What is required to qualify for financial aid?

How do I know if I will qualify for financial aid now days?

• Specifically for online schools... I've been in college off and on since 2003. I haven't been in over a year. I want to go to an online school, specifically UMASS for an online psychology degree. I've been dealing with anxiety issues, so it is hard for me to go to classes, but I do well when I'm in school, and I've taken online courses and find they are easy going for me. Anyways, once I applied for financial aid at my local community college a couple years back, and I didn't even qualify for aid at my tech college, and I was angry. There reason was that I had taken so many credit courses without a degree and that's why I didn't qualify. Yes, I have taken lots of general studies classes and even some that go towards a degree, but I don't have a degree yet, but I only had a part time job, working minimum wage, so you would think I would have qualified. I've given up school since, but I'm afraid and anxious that I won't even qualify for financial aid at online school because I really want a degree and the only way remotely possible I can afford college is financial aid, and if they decline me like the community college did in saying that I have taken all these classes without a degree, than I won't be able to go. I still work a part time job because of issues and my dad does not claim me as a dependent. I'm 26 years old. Is there like a fafsa calculator and all requirements for online schools? They don't have one for UMASS, but online requirements in general. Any info will help.

• Answer:

  You go here and you apply for FAFSA http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ that will establish "Financial Need" then, the Fin Aid office at UMASS (or any other school) will still have to review other things and it is possible that you could run into the same situation.. but you won't know if you don't try I don't know... I doubt anyone here is going to know with certainty... only the school you wish to go to I have similar anxiety to yours and my bf has social anxiety disorder... so I completely understand... but, sometimes you just have to take a deep breath & push yourself through the situation by telling yourself logically that you must get through it, that you can get through it & that in the end, regardless of the outcome, at least you know the answer Best case scenario you get aid Worst case scenario you can't get aid either way... at least you know the answer & can make your life plans around that answer