<p>Migraine, the fact of the matter is that colleges here are set up so that parents’ finances are considered when looking at financial aid options. However, there is no requirement for parents to pay. Whether YOU think that they can afford to pay or the calculators’ numbers indicate that the assumption is that they will pay and you can’t get aid because of that, does not mean a thing if your parents have decided they don’t want to pay. THat is really the way it works.</p>
<p>I knew a well to do family of a brilliant young woman who was accepted to Yale, Dad would not pay for Yale. The local state school’s honors program is where she ended up going, and commuting to it, despite a package that would have paid room and board. Dad wouldn’t agree and that was really the easiest way for her to get through college, which she did in three years, summa cum laude and then it was all her choice. She went to medical school on loans as her parents’ finances did not make a bit of difference and were not needed for that. She’s a doctor now. </p>
<p>Few young people at age 18 or so are able to just up and leave home. Without parental info for the financial aid forms, all you can get in aid, for the most part, is the $5500 in Direct loans for freshman year with slight increases in future years. And, no, your parents do not have to fill out any of those financial aid forms like FAFSA , PROFILE or anything if they don’t feel like doing so. So, they do have you over a financial barrel fo sorts. So when making plans, and coming up with ideas, do keep that in mind.</p>