<p>He said I have to do engineering or he won't send me to college; he will make me stay at India once I go there for a visit upon graduation. I won't even go if he makes me stay. I originally said I wanted to do chemical engineering but I realized I'm not interested anymore, and that I won't like it. I want to double major in accounting/finance. So far I've gotten an out of state scholarship from Ohio State University @ Columbus for $6600 a year. Once I'm 18, and I legally emancipate myself, move to Ohio during the summer, and get a job, can I declare myself financially independent of my parents, and expect to recieve numerous loans from the college? Enough to pay for my tuition? Please help me out.</p>
<p>for financial aid purposes you will not be considered independent until you have done one of the following:</p>
<p>You turn 24 years old
graduate from college
Get married
Have and support your your own child
serve in the military</p>
<p>Wow. So basically I have to go to community college?</p>
<p>Remember this, when its your turn to turn to have kids. Maybe parents are the same in India as they are in these United States? !</p>
<p>Could you consider double-majoring in chemical engineering & either accounting or finance? It is a good idea for you to try to work things out. It is really hard to KNOW how much you will like any particular field at this point in your life anyway. At the USC reception we attended, schools are encouraging students to double major in fields that are not closely related.</p>
<p>You could try to emancipate yourself now, you are also considered an independent if you are declared for prior to turning 18 I believe. But I think HImom's idea sounds more reasonable. Could you convince your dad that you would be willing to maybe study engineering in adition to another major, or minor in engineering, or perhaps major in something like mathematics where you would be exposed to engineering courses without having to confine yourself to the major?</p>
<p>Why does your dad feel it's neccessary for you to major in engineering in the first place?</p>
<p>To be independent, you have to prove you're self-supporting, which is tough to do when you're 18 & also wanting to attend college full-time. There are numerous other requirements as well, but basically it's really tough to do until after you have your undergrad degree.</p>
<p>adding on the independent student eligibility:</p>
<p>-be an orphan
-parents are out of the country
-legally disowned by the parents</p>
<p>Also, if you're an international student, some schools only give aid to US citizens & permanent residents, especially for undergrads.</p>
<p>He wants me to do engineering because everyone in our family wants me to. My uncle is a doctor, my grandfather is a professor, and I "have" to be an engineer or he will disown me basically. He supposedly has fellow workers that said accounting is not good and that engineering is better and he listens to them. I told him to go to the government website (bls.gov) but he refused to listen.</p>
<p>A double-major would still work. I agree that often many accountants are not very well paid. Being a double-major would give you more options & would satisfy him & you (tho it is more work). Think seriously about it as an option.</p>
<p>Go to a college with core requirements. These would be your humanities, social sciences, languages etc. That will take you a year to complete. Then make a decision about a major.</p>
<p>Work smarter not harder, do the Che E major with a minor or second major in business finance. Your dad will pay and you will have lots of career options. Be financially supported, make dad happy and don't stree yourself. I'll also be able to visit India every year. </p>
<p>My son did the Che E at my suggestion and now is getting an MBA. I did not threaten him, he essentially paid his way through college with Univ. of Cincinnati's co-op program. #12 has a good idea too.</p>