Education & Financial Aid

Our country is the most barbaric of the so-called Western civilized nations regarding higher education and health care. How can we have educated citizens who are well informed participants in democracy, when we cripple their efforts to receive and education and to be healthy? My 18 year old son is old enough to die for his country (required registration as an adult for selective service), yet according to our government he cannot be condsidered an independent adult for receiving college financial aid until he is 24. Young enough to die, not old enough to be considered an adult — very barabaric!

Francis Lynn, Teacher at Princeton Friends School, at 10:05 am EST on January 3, 2008

independent and loosing it

I’m sick of people telling me they want people like me to go to school and then not backing that up. I have tons in private loan debt, but, and here’s the kicker, since the credit crunch kicked in, I can’t get loans to keep going. Worse than that, the Feds won’t help me out either; there isn’t any aid for people like me right now. I might not even be able to go back next semester, and it’s ridiculous, because I want to be there.

dominique, at 6:00 pm EST on November 13, 2008

Emancipated Students

Where can I find out if emancipated students fit into this catagory of “independent” student?

Carolyn Bondurant, Career Counselor at Hood River Valley High, at 4:10 pm EDT on October 24, 2005

This article should be read by those who support lowering the current age required by ED to be automatically independent. While many 18 year olds become “independent” by virtue of becoming self supporting, lowering the age from 24 would increase the number of independent students and further strain the meager resources available for postsecondary education.

Joyce Byrd-Strozier, Financial Aid Management for Education, at 11:00 am EDT on April 18, 2006

Invisible in the Eyes of the Judge...

I am a 22 year old college student who recently came back to school(paying for with credit cards since I have no means of financial aide) after putting school on hold at the age of 20 (not to mention with a VERY high GPA) because of a bitter nasty ugly divorce between my parents that began in April of 2003 and is STILL on-going. In the eyes of the law I am an adult, therefore was not even MENTIONED in the divorce decree. Why is it that I am invisible to the law in terms of a legal child but when it comes down to it one of them has to give me their tax info so I can continue my education? Neither one of them wants to help me since I am not their “responsibility” according to the judge. What do I do to get my own information, and how does this seem right in anyones eyes? It is so frustrating and all I ever come across is red tape. If I don’t count as a child of my parents in divorce court, why should I be required to have them count as my parents in regards to financial aide for MY continuing education? I did not ask for this divorce, and most certainly did not ask for 3 years of heartache while I dream of going back to school...

Leanne, Texas Tech University, at 9:45 pm EDT on July 26, 2006

As a 20 year old independent student I have fought long and hard to recieve my financial which does not cover all the expenses of just college. I have to work 40 hours a week to support myself and do not have the availablity in my schedule to attend college fulltime. Since I am only partime my Pell Grant was cut in half and I was forced to take out loans. Just because I want to continue my education and become a viable member of this society, does that mean I have to be punished financially for the mistakes of my parents?

Ryan, Des Moines Area Community College, at 9:30 pm EDT on August 17, 2006

I am a 17 year old sophmore. I have been declared independent by my college, but that does not make things any easier for me. I come from a very abusive family in which the administration for children’s Services had to be involved. My father refused to give me his tax information, and I was stuck with no options. And worst yet, I was still a minor. Because of that, I was discriminated everywhere I turned. Doesn it count for something that I started college at 16?.. But now that I have attained Independent status after jumping trhough sooo many hoops, things are definitely not better. I am grateful that I don’t have to depend on my abusve father anymore, but now im stuck with huge gaps in my financial aid. I really truly believe that there should be some other grant form the government to help students in my situation. It is really difficult. It realy is. Just think about it. I want an eduation more than anythig in the world. And that is being restricted any way I turn. Please!

Maria

Maria Prass, It’s Really Difficult, at 5:50 am EDT on September 12, 2006

Education

I can appericate all the hardships I am reading. However, looking back over them I see so many written errors. Words spelled incorrectly and such... I am wondering how much of a education is being gained?On another note. Our daughter starts college in the fall and we too “make too much money” for any type of aid. As a matter of fact FAFSA says we should be able to contribute MORE than the actual cost we will have for her to attend. I agree with everyone that the aid isn’t there, it just isn’t available in most cases. If and when it is, there are so many forms and so much to be done to get the end result it would take a degree to figure the paperwork out!

Deegie, at 8:06 am EDT on April 5, 2007