Non-custodial parent?

<p>Basically, the amount of need-based aid I can expect to get is rather drastically lowered by my dad's savings (according to the net price calculators I've used), and he doesn't intend to contribute anything. Are there any schools that won't consider his income and assets in determining my aid?
Sorry if this is a dumb question. I've just started thinking about financial aid because until recently my parents wouldn't tell me much about their finances.
By the way, my parents are legally separated, not divorced.</p>

<p>I’m assuming you live with your mom. If so, schools that use ONLY the FAFSA will use your mom’s income and assets only. You do not put the non-custodial parent on the FAFSA.</p>

<p>For Profile schools, you will need to check whether they require the non-custodial parent Profile. Some schools do NOT require the non-custodial parent Profile at all. Your mom would complete the Profile, and your dad would complete the non-custodial Profile IF it is required.</p>

<p>You also need to check each college website to see what they require. Some colleges have their own financial aid form that does request information from both parents regardless of marital status.</p>

<p>My mom has custody of me, but during the school year I’ll stay with my cousins because they live closer to the college I’m taking dual-enrollment classes at. Does it matter where I physically live?</p>

<p>Generally it is the address of your custodial parent or where you went to high school unless you go to boarding school that determines whether you are in-state or out-of-state for tuition. It is best to check the individual colleges you are interested in to determine their residency requirements.</p>

<p>Everything is in the same state, if that’s what you mean. I just don’t live in the same house as my mom a lot of the time. A lot of the colleges I’m considering are private schools, though.</p>

<p>Are you in high school now? The address of the parent you live with NOW is the custodial parent. Where you live in college is not your “permanent address”. That is your college address. So…if you are a high school senior in the fall…the parent you live with the most in 2013 is your custodial parent…your mom.</p>

<p>Many private colleges ask for the non-custodial parent information. If the school requires this information, you will have to provide it, and it will be used in computing your need based aid.</p>

<p>You need to check YOUR colleges’ websites to see what they require.</p>

<p>If you live with your mom more than you live with your dad, then she is your custodial parent for the FAFSA. That you sleep at your cousin’s place a lot of the time doesn’t matter. What matters is the amounts of time you spend with Mom and with Dad.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that FAFSA only schools usually do not give lots of need-based aid, so that can be a real problem.</p>

<p>Schools that don’t require NCP info generally do NOT give great aid.</p>

<p>You may be “looking at private schools,” but if they require NCP info or don’t give great aid, then you need to look at schools that will give you lots of merit scholarships for your stats…and those may be public or private.</p>

<p>Apply to a few schools that FOR SURE will give you HUGE merit for your stats. Those will be your financial safety schools. Huge merit would be full tuition scholarships or more.</p>

<p>You need to be careful because otherwise you could end up with acceptances that aren’t affordable, and then you’d end up at a CC.</p>

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<p>I was just trying to figure out why state residency would be relevant.</p>

<p>I’m already applying to a college I know I can afford. I still get some need-based aid when both my parents’ assets are considered.</p>

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<p>Most of the colleges I want to apply to require non-custodial parent information, but I made this thread so I could find colleges that don’t require that.</p>

<p>I’m already applying to a college I know I can afford…</p>

<p>Since money is an issue, I think you should apply to 2-3 schools that you know you can afford so that:</p>

<p>1) in case you later decide that you don’t like your one affordable school.</p>

<p>2) You still will have a choice to make next spring…otherwise you may feel railroaded into the one affordable school…not good for morale.</p>

<p>* I still get some need-based aid when both my parents’ assets are considered*</p>

<p>the fact that you may still get “some” aid when both parents assets are considered is ONLY relevant if your mom will pay your dad’s share. If she won’t/can’t then getting “some aid” would be irrelevant.</p>

<p>For example: if a $60k school looks at BOTH parents’ income and determines that you can get $20k in aid, then will your MOM PAY the $40k “family contribution” each year? If not, how does that help you???</p>

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<p>It helps if the sticker price of the school was fairly low to start with. That’s why I can afford Ohio State. </p>

<p>I’m looking at this list of schools that require the CSS Profile:
<a href=“CSS Profile Home – CSS Profile | College Board”>CSS Profile Home – CSS Profile | College Board;
If it says “no” under Noncustodial Profile, does that mean I don’t have to submit noncustodial information, or does it mean the college has its own separate form for that? Does it vary depending on the college?
Specifically I’m looking at Case Western, which appeals to me because I wouldn’t have to pay for housing.</p>

<p>SO basically, you are saying that worse case scenario, should you get accepted to Ohio State University, your mom will be able to pay the 20.4k (tuition, room and board) if you not be eligible for any financial aid.</p>

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<p>In general it means you don’t have to submit non-custodial financial information. However you should go to each school’s own website to confirm this because the College Board might not have the most recent information from each school.</p>

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<p>We are eligible for need-based aid (according to the net price calculator), even with my dad’s stuff considered, because my parents are fairly low-income. The point is it’s not as much.
And I’m presuming I’ll get scholarships because I have a 35 ACT and am ranked in the top 3% of my class.
And you don’t have to live on campus after the first year, so my mom says there are relatives I can stay with down there for the last three years if we need to save money on housing.</p>

<p>What is your GPA? With a 35 ACT and the kind of GPA it takes to rank in the top 3% there are schools that would give you full tuition and even full ride scholarships. There are two threads stickied at the top of this forum, one about automatic scholarships and one about competitive scholarships. Take a look at the schools listed. You would have to factor in the increased travel expense of going farther away from home. I wouldn’t presume OSU will give you any merit aid, public Us often don’t give much except for the ones listed in those threads. But do check into it on the OSU website.</p>

<p>Do you have an intended major?</p>

<p>3.99 unweighted and my intended major is math.
The net price calculator, which has you enter your test scores and class rank, predicted I would get the Maximus scholarship ($20,000 total). These aren’t guaranteed scholarships but I exceed the test score/class rank guidelines and I’m in-state:
[Scholarships[/url</a>]</p>

<p>Northeastern says they give up to full tuition for National Merit Finalists:
[url=&lt;a href=“http://www.northeastern.edu/admissions/costs/scholarships.html]Scholarships”&gt;http://www.northeastern.edu/admissions/costs/scholarships.html]Scholarships</a> | Admissions](<a href=“Merit-based scholarships - The Ohio State University”>Merit-based scholarships - The Ohio State University)</p>

<p>Would I be likely to receive such a scholarship, or is it really competitive?</p>

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No, this is not true.** As you suggested yourself, it varies from school to school. Many schools have their own non-custodial parent form. For each school you’re interested in that does not require the College Board NCP form, you should check the school’s website to see if they have their own form . . . and if it’s not clear from the website, contact the school and ask!</p>

<p>For Ohio State and your other state schools, unless things have changed, they look at your custodial parent’s financial situation only. You fill out FAFSA and only your mother’s (if you spend more time living with her than your father) and your financial information is used. However, any child support your mother gets is included as part of her income. </p>

<p>The catch is that Ohio State and your other state schools do not always meet full need. It appears as though you are a high achiever, so you may be one of those who does get enough awards for your full need to be met. </p>

<p>As for private schools, many do require PROFILE and most that guarantee to meet full need or do meet most of it tend to want both parents’ infomation. Denison might not, Vanderbilt might not. USC once did not, but these things change year to year, and I might be wrong. You need to check every single school you are considering and find out. </p>

<p>If you are in place to be a National Merit Finalist, yes, there are schools that have some nice awards Northeastern does tend to give full tuition remission to NMSs as does Fordham. It was once guaranteed, but not anymore, but from what I heard, it’s still a pretty good bet. Get the list of such schools from the board here, but again, you have to recheck as things do change. ALso look at the list of schools that do tend to give generous merit awards as you may be eligible for some of them.</p>

<p>From the Northeastern website info it looks like all NMFs get the full tuition but it isn’t 100% clear. Email the admissions department and ask if it’s competitive and if so, how competitive. Good that you are familiar with NPCs. You should be able to come up with a good list of schools to apply to that includes financial safeties and those that might give you large merit and/or need based aid.</p>

<p>I was told last year, that Northeastern has given every single NMF from our high school the full tuition award, but who knows when that could change.</p>