Dependency on the FAFSA?

Dependency Override letter for FAFSA?

• i am writing a dependency override latter for fafsa to my school and i was wondering if anyone could correct this letter for me and to tell me the changes i should make or the point i can give so that i can get the override because i really need it for my tuition. thank you so much. the letter is bellow......... My name is <hide> I am the second born in a family of seven children. I wish to inform you the reason for my family inability to support me in my education and why I can’t put my parent information in processing my FAFSA. In my family there are there are five people who are going to College/University which include my mother and by this September, there will be one more to join. My family and I have moved to Georgia a year ago when my father got a new job, but unfortunately he lost his job this January. Since then, my family has been struggling financially. Although my parent and I still contact each other for our well being, we are not financially in contact with each other due to the reason that I want to be independent of my own. Before we moved here, I have been independent on my own since I was at the age of eighteen with my sister and her roommate in Washington State. When I was in Washington State, I went to <hide> Community College, which I was able to afford to pay due to the fact that I was going to a community college not a university. I was also able to maintain two jobs while I was a full time student at <hide> community college. But when my family moved to Georgia from Washington State, it was pretty hard for all of us. My sister and I were able to afford to get an apartment with the money that we save up when we got here. For the past few month it was very difficult for us to get a job that we have to keep going to the places we apply for if they saw our application and if they were hiring, but finally we got a job from the help of one of our friend that work there. When I apply to <hide> state, I found it hard for me to support myself and pay for my tuition. i will appricate your help if you could help me with this. thanks

• Answer:

  Olaide: Your letter is very touching, but I'm afraid that you are not hitting on any points that are going to earn you a dependency override. It's not a dependency override you really want, anyway. The fact that your parents are really struggling is not grounds for a dependency override. The fact that your parents are really struggling is what is going to qualify you for the maximum possible amount of aid. The same goes for the situation with all of your brothers and sisters in college - that gets taken into account in the determination of your family's financial circumstances - the more children your parents have in college, the less they are seen as able to contribute to YOUR college expenses. That means you qualify for more aid. I'm going to go out on a limb and pretty much guarantee that your school is not going to approve you for a dependency override. In fact, even if you could get one, it would be of absolutely no benefit to you. Based on the information that you have provided, you're going to wind up with an Expected Family Contribution score of zero when you properly submit your FAFSA, INCLUDING your parents' financial information. That will qualify you for consideration for all of the Federal Student Aid program's need-based forms of aid, and it will assure you of a Pell Grant of $5350. You will also be offered the opportunity to borrow from the Stafford lending program - depending on your school year, you'll be able to borrow $5500 to $7500. Your school may also be able to offer you additional forms of need-based aid, including a Federal Work Study job, and maybe some other grants, as well as the Pell. You can not have an EFC score less than zero - so being "independent" won't change your EFC. The need-based aid that I was describing above is the maximum aid - there are no special programs for "independents" - you'll be offered the exact same need-based aid, whether you are independent or dependent. The ONLY thing that would change if you were determined to be an independent is that you would be eligible to borrow another $3,000 to $4,000 from the Stafford loan program. That's it. There is already a way that you can arrange for that, without having to resort to attempting a dependency override that you won't qualify for. If your parents apply for a PLUS loan, and they are denied, that would make you eligible for that additional Stafford maximum, even without being reclassified. If you apply without your parents' info, and you are not approved for an override (and I honestly don't think you will be), you will ONLY be offered a $5500 Stafford loan - and nothing else. I'm being very honest with you, and I know the override rules well. You won't be approved for an override because your parents can't afford to help you with school, you won't be approved for an override because you live on your own, and you won't be approved for an override because your parents have lots of other children in college. Your best bet is to complete the FAFSA the way it's supposed to be completed, at which point you will be offered the most generous aid package that your school can make available to you. That wouldn't change if you WERE able to qualify as an independent. Good luck to you.