<p>I'm so frustrated - I've come so far in applying for FAFSA/CSS without my parents' information, and I've started calling colleges seeing what each college requires, and two of them want court documents. Just what I DIDN'T want, but now that I've found out what county my dad's arrest took place in, they can't find police reports or anything. And I've found that people can SEAL public records and basically hide their pasts - JUST what I needed for my last part of my case to present to each school. I don't know what to do. I feel so defeated, just like my parents wanted. I want to cry and I'm just about to give up. I've come so far and the biggest piece of the puzzle that I need to end this ordeal is unavailable. What can I do? Can I even get it unsealed? I don't even know what to do or where to go from here. I didn't even know you could do that, but since my mom works for the state, I'm sure she manipulated her position for her benefit. Ugh.</p>
<p>You need to enlist the help of adults around you … counselors, social workers, teachers, etc. Who can help tell your story? Detail everything in a letter, including your feelings (the above is very powerful). Ask another couple adults to do the same. They need to tell everything they know. If you have a family member who knows the story, get a detailed letter from that person, as well. Some of the most difficult stories students have to tell cannot be supported through formal documents precisely because of what parents have done to hide their transgressions. Do NOT give up. You can get some info together & tell a compelling story that will let the aid offices know what your life has really been like.</p>
<p>If those two colleges still want court documents, please ask them for assistance in figuring out how you can get them. Be polite, but be firm … tell them that you tried & you don’t know what to do now. Ask if they can point you to someone who might be able to help you figure out how to get the documents they want.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot kelsmom; Boston College had a really nice gentleman who helped me and told me everything I needed, and I told him (before I found this mess out) that it has been hard to obtain the documents. He said unfortunately unlike other universities that may be able to be slightly lenient on documentation, BC is rigid in what they need because “if independence were to be granted, a lot of money would be offered over the course of four years.” Other colleges that don’t require it remarked that it would definitely push my case over the edge, obviously, but I need a guarantee that I didn’t leave anything out that could have helped me. It’s so hard not to be discouraged at this point because I’ve come so far and it’s like how can I even ask for an alternative on an alternative? My social worker moved work sites years ago, and when I called for her once last year, they said my case had been closed. I don’t even know if that would be an acceptable form of documentation because he wanted to know the outcome of the case. I guess I’ll have to ask them what to do because I know that I have no clue what else I can do now.</p>
<p>I am so sorry. If you pm me with some info about what you need to get, I can ask my coworker if she has any ideas. She has worked at some social services agencies & might have some suggestions.</p>
<p>Expunged records can absolutely not be unsealed.</p>