<p>Now it has come to be that I am responsible for everything - food, clothes,</p>
<p>I think your dad can lose custody of you if he’s making you (a minor) pay for food.</p>
<p>Did your mom lose custody because of some neglect or abuse? If not, then you probably can go live with her.</p>
<p>* I am still living at home (I’d be tracked down and dragged back if I tried to move out, but I’ve been informed that my first rent check is due a month after my eighteenth birthday. *</p>
<p>Not if he’s not paying for your food. I don’t think you could be forced to return to him without his assurance that he will provide your food.</p>
<p>and once you’re 18, go live with your mom…no one can stop you then.</p>
<p>Don’t look at OOS publics or colleges that provide need-based aid instead of merit aid. </p>
<p>Your best bet is to look at Midwestern LACs where you are above the average sat/gpa, schools with specified merit awards (Bama, etc.), and then throw in a couple of schools such as BU where you MIGHT get a large merit award, but you probably won’t. But then if you don’t get that big award, you’ll have a full ride to fall back on somewhere. </p>
<p>A UC will cost you 33k and rising, so I wouldnt bother with those. CC is a fine option, and you could cover living expenses with a job.</p>
<p>Your stats qualify you for a scholarship that would cover full tuition at the University of Alabama for 4 years. It is a flagship university and would be a great experience. Unfortunately that would still leave you with the cost of travel, books, and room and board to cover, which may not be possible. But, I thought I’d throw it out there. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>What is your major? </p>
<p>can I ask how how old you were when your parents separated? And, why your mom lost custody? Was your dad tired of paying your mom child support, so he went for full custody and then decided you could just support yourself?</p>
<p>(why are we now getting so many threads about dads who get custody and then are mean???</p>
<p>Yes, Alabama will give you full tuition. It will also give you an additional 2500 per year if you major in engineering or computer science. Total value…over $95,000.</p>
<p>Be aware – The large merit aid like Bama’s full tuition are ONLY available to freshmen students. Plan carefully. For high stat kids, attending Community College for 2 years and then transferring to a 4 yr can be a much higher price tag for the degree then starting at a 4yr with large merit.</p>
<p>A Gap Year of working full time before beginning college is great IF you can live cheaply for that year.</p>
<p>Your SAT score is very good. Did you take the PSAT? Any chance of National Merit? That could open up full ride possibilities.</p>
<p>Your road is difficult, but not impossible. Stay focused.</p>
<p>Longhaul is right. Incoming frosh get the most scholarship money…</p>
<p>Just to be clear, it is not an option for me to live with my mother until I turn eighteen in March of 2013. At that time, I’m likely to either move in with her or rent a room of my own (I don’t know if I can handle living with her again). I live about fifteen minutes away from her at the moment. </p>
<p>To answer a few questions - no, my mom can’t help me. She doesn’t have access to my educational records, nor could she afford it. I’m not sure she would if she could, anyways. Her income is approximately $20k. </p>
<p>My major is Theatre, with an emphasis in Design and Production. I have been working/volunteering for a community theatre for five years now, since I was twelve. I’ve worked crew for over thirty-five productions (it comes to thirty-eight when I count them, but I’m fairly sure I’m missing one). I get community service hours whenever I’m not getting paid (as it counts as volunteering for a nonprofit) and I have 2000+ community service hours solely from that. Part of my struggle in finding schools to apply to is the difficulty in finding a strong technical theatre program. </p>
<p>I was ten when my parents separated, eleven by the time they had divorced, and fifteen when I was removed from my mother’s custody. Prior to that, custody was 50/50 and my brother and I spent one week at my father’s, followed by a week at my mother’s. My mother lost custody, long story short, due to abuse, neglect, and poor choices. </p>
<p>I did take the PSAT, but with a score of 203, I’m not eligible for anything past Commended Student in the state of California. </p>
<p>Thank you all so much for the responses…</p>
<p>Your mother may not be able to help you financially, but if she is your Custodial parent by definition for FAFSA, at her income level, your EFC is likely to be zero and you would be eligible for $5500 in Pell grants.You are also eligible for some subsidized Loans, guaranteed Stafford, unsubsidized at the very least if your costs justify it. If your father refuses to complete the FAFSA, you won;t be entitled to any of this. </p>
<p>Your biggest stuggles in finding a school are going to be in paying for it. The way it works is that until you meet the definition for independent student which is age 24, marriage, veteran of the Armed Forces or having a dependent or getting a court order, your parents are crucial and key in paying for college. That they refuse to do it does not enter the picture. I don’t know CA law, and I don’t know conditions were made in the custody and support documents, but suing ones parent(s) usually is a huge flop and waste of time even in watertight cases, unless you have the money to be able to last out a law suit. With a custodial parent with money who refuses to pay, you aren’t going to get jack in terms of finacial aid. You had better look for merit money, in that case. And I mention again, many parents in your Dad’s situation will simply refuse to fill out the forms . They know there is nothing in it for them and it requires them to reveal what they consider personal financial info, so you won’t even be eligible for loans or anything that requires a FAFSA if this happens. In such a case, you are better off with your mother.</p>
<p>There are very few good theater tech/design schools that offer good aid. You should ask for specific help in that regard in the Theater Majors sub-forum inside the College Majors Forum.</p>
<p>The good news is that you are already working, and your professional contacts can help you find more work. In your field those contacts can be much more important than graduating from a specific place. Use the network that you have now to find out about more options for yourself.</p>
<p>Agreeing with cptofthehouse, you would be better off with your Mother for your college Financial aid. If she is your legal guardian then her income is the consider for FAFSA only schools and NOT your father. That would allow you to qualify for Financial Aid. </p>
<p>She may not be able to contribute a dime to your college but her low income will benefit you. You are 17, is there any reason why you can NOT request to live with your mother? You mentioned abuse, so that may not be good but the situation with your father doesn’t sound a lot better.</p>
<p>Can you seek out someone from Social Services, a Youth Homeless Shelter coordinator, or your school district’s McKinney/Vento Liaison (for homelessness) and see if that person can connect you with someone who can help you get financial support from your father, at least until you turn 18? The behavior that you are describing is abusive.</p>
<p>Given the issues with your mom, and what you’ve written about your dad, perhaps judicial placement in an alternative setting might be best – and could result in you qualifying as an independent student under one of these FAFSA provisions:
-You were a foster child after the age of 13
-You are an emancipated child as determined by a court judge
-You are homeless or at risk of homelessness as determined by the director of a HUD approved homeless shelter, transitional program, or high school liaison</p>