccompanied” Youth at Risk for Homelessness - Scholarships and Financial Aid - Loyola University New Orleans](<a href=“http://www.loyno.edu/financialaid/homeless-students]Homeless”>http://www.loyno.edu/financialaid/homeless-students)</p>
<p>Also, don’t discount the Directors being very liberal in their interpretation of “fleeing an abusive parent”. The situation OP posted about does not require much stretching of the definition of “abuse”.</p>
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Some would consider that pretty strong emotional abuse of a child.</p>
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I didn’t say she shouldn’t try for merit scholarships. If she finds a school that does not give merit scholarships (like MIT, Harvard, all Division 3 schools, etc) but does meet full need without loans, if she can get her EFC down, she has a chance at attending.</p>
<p>Also, full-tuition merit aid may not be enough for her. Even if she gets a full-tuition scholarship from Alabama, the room/board/other expenses will be another $10k-$16k/yr.</p>
<p>Operadad, thanks for bringing the homeless clauses to our attention here. I was not aware of them. For those young people truly in an abusive situation, that is a fail safe clause that could be extremely useful.</p>
<p>For many in this situation, a dysfunctional family, a family who is unsupportive of the students wants, specifically simply refusing to pay for a college experience that the student wants, is abusive. I don’t know how liberally schools would define the “homeless” situation, particularly when it comes to using their own funds to pay for a student’s room and board as well as a tuition and other fees.</p>
<p>If this is a pathway the student wants to try, the provisions are right there, My feeling about this case and many like it, are that the children are very upset in being hamstrung by their parents’ financial status that prevent them from getting enough financial aid to go away to college rather than staying home and commuting.</p>
<p>In CA, an independent student with no means can get quite a bit of state money as well as the full PELL and $9500 in loans from the fed. If things are so bad, that might be an option to take.</p>
<p>I’d be interested in reading Kelsmom and Sybbie’s takes on this, as they have worked in real life with kids that might benefit from taking that pathway. I don’t know how NY would interpret this for TAP funds, for example, and how our SUNYs would interpret such cases.</p>
<p>Also keep in mind at many schools that give their own institutional aid, you may be independent for federal aid (on the FAFSA), however, the school may consider you a dependent student when it comes to their own institutional aid. As a matter of fact, what will make you independent for federal aid, may not necessarily make you independent for state aid. </p>
<p>While the student checks the box that they are homeless, an unaccompanied youth or at risk of being homeless, the student is also going to have to turn in a lot of documentation. Homeless youth, living in the shelter system has social workers in place that connect with the public school system. In NYS, students who are homeless in the shelter system or living doubled up come up on our roster for students in temporary housing. If Op’s family situation is truly abusive is student is under 17.5, if s/he discusses it with any adult at school, as mandated reporters, they will have to contact children’s services.</p>
<p>At many schools that give their own institutional aid, if you start as a dependent undergraduate student, you will finish as a dependent undergraduate student regardless of age, having children or marital status.</p>
<p>The university of chicago states the following:
</a></p>
<p>You will have to be able to prove that you have received no support from your parents over the past 3 years (they have not paid for your school, they did not claim you on their taxes, etc?)</p>
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<p>For NYS State Aid, TAP the state does not automatically consider students to be totally independent until they are 35</p>
<p>I encourage the OP to above all be honest and ethical in dealing with colleges and the federal government. It would be a big mistake to fraudulently claim to be abused or homeless in order to try to get financial aid.</p>
<p>Also, as Sybbie has said, colleges use their own definitions for their own money, not just the FAFSA ones for independence. What one can get from the federal government as a guarantee is the $5600 PELL for a zero EFC. The Stafford maximum is $9500 for loans for a first year independent student as opposed to $5500 but the extra $4K is not subsidized, and is also obtainable by dependents whose parents are denied by PLUS for parent loans.</p>
<p>Look at schools with Rotc and think about applying for those scholarships. Or if you can get your SAT scores up perhaps apply to one of the military academies. West Point, Annapolis, Air Force Academy or the Coast Guard Academy.</p>
<p>Full scholarships are extremely rare. Half scholarships are widely available for top students at less selective colleges.</p>
<p>Yes, large ROTC scholarships are very hard to get. Many ROTC students receive a monthly stipend, which can help, but it won’t pay all the bills. There are also some college benefits from joining the national guard or reserves as an enlisted, which is much less of a commitment (unless you happen to be called up for a long active duty stint). The college benefits vary from service to service, and by whether you are studying a major that is needed by the military.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies everyone. I’ve looked through the full ride scholarship threads before and, as much as I would love to apply to many of those schools just to see what I could get, my parents aren’t going to help me with these costs. I’m going to have my own minimum wage income soon, but I’d rather not spend the majority of my income on college apps. Also, I feel like any school that I could potentially get a full ride to would just be undesirable to attend. I would much rather stay at home than attend a small catholic school in the middle of nowhere, because at least I could stay in beautiful SoCal and I’d be nearby two of my friends that are also staying at home. By the way, I would never even consider becoming independent from my parents. Although they discourage my efforts in school and refuse to support me in college, I know their reasoning behind it… they don’t want all of the loans building up and destroying their retirement… it’s just hard for me to accept. </p>
<p>I think my main purpose for posting this thread was to figure out how everyone does it. I know that co-signing loans is a bad idea for parents, but is that really what everyone does? As mentioned in here, so few people are able to get significant merit aid and with increasing tuition, how do all middle class families pay for their children to attend these schools? I guess I just hoped there was some other option. I remember reading somewhere that Harvard allows students to attend for very little if they agree to work on campus. I really wish more colleges would do something like this as I’m going to be working throughout college regardless of where I go.</p>
<p>My SAT score was what I expected… a 1780. I’m definitely going to study and bring that up. I know some people suggested that I take the ACT as well, but with such limited time I would rather focus all of my studying into one test. Also, the amount of money and chances I have to take these tests are very limited.</p>
<p>It’s called work study - and it’s a federal program that’s universally available for qualifying students. Like other federal aid, it’s a need-based program.</p>
<p>The work colleges I pointed you to would allow you to attend in exchange for working . . . but, from what you’ve just said, they’re not your cup of tea.</p>
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<p>And therein lies the problem. A dozen different people have joined this thread to try and help you and, in the end, that’s what it gets down to . . . not finding a college you can afford, but finding a college that you think is good enough for you. I wish you had just told us that up front, and saved us all the time.</p>
<p>Yes, a lot of parents go all out for their kids, and too many have gone too far and are in trouble. Those who borrowed more than they could afford to pay back, and many who looked at it as an investment in their kids that would monetarily pay off, are defaulting and it’s not a pretty picture. Though it hurts right now, by not putting you into such a position in the future, your parents are doing you a favor. Whatever happens, you are not going to be the reason they can’t afford their retirement if they end up in dire straits financially. A number of kids are not going to be able to say the same.</p>
<p>As for staying locally and going to a small school that is familar to you, that’s a fine option. Though my son turned down such a choice, he sees it now as a good option as a number of friends took it. Be aware, however, that those not familiar with your school and choice might feel the same way about that school as you do about other such school that you just don’t know about. Just a familiar little pond for you rather than something new and different. But that is what you are ready for now, and that’s fine. I know a lot of kids who have done and are on the way to doing very well here making such a choice.</p>
<p>@Followthereaper - There are no other options beyond what you’ve been told. Some parents work more than one job. Some students work their way through college if possible (most at low cost colleges). Others do two years of community college and then transfer. But in a transfer situation, the FA may work differently than for Freshmen.</p>
<p>You can keep fishing for answers until you get one you like - but the reality is - many MANY families, already hurt by the economy are looking at three bad choices:</p>
<ol>
<li>go to a school whose rules permit a full-ride for certain students.</li>
<li>wait and raise the money and apply at a later date.</li>
<li>burn through their available resources and take on crushing debt.</li>
</ol>
<p>Even with what many of us have savef for our children’s college - no one could have anticipated the costs would approach $250,000+ at top schools. But going to an expensive school is a “choice.” State schools with in-state tuition are much cheaper and easier to afford with modest Federal support. That appears to be your best option.</p>
<p>The reality is - you asked how other people do it. The answer is - many people don’t. They can’t afford it. It may not seem fair, but that’s how the free market economy works. You choose a college that is within your ability to pay - you don’t expect for others to pay it for you (and by others I mean alumni, parents and corporate donors who contribute the $ that fuel college grants). Scholarships are gifts, not entitlements.</p>
<p>You were given good advice. Your low test scores likely won’t qualify you for Harvard. Or many of the other schools where tuition is free below a family income of a certain level. Get a job, take a gap year, and study every day for the standardized exams. Or go to your state university. You’d be surprised at the level of education you could get.</p>
<p>It isn’t the college that makes or breaks a student. A talented person will excel no matter where they land.</p>
<p>I want to add, OP, that there are many students out there who do have the stats to get into those schools that meet full need so are supposedly available to all who meet the mark, but they cannot go because their parents are deemed able to pay, and they are not, or are on paper but cannot or will not. Many of us have made financial decisions in the past that have put us in the position where it just would not be a good, responsible move to pay a quarter million in college costs. In fact, it could sink the family and cause a lot more trouble later. I know a number of families right of the bat who are in turbulent circumstances where such a commitment would make for some real problems. </p>
<p>I also know some families in trouble for biting off more than they could chew in the way of financial obligations for college, and it is a tense, stressful time ofr them. They could lose so much. Was not worth it.</p>
<p>Harvard has a $31 Billion endowment. They can be very generous to all admitted students. More colleges would love to do this, but they simply don’t have the resources to do it. It is not really a choice they can make.</p>
<p>To clear up any misunderstandings, no, Harvard will not allow students to attend for very little if they agree to work on campus. Doesn’t work that way. You have to show you have need and by “you”, that includes your family, through financial aid forms and formulas. Harvard is particularly generous in grants that it gives those student who come up needy through their definition, and they will not be gettting a whole lot of work study. That’s not the way it works there at all. It also defines need more generously so that there are a number of students who will qualfiy for need based grants that would not under a lot of schools’ definitions even the FAFSA calculations. </p>
<p>But, no, if your family numbers come up as full pay, you are not likely to be able to strike a deal with Harvarrd to work the costs off. Nope.</p>