What kind of financial aid can I get?

Question

I am graduating HS this year, and looking at private colleges (about 40K). My parents are divorced and I live with mom. She makes 12K or less, but my dad makes about 100K. He isn't planning on helping with college. So, is there any way we can MAKE him? What kind of aid from the govt./state should I get? (they only look at my mom, right?) From the school? (nothing because of my dad, right?).

Additional details: my mom doesn't have alimony, and dad doesn't pay his full child support (agreed upon with mom). My dad has remained a big part of my life, I see him all the time, and he pays for braces, car, ect. I am also willing to work during college and such, but would have to dorm there, as it is too far away from home not to.

I live in MA if that matters, and any help would be great!

My father can be very weird about money, to the point of (seriously) hurting our relationship. My mom is not remarried, so hopefully I will get a lot of aid from the government. But from what I have read, there is only about 4,000$ available in grants from the govt. (unless I am not looking at the right thing) and I know that private schools will take my dads money into account, so I wont get anything there. There isn't anyway the school can take away money the govt. gave me based on my moms finances because they think my dad makes too much, is there?

Thanks so much for all the help! I am getting really overwhelmed, because he just decided he isn't helping to pay, so I feel like a giant bomb has just been dropped on me, and I don't know what to do.
And please don't think I am spoiled- if he couldn't afford it I wouldn't want anything (like I wont let my mom help), but he has ALL this money just sitting there, and he is going to ruin my fin. aid package with it!

Answer 1

From what I read, it will be based on your mother's income since your parents are divorced. You could possibly qualify for the Pell Grant, federal work study program, financial need based scholarships, and student loans. If your mother remarried, it would be based on your step father's income, too. This is based on the federal financial aid form. However, some private schools might take into consideration your dad's income, too. I recommend checking with the individual private school's financial aid office for more details. I will include some free resources to locate more money for college.

First, fill out the FAFSA form in January or early February. It is based on a percentage of your income and savings along with your mom's income and savings. Your income and savings count at a higher rate than your mom's in the equation. This needs to be filled out each year. The earlier the form is filled out the better, but the form becomes available on January 1 for the upcoming fall semester or quarter. It will qualify you for the Pell Grant, federal work study program, need based scholarships, and student loans.

Second, check with your high school's guidance office because there is a list of local scholarships and probably some state scholarship programs.

Third, go to the public library because they have a book listing scholarships with some of them not listed on the web.

Fourth, maintain excellent grades because some schools do offer college scholarships based on it.

Finally, join several free membership scholarship search websites. There are scholarships for more than grades and financial need. There are scholarships based on hobbies, where you live, and even for wearing duct tape to the high school prom. This needs to be done now because scholarship deadlines are throughout the year.

Remember to apply for college scholarships no matter the amount because they add up. I have included some resources listed below which should help.

Good luck!

Answer 2

None of my business, but IF you dad gives a darn, he will want you to be a college graduate and IF he makes $100K/yr he can certainly help out! I don't know what kind of legal decisions your folks made that your mom would let him off the hook so easily, but YOU can do this on your own if you have the where-with-all to do so! In NC we have the NCCF (North Carolina College Fund). It's for EVERYONE, equally. I'd bet your state has something similar. They will be asking BOTH parents incomes. There are also Stafford and Plus loans but from my experience, get by on the least $$$ loaned that you can, just your tuition and books and get your DAD to pay for housing etc. These loan companies HOUND you from the minute your diploma hits your hands, but they are available to use and USE them! Just make sure what your majoring in is something you will be able to find work in right away. Do a web search on college loans or college funding, too. I don't have a clue as to your grades, but if you have great grades you can find a lot of smaller scholarships that you never have to pay back, from local societies of your specialty. As a nursing student, I got scholarships from my hospital, from the local county medical society, from the local junior league....all helped me put gas in my vehicle and were not needed to pay back. I had a small son at the time I went to nursing school and those paid for my child care for him while I was in school. It's a job, but you can find all kinds of $$$$ out there if you are savvy and have good grades. Don't be afraid to ask ANYONE....the worst they can say is NO.

Answer 3

you will get a lot of financial aid, you just have to fill out the fasfa or whatever it is, then if you dont have enough you just take out student loans