<p>I really need some help.
I'm really not being emo or angsty when I say my parents hate me. They do. My dad won't talk to me anymore. I haven't seen him in over a year.
My mom, who has legal custody over me, kicked me out of my house three years ago.
Extended family took care of me, and now I'm 18 and applying to college and completely on my own.
I don't know what I am supposed to do about the FAFSA.
I want to apply as an independent, because I don't know how I can get my parents to cooperate with forms or pay once everything is said and done.
But apparently I can't apply as an independent unless my parents legally gave up custody in court before I was 18??</p>
<p>Is there any way around this?
Can i still apply as an independent?</p>
<p>If I need proof, ACS should have craploads of files about my family.
Would that work?</p>
<p>Have a person(s) in authority write a letter to the colleges offices of financial aid explaining in detail your circumstances:</p>
<p>Your relatives who are now caring for you; any court documents which shed light on the situation; high school guidance counselor and/or psychologist/principal; any social worker who knows your case. Members of your religious community; mentors who are professionals - Doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses...A letter from the Domestic Relations Court would be best.</p>
<p>The problem is, I want to go to to college internationally, and they don't give financial aid, so I'll have to take out loans for everything. It would be best if at least part of those loans were Stafford loans (not bank loans), but I can't get Stafford loans without filling out the FAFSA.</p>
<p>I can't fill out the FAFSA without my parents.</p>
<p>And even if I could somehow get them to do their part with FAFSA (highly unlikely), then the government would assume they were contributing, which they are not, and my ability to take out loans would be much smaller.</p>
<p>Is it bad to just take out private loans?
What if I can get one of my relatives to co-sign?
What are the benefits of actually having federal loans instead of private ones?</p>
<p>Given your financial parental situation, you might want to be more realistic about where you apply to college. You might want to check the local publics in area your relative (that you are living with) lives in.</p>
<p>Moody8, I am currently assisting a non relative who is in a situation like yours. I have encouraged her to apply to instate schools where the tuition is low and any funds she has to borrow will be minimal. Please rethink your overseas plan. I know right now you feel that you want to get far away but consider:
1. you will have no extended family support long distance.
2. it is very expensive to live overseas and you will have to finance everything
3. federal loans are at a much lower rate than private loans and the federal loans you start paying back when you graduate
4. you will likely not be earning a huge salary with an undergraduate degree. How are you going to pay back those loans with a $30,000 salary?
5. You will not get private loans without relatives to co sign and still might not be able to qualify for those loans.
6. If you apply to schools in the US, you can then get paperwork from the school to be request to be declared independent even though you do not meet the guidelines for independence that are on the FAFSA app.<br>
7. Suggest you also post on the parents forum, lots of parents who have dealt with stuff like this before.</p>