I have been accepted to Boston College and the University of Miami. I do not know Boston’s financial aid offer yet, I mailed the required documents Monday. UMiami is offering me $31,010 before a work study and loans. I have a daughter and am going to try to get custody of her, with the anticipation of her becoming a dependent. A friend also advised me to declare independent from my parents to get more money. I have read it is possible to negotiate financial aid, and with my circumstances, was looking for advice on how to negotiate, whether or not I will be eligible for more money once my daughter becomes a dependent, any potential scholarships for teen fathers, and if anyone who worked for UMiami or Boston College’s financial aid office has advice. Thank You
@Batman18: Sorry I don’t have any advise on your FA, but had a question about your acceptance to BC, was it just recent or were you admitted RD. Just curious my d’s on the waitlist and was wondering if they are taking people off before May 1st.
To have even a possibility of being declared as an independent student (which your school uses a professional judgement process to decide), you will need to prove to the school that you provide a majority of the support for your daughter. As it appears you do not have custody now, this may not be something you can prove until you do get custody and are providing for the expenses for your daughter. I am assuming she lives with biological mom?
@Massmom2015 I was admitted Regular Decision! Best of luck to your daughter
@kgos16 as of now, she lives with the biological mother. However, I learned that her family may not retain a lawyer anymore and my family is going to, so even if it doesn’t happen soon, but does happen, will the schools take new developments into account?
This is a question that will best be addressed by the schools in question. They will be able to discuss with you if they allow any mid-year (doubtful) or future year (more likely) reviews regarding your dependency status. I would give them a call today rather than waiting for the speculation of us folks at CC.
I can’t offer any more advice than @kgos16 has already provided, but kudos to you for stepping up to take care of your daughter, and best of luck in your studies!!!
Checking for clarity…you applied and were admitted regular decision to BC, but you just MONDAY sent in the required info for financial aid? Or am I reading this incorrectly?
I am not sure why you are sending your financial docs so late, I don’t know how you will get an aid estimate in time to make a decision. I don’t even know if you will get anything from them having missed the deadlines. Have you made some special arrangements with them?
You cannot just ‘declare’ independent, it isn’t that easy. You will only be independent if you personally provide half the support for your child. Not your parents, just you. If you are going to school full time it doesn’t seem that you can work enough to do that. Another way to become independent is to get married. Otherwise you wait until your are 24. However private colleges will likely still expect contribution from your parents if they are providing you with any money. It sounds like you are counting your chickens before they hatch. These developments will take time.
While being the custodial parent for your daughter as long as you can demonstrate are providing more than half of her support, may make you independent for federal aid, it may not necessarily make you independent for institutional aid. You must check the policies at each school. The school decides what makes you an independent student for their institutional funds. Some schools have policies that if you start as a dependent student, you finish as a dependent student even if you have life events that make you independent for federal aid.
Boston college states
University of Miami has a form where you can appeal for independent status (they want to know how much support you have received from your parents in the past 2 years)
https://umshare.miami.edu/web/wda/financialassistance/AISform.pdf
Are you or your parents going to be supporting the baby??