<p>I know this sounds a little harsh, but harsh is the name of the game. Although it is certainly your mother’s right to retire (and I commend her for it), because FAFSA and the CSS PROFILE are based on the previous year’s income, there’s not much you can do. Your mother chose an inconvenient time to retire. If you attend, the next year (your sophomore year) you may qualify for more need-based aid because you will be filing on your current retired income, but continuing students generally have a tougher time of receiving merit scholarships - what you get as a freshman is, at many schools, what you get.</p>