<p>"Could" is the operative word here because it won't be easy, but if you could do it, it will work magic.</p>
<p>My DS asked me to fill out the parent portion of the FAFSA back in February. I was lukewarm about doing it because I know our EFC will be high (I know because we paid full fraight for our older son to attend an private college 5 years ago). So I did but didn't bother to check what the EFC was. Fastward to April, my son began to receive some acceptance packages and to my surprises HE GOT FINANCIAL AID!!! even from some colleges that require CSS which I have yet to file. So I scratched my head and printed out FAFSA to see what's going on. Ha, the EFC was 0000. No wonder! I examined all the numbers and they were right. However, in the student portion, my son answered "yes" to the question "Does student have children he/she support?". I asked my son what was he thinking? "WTH, He said he had no idea. So I corrected it. Guess what, the EFC became $60K (it is what it should be). Wow...</p>
<p>I jokingly told my son he should work on it (he has a girl friend)....</p>
<p>Hey, two of colleges he got accepted into cost $56K and $51K, respectively, and no merit scholarship. That amounts to >$200K over four years. That can buy a lot of toys and diapers…(yeah, some will be loans but still…)</p>
<p>The only rub is he would have to demonstrate that he EARNED enough money to support himself and his dependent child. That would be a fair amount of money…and his need based aid would be reduced.</p>
<p>jym626, I sent in the corrected FAFSA and CSS, bye bye the financial aid…</p>
<p>thumper1, why does he have to demonstrate that? He is my dependent and his child(ren) is/are his dependent. At least, that was the way the initial FAFSA was entered. I was just amazed by how that single answer can impact the EFC.</p>
<p>Does the FAFSA have a place where you sign stating the the information is honest and accurate? Couldn’t this blow up in your face, especially if/when they find out he has no dependents?</p>
<p>I believe your son would have to demonstrate that he provides at least 50% (or more than 50%) of the support of this child.</p>
<p>I guess that’s to prevent situations where the grandparents are really supporting the baby, and/or the girl is supporting the baby, and the bio-dad is not giving a lot of support.</p>
<p>It was difficult to tell whether you said you had or hadn’t sent in the corrected FAFSA. Sorry – was confused. I’ll happily offer to be your DS’s dependent :)</p>
<p>OP…when your son IN ERROR put that he had a dependent child, that qualified him as an independent student for financial aid purposes and YOUR info was not counted. BUT this type of thing would be a red flag big time for verification since most college freshman who live at home do not have dependents who they fully support (that is the question on the FAFSA…Do you have a dependent child who you support?..not sure of the wording…but that is the idea).</p>
<p>If verified, your son would have needed to 1. PROVE he had a dependent child. 2. PROVE he had the income to support that child.</p>
<p>Yes morningbird…when your son erroneously became “independent for financial aid purposes” YOUR info was not counted. That’s what “independent for financial aid” means.</p>
<p>Folks…the OP made a mistake on their FAFSA and corrected it. That was the correct thing to do. The most important thing in completing these forms is to be honest…and to correct any mistakes made (such as this one).</p>