Hey everyone! So if you saw my post from a few weeks ago, you may remember that I found out about Vanderbilt due to them not looking at the non-custodial profile for financial aid. This would make vandy one of the only schools that would be affordable as my non-custodial side is not willing to pay very much and my custodial side makes under 40k a year. My custodial parent is single and i found out that they may ask for my non-custodial parent’s information. The issue is that my custodial parent makes ~115k a year and his wife makes over 150k. Will this make it so I receive zero financial aid? Should I expect for them to ask for my non-custodial side? IM STRESSED!
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Also, if you do think they will ask, do you think they’ll ask for my custodial parent, non-custodial parent, AND step parent’s incomes?
I never understood this policy of punishing families that are married. A married family with an income to $250,000 has to pay 60K year but a separated family with an income of $1,000,000 gets full need based aid.
Have they asked? Or are you worried they may ask?
@MYOS1634 worried that they may ask
We were in a similar situation long ago. My childrens’ dad was obligated to pay for tuition, books, room & board for our state flagship, but had no obligation for more under our divorce agreement. I’m a teacher, so pockets aren’t deep. As part of submitting the CSS Profile, we were required to submit divorce agreement info for each child for freshman year only. My kids had money in UGMA accounts that I don’t know where it came from - dad, his mom, or both? Vandy factored it all in and gave both kids generous financial aid offers. My exH made up the (small) extra cost above state flagship cost because he had attended Vandy for 1 year and wanted kids to have the experience, something I appreciate to this day. I can’t guarantee you will be happy with the offer if admitted, but I would bet that it will be better than many other schools.
@2VU0609 Thank you so so much for your response!! This is pretty good to hear (I think). Was the dad the custodial parent? And were either of your remarried? I’m curious if they would want more than two incomes when factoring in aid.
If they ask they’ll ask for your non-custodial parent and their spouses if relevant.
Your situation is not unique. There are many college students with divorced parents. If they ask for it you will have to provide the information and it very well could impact your aid. Your NCP has the means to help with your education and they may expect them to do so.
@MYOS1634 , are you saying that because you know about Vanderbilt in particular, or because that’s what most schools do that ask for CSS? I’m just asking for clarification because I had thought that what you said was what every school did, yet when I called my D’s school for clarification, they said that they would look at the income for 2 out of the 3 of my D’s parents and they’d choose which 2 to use. I thought that was very odd, but other schools could have odd ways of doing things too. It might be best for OP to make an anonymous call to Vanderbilt financial aid and ask, just to be sure.
That’s the usual way colleges that look at custodial and non custodial parental income, do it.
As for all US colleges, nothing is universal though.
I’ve never heard of the ‘two out of there’ thing.
I was custodial parent and single. My kids’ dad was remarried, but his wife doesn’t work. Good luck!
‘do it’ in #10 was supposed to be ‘AFAIK’… Be ‘oit if there’ should have been ‘out of three’
OP - You are a junior. You have time to come up with affordable options. Don’t stress about this now. Now might be the time to sit down with your parents and come up with a budget. Find schools that meet your budget or schools where you have a chance to get merit aid. It’s good you are thinking about this but you have options you need to pursue not fixate on one school that there is a good chance won’t be affordable.