<p>Dartmouth is very specific.</p>
<p>they state on page 8:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Independent Students
“How can I be declared independent?”</p>
<p>It isn’t easy.</p>
<p>In most cases, if you enter as a dependent student, you will graduate as a dependent student.</p>
<p>(Remember: the sources of Dartmouth’s scholarship funds are tuition income, the Alumni Fund, and other gifts to the College. In short, some of the money comes from other parents. Each time the College treats a student as “self-supporting,” we are in effect asking someone else’s parents to assume the financial responsibility normally expected of that student’s parents.)</p>
<p>Only in rare cases in which students can meet all federal tests for independence and/or have extreme extenuating circumstances will they be considered independent for Dartmouth scholarship eligibility. </p>
<p>All of these cases are reviewed by the Financial Aid Committee.
[/quote]
</p>