QuestBridge Non-Custodial Parent Waiver? Jeopardize Full Ride if Matched?

Paying for College Access Programs (Questbridge, Posse)
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I am a QuestBridge College Prep Scholar. This is a QB program for juniors, and many of us go on to apply for the National College Match.

I do not have contact with my non-custodial parent. He pays child support, solely because it is garnered from his paycheck after being brought to court for missing payments. I explained this in more detail in my College Prep Scholars application as to why I was unable to provide his financial information. As evident by my acceptance to CPS, it seems that QuestBridge found grounds for me to not provide his information. I am thankful for that.

Here is what I am very confused about: after doing some research about the NCM program, I have found that, if you are selected as a finalist, you are required to provide non-custodial parent information to every school that you rank. I also found this information on the QuestBridge website: “Typically, noncustodial parents are expected to contribute financially to the cost of their child’s education. However, you may petition colleges to waive your noncustodial parent’s financial contributions” . However, I also know that colleges have a right to reject these waivers, and their assessment methods can be very unpredictable.

Alright, so let’s say I apply to the NCM program. Similarly to the CPS application, I explain my relationship with my non-custodial parent in detail as to why I cannot provide his financial information. Let’s say that QB agrees with me again, and I have grounds to get his information waived by QB. All else goes well, and I am selected as a finalist.

THEN, according to QB, I have to petition each school to waive my non-custodial parent’s financial information. What if they reject my petition, and they expect me to provide my father’s information? Am I just automatically not matched for that school? Or, is there still a possibility that I get matched, I just do not receive the full-ride scholarship?

If you have participated in the NCM with an absent non-custodial parent, as I am sure many of us have, please provide some insight on how the process works? I am so confused, and I cannot find much information about it on QB’s website. I am sure you all know the struggle as well.

Thanks!

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@estoyestresado For the College Match Program, it is not QB who will approve the waiver, it is each individual school. Some schools use the QB form and others use their own forms or CB forms. Most schools require 3rd party verification of your lack of contact, i.e, school counselor, someone religious or someone familiar with your situation. This cannot be any family member, nor can it be your mom’s attorney, if she had one. My guess, and this is only a guess, is that it will be harder to get that waiver with your NCP paying regular child support. However, this may be mitigated by the fact that you haven’t had any contact with him in years. I don’t know if they view regular child support as contact. Be prepared to prove this lack of contact. I would have schools on your list that don’t require the NCP info., U of Chicago and Vanderbilt come to mind, along with FAFSA only schools. Also, you could always call the FA office of the schools that you are interested in attending, explain your situation, and ask about the possibility of a waiver.

My daughter applied for the waiver this past year and received it. She has had zero contact with her NCP since 2010 and he hasn’t paid child support since 2007. I really can’t speak to your situation, but as an outsider looking in, I would definitely have a backup plan.

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Agree with this. Thoughts? @BelknapPoint @kelsmom

Yes, UC and Vandy should be high on your ranked list because they don’t require NCP info, although they do reserve the right to request it, and will see on FAFSA that you are receiving child support.

I also think you should speak with the FA office at the schools you are interested in, so that you can be more informed when making and ranking your list of 12 QB schools.

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Thank you for the information. To anyone who stumbles across this thread with similar concerns, QB (through email) confirmed that I will NOT be matched for a school if the school rejects my non-custodial parent waiver petition, which makes the likelihood that I will be matched even less likely, due to the unpredictable nature of the way that individual colleges assess this petition. Everything that the above commenters have said is useful as well ^