I also never said I was relying on the dependency override, but it’s something I want to try.
Good to keep all your options on the table, as long as you have a realistic backup plan! Good luck.
I worked as a loan officer in a previous life. You don’t have credit at your age. Also, without your parents info, there’s no way to get federal student loans. Private students are only meant to be a supplement to federal loans. Your parents would have to co-sign for those anyway.
No one is saying they’re not narcissists, I’m saying that it won’t be a convincing enough argument to get around the dependency issue. In order to get financial aid, FAFSA requires you to have your parents tax info on there. If you’re not interested in the military, (best bet) you could simply see if your employer does tuition reimbursements. If not, find one that does. You probably won’t be getting your degree full-time, but you’ll have a degree. Working full-time gives you the ability to actually have an apartment and a life while you take classes.
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If OP gets a dependency override they will be considered independent when they fill out FAFSA. All independent students qualify for Federal Student Loans, without their parents’ financials.
I agree with little/no income and light credit history, OP will not be able to get a private loan, unless parents or some credit worthy adult co-signs the loan.
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It really sounds like there’s a lot more going on here than what we’re hearing. Parents have rightful veto authority if they object to the school that’s offering an acceptance. I’m suspecting that’s where this power struggle originates from. And it’s a losing battle. What schools, are they willing to help pay for?
Nope. My parents aren’t paying a single dollar for college. They will sign onto my loans, as long as the loan makes sure I’m the only one paying. But they could possibly hold this over my head and do other things. Which is a common tactic for emotionally manipulative parents. Whether you believe that or not.
This isn’t how loans work. Go practice becoming a lawyer and look up what a contract looks like.
Banks don’t care about “only one paying”- it’s EVERYONE paying. You sign, you’re liable. If the bank can’t find you for any reason (you move and leave no forwarding address?) or if you don’t have the money and fall behind on your payments- guess who pays? The co-signers, i.e. your parents. And this will be spelled out clearly in the loan documentation.
Don’t rely on what you think- go find out what the reality is.
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Please do some research about how co-signed loans/contracts work. Posters here are trying to explain that to you. All co-signers are legally obligated to pay. Any arrangement for you to make all payments would be a “gentleman’s agreement” between you and your parents. The lending institution will not care.
We just want you to be informed so you can research viable options and achieve your goals. Please take advantage of this board to ask more questions. People will do their best to help and offer guidance. You can take that information and do with it what you want. 
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What’s with the attitude? I said they could back out at any second. They could decide not to sign the loans. Also, THEY said they weren’t paying a dime. This one college I talked to said they can sign on, and then I’d pay everything once I graduate so
I’m just repeating what my parents told me, and the one college I applied to said I could be the one paying after I graduate. That’s all I said. This literally isn’t the point.
Beyond the fact that your parents are legally obligated to pay loans they co-sign for, taking out these loans will impact their credit rating (decrease it), their ability to get a mortgage or car loan, sign a lease, things of that nature.
Lastly, there is no guarantee they will continue to qualify for these loans each and every year, based on their income, assets, ages, etc.
My point is…please do more research on the loans. Once you move past the Federal student loans and parent plus loans, it’s becomes much more difficult to secure loans, whether you or your parents. As the saying goes…‘banks don’t lend money to people who need it’.
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I know this….
“They could decide not to sign the loans.“
This statement is what everyone is concerned about, based on your earlier posts stating that your parents would only co-sign if the loan verbiage made you solely liable for the payments. Everyone wanted you to understand that is not how loans work so you weren’t caught off guard when/if your parents refused to co-sign. I hope that doesn’t happen, but we were trying to prepare you for that possibility.
But you said this isn’t the point… So choose a school you can afford. Period. Everyone here is just trying to help you figure out HOW to afford it. That is all.
ETA: It sounds like you are in an extremely stressful environment and worrying about choosing and paying for college is surely adding to that. But do please understand all advice here is well intended. And remember that typed words cannot always express the tone behind them.
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There’s way too much snark from more than one user. I suggest dialing it back. I’d also suggest the OP read what users are saying, as they are only trying to help.
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That poster isn’t giving you attitude. They are trying to explain the facts of what it means to cosign a loan. No one is purposely trying to be argumentative with you.
The truth of the matter is that when someone co-signs a loan, what that means is if you, the primary signer, defaults on the loan and refuses to or cannot pay the loan back, the lender (aka the bank) can and will demand that the co-signer pay back the loan.
Signing and co-signing a loan means that all of the signing parties are signing a binding, legal agreement. It does not matter that your parents have told you that they won’t pay the co-signed loan…what matters legally is the legal contract that they will sign.
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Yes, multiple posters are being snarky. I’m not up for it, I already deal with enough at home.
The loan situation wasn’t even my point at the end of the day.
I understand the loan situation about the co-signer, but they don’t care as long as I am the one paying at the end of the day. If for some reason I can’t pay, that’s a different story, but as long as I can, they want me to make the payments
I have read what they’re saying, but there’s no need to say “I need to investigate like a lawyer” and “don’t throw the term narcissist” around.
I’m sorry, but it’s snarky and I won’t tolerate it. People are also going off the main point of my thread. It’s frustrating. I have gotten advice off this thread already. Which I said like a day ago.
Op- hugs to you. And take a deep breath. We are trying to save you from 10 years of poverty (more than that if you take out loans for grad school). Don’t take it as snark- take it as a reality check that PERHAPS the plan you have in your head is not a financially sound one. You have posted multiple things that are wishful thinking, not grounded in reality, or are based on things like “you could be the one paying after graduation”. Of course you could- if you had the money, you could. Bill Gates could be the one paying- hey, you never know. But Bill isn’t likely to start paying on your loans, and the kind of debt you are talking about isn’t likely to be affordable for a new college graduate.
You are trying to get out of an abusive home life. Can you imagine still living with them at the age of 32 because every penny you earn has to go towards paying your loans? Again- go practice being a lawyer. Look up the repayment charts, look at the kind of after-tax income you are going to need to pay off the loans by yourself.
Don’t dig yourself into a financial hole, and don’t disregard the advice of posters just because you don’t like their “snarky tone”. There are tens of thousands of young people right now with good jobs who live with their parents because they can’t qualify to rent their own apartment… they don’t have enough income for rent AND loans AND transportation costs. You’ll be paying off your loans with after-tax dollars (which means AFTER social security and AFTER federal and state taxes-- and local if you end up somewhere with a city tax).
Go do the math.
To be clear, I was not excluding you with what I previously wrote.
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Oh yes, I know. Please just close the thread. Because I’m sick of seeing the replies.
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