I am about to start applying for UC admissions and I have some problems. I was born in CA and lived there all my life. We have lived in an apartment for 13 yrs and just recently (mid-July) bought a home still in CA. I’m starting my senior year and my dad hasn’t found a new job so we are still renting out the apartment. Plus, I’m going to have officer roles in my club so it’s important for my apps and I can get letters of recommendation more easily. However, my brother is starting high school so he and my mother are moving to the house and have already registered near there. Is the house we bought and intend to move to after the school year ends our primary home or secondary? Can I put it as my main address so I don’t have to deal with changing addresses later? Will it affect fafsa help?
P.S. My parents aren’t legally separated or anything just living apart for now. The house isn’t being rented out or used for investment. My dad is the only one that works and we are low-income.
This happened to us my D’s senior year but not in CA.
We used the mailing address where our D was living for all the college stuff. It wasn’t a big deal to change the address once she graduated and we were all reunited.
The problem I see with you changing your residence is that it may affect your high school. In some areas, like mine, the various school districts are very strict about their students living within district lines. If you are going to private or charter school that doesn’t have such constraints , that’s not an issue.
So you will likely have to Keep your apartment address as is to avoid issues at your highschool. If you sign up for FAFSA and tests, colleges, scholars , etc etc using a different address, the problem can then come from your highschool. They may question why you are listing a different address as primary. Its not going to affect your college applications, tests, scholarship applications at all unless you are going for something that is address driven like a neighborhood award. Even then , that you and your father legitimately live there would likely make things just fine, but it is possible it brings up some questions
While you may not have problems with admissions, you may have problems with financial aid. The challenge is your apartment will be your primary residence, the the house that your family purchased (your mom and brother live there) is going to be an asset listed on the FAFSA.
The equity in the new house would be listed as an asset. If they just bought…how much equity would they have in that new house?
No, the new house is the primary resident of the mother so doesn’t have to be listed as an asset. The father lives in a rental. The family doesn’t own two homes.
I don’t see this as a problem. Whichever address you list on the ACT or SAT tests is going to get a ton of junk mail, so be prepared for that.
It’s very easy to change the address for college. In California, it may make a difference for your CSU school. If you want to go to a CSU near your new home, list that. If you want to go to one served by your current home, list that address. If you don’t know yet, just pick one. Most of your contact with the school will come by email.
@twoinanddone
The student is living with her father…they don’t have to own his residence. The father’s residence is the student’s primary residence. She isn’t living in the mom’s house.
@kelsmom how do you Interpret this…
Kid is living with the dad. The mom is living in a new house they bought. Is the house the student’s Primary residence if she doesn’t live there?