<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I'm new, and I need some serious advice here. The thing is, recently the environment in my home is such that I no longer can function well emotionally or academically. One of my parents has had an abusive streak, more physical when I was young, to verbally abusive now that I'm in college. I have been thinking I should just "make a break" and try living on my own. This would mean paying for my private university education (an Ivy League college) alone also...this is about 40,000+ a year. I'm not sure what to do; I no longer want to come home for the breaks. My parents make enough such that I didn't qualify for financial aid. Is it possible for a student to pay for his or her private college tuition while handling a heavy courseload and other activities? Is there any government support or jobs I can take? Please, any ideas or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks and I look forward to learning through this forum!</p>
<p>bump...can someone give me advice please? thanks...</p>
<p>You need to speak with the financial aid office at your college first thing tomorrow morning. Pick up the phone and call them. They will be able to advise you about options that are available to you.</p>
<p>As for the abuse itself, you need to talk to a counselor about that situation. Perhaps the counseling office at your college can put you in touch with an agency that is close to you, or maybe you can find a local crisis hot-line.</p>
<p>Your situation is very difficult. It is not unheard of for people to work and support themselves during four years at expensive private colleges, however you will be in a clear minority. You need to set up emotional support systems for yourself because most of your classmates won't be having your experience and won't always be able to understand why you need to work for money instead of doing fun stuff.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>
<p>The fact that your parents were able and willing to pay for college expenses to start with will make it nearly impossible to be granted a dependency override. You will need to be able to document long-term abuse (and not just the typical manipulative, mean or controlling parents). </p>
<p>Many kids your age no longer want to be controlled by their parents (who, naturally, feel they can dictate to you since they are shelling out $40,000+/yr for college). Abuse is a different matter. </p>
<p>I would suggest you talk with the FA office about a dependency override -- but I sincerely doubt you will qualify.</p>
<p>As far as working your way through college -- I simply don't see how it can be done if you are talking about a private college ($40,000+). Could you take a leave of absence from the school to work and earn money? Does your school offer an ROTC program that you might apply for a scholarship for?</p>
<p>"more physical when I was young, to verbally abusive now that I'm in college"</p>
<p>Yes, you would have to document the abuse, with the help of others who know about your situation, but there is no requirement that the abuse be long-term (thought it would make your case stronger). Verbal abuse qualifies. </p>
<p>You didn't say your parents are no longer willing to pay; would they stop paying if you stopped coming home? There are lots of college students who seldom come home (first-hand experience!), even in a loving environment.</p>
<p>You could also try to get yourself legally emancipated from them, in which case their assets would probably no longer affect your FAFSA and aid stuff next year. I'm not 100% sure if this would be the case but I think it would be worth looking into. Best of luck.</p>
<p>I'm in somewhat of the same situation as my mom is just a total ***** and refuses to pay a cent towards anything. Oh, and she kicked me out of the house for the summer even though I didn't do a thing to provoke her. So I am living with a friend rent-free right now. My dad remarried and moved to California and has a new wife and kids and I only talk to him once a month. He only sends about ten dollars when I ask him for money.
Anyway, enough of me complaining. I work at Taco Bell full-time as a manager during the summer, and I work nights at the Taco Bell near my school in the city. They give me a TON of hours, and actually pretty good pay, so I don't mind it. This really only pays for books and living expenses, though. I have the rest of my tuition out on loans since my family's EFC is too high for aid (my dad makes around 400k but spends it all on his new kid). It's tough but I get by, and right now I'm just trying not to worry about after college.
Anyway, I know I didn't offer much advice here, but I just wanted to let you know there are others in the same boat as you. We'll make it through somehow.</p>
<p>"Emancipated minor status is not recognized by the Department of Education for financial aid purposes." You must meet the criteria for an independent student or get a financial aid officer to give you a dependency override. Just being emancipated does nothing for you in terms of being able to claim yourself as independent.</p>
<p>kelsmom is correct -- and the other issue is that in order to be an emancipated minor, you have to actually still be a minor (under age 18).</p>