Any advice for my friend?

cad4296 · Feb 20, 2008

There are ways around having to get that information. I know when I was 18 I was living with a friend's family (had been living with them since I was 16.) Well long story short the family I lived with was trying to adopt me but my mom wouldn't give up custody and because of the legal situation I was considered a ward of the state, so I just needed my own information. I had to get letters from like school counselors and stuff to explain the situation. My high school counselor helped me with all that. She knew exactly what I would need to get around that. Try the counselors and see if there is any way around it.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2008

I, too, had to delay schooling when I was 18 years of age because my parents refused to provide the necessary FAFSA information or cosign on a student loan. It is truly a sad situation, especially if the aspiring student shows some promise. I don't like to see good minds go to waste!

Anyhow, your friend could join the military to amass money for college. In addition, an enlisted 18 year old is considered to be 'emancipated' by the US government. Emancipated 18 year old people no longer need their parents' information to complete FAFSA paperwork.

krenee · Feb 21, 2008

I, too, had to delay schooling when I was 18 years of age because my parents refused to provide the necessary FAFSA information or cosign on a student loan. It is truly a sad situation, especially if the aspiring student shows some promise. I don't like to see good minds go to waste!
Anyhow, your friend could join the military to amass money for college. In addition, an enlisted 18 year old is considered to be 'emancipated' by the US government. Emancipated 18 year old people no longer need their parents' information to complete FAFSA paperwork.

Actually, she did . . . she joined the National Guard, but since she is reserves and not active duty I guess that doesn't count? I will look into that further. The school wasn't any help.

Thanks for the input so far! We will keep trying to see what we can work out.

Kelly

AnnaN5 · Feb 21, 2008

The only way she wouldn't have to use her parents income is if she gets legally emancipated (spelling?). She would have to go through the process in the courts but unfortunately I am not sure where exactly you would start to get it done.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2008

Actually, she did . . . she joined the National Guard, but since she is reserves and not active duty I guess that doesn't count? I will look into that further. The school wasn't any help.

Your friend may wish to check if she is considered an emancipated adult due to her enlistment in the National Guard reserves. She has nothing to lose by double-checking. Good luck to her!

WDWpixieRN, RN · Feb 21, 2008

I don't understand where they came up with this "24" number for kids entering college, but it seems fairly arbitrary and is truly unfair for those who have situations such as your friend's. I used to work with a young gal who had finished her 2-year classes toward a teaching degree and on transferring to a 4-year university was told her parents had to be considered for financial aid.

This was a young gal who had her own apartment, worked full-time while completing her education to that point, and whose parents weren't a consideration in her furthering her education.

It really is a shame...make sure your friend follows up on any and all leads. If necessary, she can spend a LOT of time getting her prereqs and coreqs done at a community college level while working toward her bachelor's or eventual admittance to an ADN program. This education will be much more affordable to her and if she's just 18, she has some way to go to get all the credits toward her degree.

Where there's a will, there's a way....don't let her lose her dream...have her get a job in a hospital or something affiliated with a hospital like an urgent care where she can get assistance with her tuition. She's still so very young, there's plenty of time to get around this!!