<p>Ok, I'd just like to say in the beginning I love my parents- we may have (major) problems sometimes but I love them. </p>
<p>Saying that they've made it completely clear that they're not going to help me in any way financially once I go to college (like no help paying for anything whether it be books or tuition or dorming). Now they don't make tons of money 60-75K a year but I was hoping they'd help with things I absolutely can't pay for after financial aid/scholarships and my own college fund. I understand that they can't afford to pay for EVERYTHING and I wouldn't want to expect them to. But they've said they won't help me fill out FAFSA or give me my Social Security Number because I won't go to the college they want me to. But at the same time I try and explain that the college they want me to go to (Martin Luther College) isn't a good school 92% acceptance rate and made for religious school teachers- I want to be a lawyer and go to University of Michigan. Any advice please??? </p>
<p>A good place to start is find out why they want you to go to Martin Luther College. If it is because they think it will be cheaper than the University of Michigan you could run the net price calculators for both schools and show them what the cost will be for each option. Are you instate for Michigan? if so it may be cheaper to go there than pay for a private school.</p>
<p>The golden rule says that that those who have the gold makes the rules. No, your parents do not have to fill out FAFSA if they do not want to do so. Do they intend to pay for Martin Luther College out of pocket if you go there? I would agree to apply there, get the FAFSA completely filled out with them for MLC and then if you want to add some other college to the application LATER, you can. It’s all free, and it’s YOURS not theirs. Once it’s filled out, you can gain access to it since it is your app with your parents using a PIN as well to enter and sign off on their financial info. So just go along wit them and get the FAFSA filled out and the appls for MLC as well and then do what you will on your own instead of fighting with them about all of this. </p>
<p>They won’t ‘give’ you your SSN? If you are 18, you can go to SS and get it. It’s probably on a dozen things you have access to - bank account, school records. Do you have a job? It’s on your W-4.</p>
<p>If your parents control everything about your life right down to your SSN, then you will have to break away to be independent. You won’t be able to go to school until you are older if you need financial aid. You could join the military or just become independent by working for 5-6 years. If you want your parents’ money, you’ll have to do things their way, such as going to the college they want you to, or working where they want you to.</p>
<p>Are you in a position, grades and scores, to get a full scholarship anywhere? If not, you are going to have to work with your parents or leave.</p>
<p>They’re saying they won’t give me the information to fill out FAFSA- I’ve already done everything I can do to prepare for college- research, deciding the best place to go based on what I could afford on my own and with scholarships and financial aid. And I’m 17 so I can’t get it. I don’t just want their money- I was hoping they’d help in some way other than just saying: if you don’t go to this school we refuse to help in any way. I am in a good position: 3.9, ACT 27, I know I can get some scholarships. And U of M offers to meet full financial needs if you apply before deadlines for FAFSA, their scholarships and financial aid. </p>
<p>Although they can easily refuse to fill out the FAFSA for future years… Most student DO apply to more than one college so they can compare the costs and see where they are admitted If I were you I would agree to apply to MLC, but also tell them you would like to apply to a few other schools to be able to compare costs at the places where you are accepted. </p>
<p>If your parents are set on MLC, I am wondering if you live in Minnesota. If that is the case, U of Michigan won’t begin to be affordable for you because it is out of state tuition. Could your parents be convinced to allow you to attend a different Lutheran college in Minnesota? What about Gustavus, Augsberg, Concordia (in St. Paul), or St. Olaf? I have spent time on all of those campuses, and you might prefer them. You could go to any of those and potentially go to law school (Gustavus and St. Olaf would give you the best prep of those, I think). </p>
<p>You don’t have to tell them you want to go to law school if that is a sticking point for them – if they aren’t paying for it, I’d just keep that under your hat for now and don’t mention it again.</p>
<p>Regarding your SSN – once you are 18, I assume you can call the social security administration and ask for your number. Won’t solve any of your issues paying for college, but you should have it. If you are going to work (ever) in your life, you need it.</p>
<p>Um…a 27 ACT score could be problematic in terms of acceptance even as an instate student to UMich. And at mich requires not only the FAFSA but also the Profile for financial aid applications. </p>
<p>I live in Michigan actually (sorry for confusion) and I have told them that I want to apply to other places and that it all depends on financial aid that I’d get after applying (the three colleges I mentioned were my reach schools). The problem is my 18th birthday is in May- and that’s past the deadline for many colleges. The other schools I want to apply to are: Alma, Central Michigan University, Albion, and Kalamazoo- I know for Alma, Albion, and K-Zoo I’d be applicable for at least 22K in merit scholarships (don’t know for CMU but I’m applying for their Centralis Scholarship), and at least something in financial aid hopefully. </p>
<p>Apply to the school your parents want you to apply to. They’ll have to give you your social security number to do so. Otherwise its on your parents income tax returns, your school records, health insurance cards may have it, health claim statements, and medical records. If you obtain your social you maybe able to apply to other schools if you obtain application waivers which may be possible by explaining your situation. Also speak to your counselor.</p>
<p>Ok…so you get $20,000 in aid. How will you pay the balance of the cost to attend any of the schools on your list? If your parents won’t complete a FAFSA, you won’t even be able to get a Direct Loan.</p>
<p>Ok this is what I’m trying to resolve. And what I wanted some advice on, I’m 17 trying to do everything on my own, and I can’t do it. But I also cannot go to MLC where the only thing I’d get is a teacher certificate (just in their Lutheran Synods schools) a worthless BA and no way to apply for law school because there was no Pre-Law study or way to prepare for LSAT except on my own. </p>
<p>Are you a U.S citizen? If so, you HAVE a social security number. It is required for you to have one in order for your parents to declare you as a dependent on their taxes. You don’t need a NEW SS number…you need to get the one you already have!</p>
<p>But that isn’t your biggest issue. Your biggest issue is your parents say they will NOT pay for college for you unless you go to this one college. </p>
<p>Thank you for everyone trying to help I didn’t know you could call- but I do have a drivers license so that ID would probs work- someone said you had to be 18 so I just assumed that was the rule. Thank you! </p>
<p>Yeah, I’m a citizen I know I have a SSN but my problem was how to get it. Yes I know the parent thing is an issue I need resolved and that’s why I was asking for help… that was the point of the thread. </p>
<p>For what it’s worth, there is no need to have a pre-law background to get into law school. I don’t know anything about MLC, but I am an attorney and I can tell you that there is no recommended course of study to get into law school. Many (if not most) people admitted to law school majored in things like philosophy or economics; pre-law doesn’t give you any advantages and it doesn’t prepare you for the LSAT any more than philosophy courses would. </p>
<p>Do your parents specifically want you to become a pastor or teacher, or do they just want you to attend a religiously-affiliated school? If it’s the latter, and they would be willing to consider some other religiously-affiliated schools, then you do have more options since you can major in pretty much anything and be fine.</p>
<p>Thanks Gardna- and they want me to go to a religious school and be a Lutheran elementary school teacher. PurpleTitan: Their reasoning is basically college life is bad for good Christians (peer pressure, drugs, alcohol- I understand their concern but I’m not a wild child about to do a 180 and flunk my way out of school). I was really worried about the Pre-law because I assumed it would be something like an ACT prep class- explaining the beginnings of law school, what’s on the test, scoring, etc…</p>