<p>Don't use Columbia GS as a guide because it is specifically a school for non traditional students (in fact you can not apply to GS straight out of high school). </p>
<p>Your financial aid has to be filed during your senior year based on your income for the previous year. Unless you are applying as an independent student freshman year, at most schools if you start out as a dependent student, you finish as a dependent student (regardless of whether or not you get married, have kids etc) so for the majority of students attending college this would not work. The process is not as cut and dried as the article is making it seem to be. Even if you were married you would have to show how you eat and support your self (as monies/ gifts from your parents and in-laws would still count toward your EFC).</p>