<p>Hi, I have been lurking around about this and haven't found much so here goes</p>
<p>Family size 1 Adult mom
1 small child
2 kids 1 18yrs and me 21 my mom claims both of us on her Tax return
I have a job but make way less than 10grand</p>
<p>My brother applied and got accepted to UHART and his EFC on the Fafsa was about $5000
My Fafsa was was about $5,000 also</p>
<p>My mom is an RN and can make about $120,000 [100,000] but she has decided to work way less and doesn't want to pay the EFC. She also hasn't filed her newest tax info... She currently pays for my brother to go to UCONN about 10,000 and he is graduating after his 5th yr...</p>
<p>My questions are why can't students take out full loans and by pass parents?
How did you deal or how do you deal with a parent that doesn't want to pay anything?
Do the colleges or Fafsa determine your final EFC? once your accepted etc?</p>
<p>There is no way your mother earns $120K and you have a $5K EFC. For that income level the EFC would be around $30-40K divided by the two students. You can file FAFSA and get Stafford loans ($5.5K as a freshman) but that’s all. Anything else will need a cosigner. FAFSA determines your EFC which is your eligibility for Federal Financial Aid. Colleges determine if you are eligible for other aid (state or institutional from the college itself).</p>
<p>What is your mom really earning. You say that she “could” earn $120k, but earns a lot less.</p>
<p>And, if your mom were to earn $120k, your EFC would surely climb.</p>
<p>your mom may HAVE to work less because she’s a single mom with a small child. Does your mom get child support for the child? If so, that also is supposed to be reported.</p>
<p>BTW…you may need to come up with the EFC out of your earnings.</p>
<p>My mom could and up until recently made 120,000 [100,000] after taxes.
This is what my brother and I put on the fafsa.
For the current tax year she hasn’t filed…she does everything when she wants -_-
She gets child support $200 a month. She has 1 kid in college graduating in may finally… and then me and my bro this fall.
My EFC according to Fafsa was $5,730 and my brother’s will be the same I guess. I don’t know why ours is so low, I guess she claims 4 kids on her taxes [the $100,000 yr] and maybe thats why. My other question is what is the max loan a freshmen can take out w/ cosigners [not my parents they have bad credit]</p>
<p>Also the mom2collegekids she works less because she just wants to work less…not because of her small child which I primarily care for…but that’s another story she works 2 days a week 40hr shifts</p>
<p>Maybe your mom is just flat-out tired of working. Have you thought of that?</p>
<p>Nowhere is it written that parents have to pay for their kids’ college educations, and nowhere is it written that parents have to work the maximum number of hours each week so that they can earn the maximum amount of money.</p>
<p>You need to sit down with your mom when both of you are calm, and talk about everyone’s options. Give her a hand with filing the taxes, and then contact your college(s) about revising your FAFSA. Maybe you and your sibling need to find less expensive colleges, or maybe you need to get part-time jobs.</p>
<p>The maximum loan that you can take out is $5,500 through Stafford. If that is not included already in your aid package, it would pretty much cover your EFC.</p>
<p>*she works 2 days a week 40 hr shifts *</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>And, what about your dad? How come you’re not pressuring him to cough up some bucks?</p>
<p>Here’s the thing: colleges do not agree to meet EFC anyway. The FAFSA efc is a number the government uses to determine whether you qualify for federal aid-- which is mainly Pell Grant and $5,500 in loans (the loan is available to everyone who fills out a FAFSA). You should expect that you will need to come up with MORE than that amount. And I see you understand that they will count your income also.</p>
<p>Are there any colleges within commuting distance? If your mom is willing to allow you to live at home during college, that will be a big help. </p>
<p>What kind of grades, course load and test scores do you have? I’m wondering how likely merit scholarships are. </p>
<p>Many private colleges will require info from your dad. Is he in the picture? They will also count the equity in your home if your mom owns your house. </p>
<p>Your mom works full-time and raises 4 kids. Her child support is negligible. If she already paid for one to go to college, she knows what’s involved. It doesn’t sound like she’s in an economic position to make too much happen. Based on what you wrote, your best odds might be to commute to a school while working. If you have top grades/scores/course load, you may be able to aim for one of the top few colleges in the country where financial aid is especially generous. (Note that those colleges will consider your dad’s income and assets.)</p>
<p>When a parent/s chooses not to pay for their adult child’s college education, then the adult child needs to find other routes. The parent is under no legal obligation to pay for their grown childrens’ college education.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, most colleges and the federal government loan program are based on the presumption that parents will chip in money based on a formula that is quite rough and approximately and often unrealistic as well. </p>
<p>However, fortunately, there are ways for students to pay their own way. Community colleges are usually quite affordable. A student can work until 24 and then go to college based on their own income rather than their parents’ income. I have heard of students working one year, college one year, etc. I have heard of students working fulltime while attending college. There is military service after which college funds are awarded. Etc.</p>
<p>^^ Yes, and if military service is even a consideration, the service academies are an option because they do not charge tuition/room/board. This is NOT an option if you don’t want to go military, however, because they make you pay them back if you leave.</p>
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<p>Simple answer. You don’t have any enough collateral, and you don’t have a steady income that is sufficient to support full loans. Banks need to know that IF they give loans, they can recover the funds if the person defaults…this can be by taking over your collateral or by garnishing your wages. </p>
<p>Since you don’t have the income or collateral to secure your OWN loan you need to have a cosigner who is willing to risk THEIRS in the event that you default on your loan.</p>
<p>Agreed with others…if you mom’s income is $100K per year, her EFC would be more than $10K per year for each of two kiddos. BUT it sounds like your mom is earning LESS than that amount and just COULD earn that much. Sorry but that is her decision.</p>
<p>You need to find a college where you can afford to pay the bills. Have a discussion with your mom about your post high school plans. See how much she CAN pay towards your college education each year.</p>
<p>momof2
She doesn’t want my help with her taxes and I would never ask because she isn’t very easy to deal with…I didn’t ask why won’t my mom pay for anything. I asked how do you deal with a parent that doesn’t want to pay/ why can’t you take out more than X amount of money? I also stated I have a job, and already applied for a second. Are you sure you can only take out 5,500 from stafford? How is anyone going to college taking out 5,000? I wanted to know the max through All loan avenues for a yr.</p>
<p>My father has never paid anything for me because my mom didn’t want him to and I don’t even speak with him and he has his own other family etc So he’s a none factor</p>
<p>2collegewego</p>
<p>We’re getting evicted from our rental house [no home equity because our other house went into forclosure] and my mom is moving in with her b/f and there is no room for me so commuting isn’t a option. I’m def not getting any merit/scholarships. I’ve applied locally and even though my instate school [Central CT state U] is cheap I would still have to come up with some of the money. That is why I am asking the total max of money in loans I can take out? Un/sub Fed Staff loans & Fed Perkins loans I’m really confused about how much you’re allowed</p>
<p>Your total Stafford loan in your name for freshman year is $5500. You would have to complete the FAFSA to be able to get this loan. It’s likely too late for a Perkins loan which is the other student loan you could get in your name. Those are “first come, first served” loans and that money was probably allocated LONG ago to folks who completed the financial aid applications early.</p>
<p>Without completing the FAFSA, there is no way to know if you are eligible for a Pell grant.If you are, that is based on your EFC from the FAFSA calculation. The maximum Pell is $5700, I believe but that is for someone with an EFC of $0. If your EFC is $5000, you wouldn’t get much at all in a Pell grant.</p>
<p>If your mom applies for a PLUS loan and is denied a PLUS loan, you would be eligible for additional Stafford Loan money. BUT she must apply for the PLUS and be denied…and to apply for the PLUS you MUST complete the FAFSA…and to get that really completed, you MUST complete your 2010 tax return.</p>
<p>I would suggest that you go and talk to the financial aid folks at CCSU. Perhaps they can give you some guidance. </p>
<p>So…maximum Stafford loan for you…$5500.</p>
<p>“How is anyone going to college taking out 5,000?”</p>
<p>In California at least, if you can “live at home”, tuition for a CCC, and sometimes a CSU, can be had for $5,000/yr.</p>
<p>This student is from CT…not CA. BUT still…the cost of a community college in CT would easily be met with a Stafford loan and part of a Pell…and a part time job. The CCs in CT all have articulation agreements with four year colleges here.</p>
<p>OP…do you have a family member you can live with…or a close family friend who might rent you a room either in exchange for some kind of service or for an inexpensive amount? If so…maybe you could live with someone and attend a community college for two years and then transfer to CCSU. Lots of students do that!</p>
<p>He said “how is ANYONE going to college”.</p>
<p>Is it more expensive in CT?</p>
<p>If your mom is being evicted and there’s no room for you, you may be able to be certified as homeless to try and get independent status. This may allow you more $ in loans. Be sure your guidance counselor knows what’s going on. </p>
<p>I believe you have to be “homeless or at risk of homelessness as determined by the director of a HUD approved homeless shelter, transitional program, or high school liaison.”</p>
<p>[Central</a> Connecticut State University (CCSU): Petition to be Independent](<a href=“http://www.ccsu.edu/page.cfm?p=5035]Central”>http://www.ccsu.edu/page.cfm?p=5035)</p>
<p>Do a search on college confidential for homeless and look under the financial aid forums.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1022028-how-can-i-claim-independent.html?highlight=homeless[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1022028-how-can-i-claim-independent.html?highlight=homeless</a></p>
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<p>The total cost of attendance at the CT State Us (CCSU, SCSU, WCSU and ESCU) is less than any of the Cal schools…but CT does not have Cal grants. There is some aid for lower income students but certainly not to the extent that there is in CA. </p>
<p>Still…there is an extensive CC system in CT and the schools all have articulation agreements with not only the four year publics but also some of the four year private schools in the state. In addition, many of the courses of study at the CCs can actually lead to employment. I know a number of students who finished a two year degree at a community college…got a job and completed their bachelors degrees by attending college at night or on the weekends. It IS possible to go to college…for most any student…but sometimes it’s not the “traditional” four year college way.</p>