Hi! So here’s my story:
My mom and my dad divorced before I was about 1 year old, my mom moved to the United States (my dad in the Dominican Republic) when I was 4. For about 3 years he visited for a week over the summer and sometimes we would call. The phone calls ended right after the last time he visited. I do not have his number anymore (maybe he changed it), I no longer have contact with him, I cannot contact him, I have only heard that he has remarried and has a daughter through my grandma hearing gossip from her friends, my grandma does not have contact with him and I’m not going to make her seek him out. He is not paying child support and my mom has remarried, and my stepdad has been my dad through my whole life basically. My stepdad is willing to finance my college as well.
Do I have a good chance at being approved? Are there any points I should emphasize? Thank you
From what you’ve written IMO it will be college dependent on getting a waiver. But if your stepdad is willing to finance the school then you can just apply without asking for aid and don’t have to go through it at all.
If you are applying to Profile schools that require the non-custodial form, apply for the waiver. Make sure your school counselor writes a letter attesting that your bio dad has had no involvement as a parent but your step dad has.
Will you even qualify for need based aid? You mention that your step dad will finance college…which implies a decent income and assets.
I can get still get need-based aid, and he is willing to help pay but the less we have to pay of course the better… we also recently moved and have taken on more to pay off so any aid we could get is great.
This is considered consumer debt which is a choice. It is not considered in the financial aid calculations.