This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who's also navigating financial aid as a single parent (though not at UMD), I wanted to add a few things that might help: 1. Don't forget about the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit - you can claim childcare expenses related to attending school, which can help offset costs at tax time. 2. Many schools have emergency aid funds specifically for unexpected expenses that student parents face. These aren't always well-publicized but can be lifesavers when childcare falls through or other emergencies pop up. 3. If you end up needing to take some loans, remember that as an independent student with dependents, your annual loan limits are higher than dependent students ($9,500-$12,500 in federal loans vs $5,500-$7,500). Your 3500 SAI really should put you in a strong position for need-based aid. The fact that so many people here have shared positive experiences at UMD for student parents is really encouraging. Best of luck with your decision - you've got this!

As a financial aid counselor at a different university, I wanted to chime in with some encouragement! Your 3500 SAI as an independent student with a dependent puts you in an excellent position for significant need-based aid. Here are a few additional tips that might help: 1. When you do get through to UMD's financial aid office, ask specifically about their "full need" policy for students with very low SAIs - many schools have internal guidelines about meeting full demonstrated need for students in your situation. 2. Don't forget to apply for outside scholarships specifically for single parents or non-traditional students. Organizations like Soroptimist International and Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation have scholarships specifically for women with children pursuing higher education. 3. If your aid package isn't sufficient when it arrives, you can always appeal it with documentation of your specific circumstances as a single parent. Schools often have additional funding available for appeals, especially for students with compelling financial need. Your determination to pursue education while raising a child is admirable, and schools like UMD generally want to support students in your situation. Keep advocating for yourself - you deserve this opportunity!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who made this way more complicated than it needed to be! When I was filling out my daughter's FAFSA last year, I spent hours trying to figure out how to handle my ex-husband who hasn't been involved financially. Turns out I was overthinking it completely - the FAFSA truly only cares about where your daughter actually lives and who supports her day-to-day. Since she lives with you and your current husband, that's it! One thing that really helped me was thinking of it this way: the FAFSA is trying to figure out what resources are actually available to help pay for college. Your ex isn't providing any resources, so he's not relevant to their calculation. Your current husband is part of your household and willing to help, so his income matters. It's actually pretty logical once you wrap your head around it. You've got this!

I'm also going through this process right now with my stepdaughter and had the same confusion! It's so reassuring to see everyone confirming that you only need to include yourself and your current husband. I was worried because her biological mom hasn't contributed anything in years either, but lives in another state. One thing I learned that might help - if you're using the online FAFSA form, there's actually a "Help and Hints" section that specifically addresses divorced/remarried parent situations. It clearly states that only the custodial parent and their current spouse (if any) need to provide information. Sometimes seeing it directly from the official source helps ease the worry! Also, don't forget to gather all your tax documents and your husband's before you start - having everything ready makes the process much smoother. Good luck!

I'm in a similar boat - 41 and looking at graduate programs in counseling. One thing that's helped me get realistic about the financial commitment is using the Federal Student Aid website's loan simulator tool. You can input your expected loan amounts and see projected monthly payments under different repayment plans. It's sobering but necessary. Also, have you looked into whether your state has any mental health workforce shortage programs? Some states offer loan repayment assistance for therapists who commit to working in underserved areas for a certain number of years. California actually has several programs like this - worth researching before you make your final decision. The age factor is real, but I've also heard from several career changers that their life experience actually made them better therapists and helped them build practices faster than younger graduates. Still, the math has to work. Maybe consider setting a hard limit on how much you're willing to borrow and see if you can make the program work within that budget?

I'm reading through all these responses as someone who recently went through a similar decision process, and I want to emphasize something that might help with your timeline pressure: you DON'T have to decide everything right now. Most graduate programs will allow you to defer admission for a year if you request it before the deadline, which could give you time to stabilize your housing situation and save some money to reduce your borrowing needs. I'd also suggest looking into whether your program offers any thesis/non-thesis track options, as these can sometimes affect the total cost and timeline. Some students don't realize that FAFSA dependency status for grad students means your aid is based solely on your income, not family income, which can actually work in your favor if you're currently earning less. Before you make any final decisions, I'd recommend calling the financial aid office and asking specifically about: 1) Deferral policies, 2) Any emergency aid funds available for students with housing instability, 3) Graduate assistantships or work-study opportunities that aren't widely advertised, and 4) Whether they have partnerships with local mental health agencies that offer tuition assistance. Many schools have funding they don't actively promote that could significantly reduce your debt load. Your age and life experience aren't necessarily disadvantages - many supervisors and employers actually prefer older grad students for their maturity and life perspective. But you're absolutely right to be concerned about the debt-to-income ratio in this field.

Just wanted to add my experience here since I was in almost exactly the same situation! I dropped out in 2017 with about $15k in loans and went back in 2022. The most important thing is definitely checking your loan status on studentaid.gov first - mine were actually in default even though I thought they were just in normal repayment. Had to do the rehabilitation program which took about 10 months, but once that was done I was able to get full financial aid including Pell grants. The whole process was frustrating but absolutely worth it. One thing I wish someone had told me is to also check with your state's higher education agency - many states have programs specifically for adult learners returning to school that can supplement federal aid. Don't give up on your degree dreams! It's definitely possible to make it work.

Welcome to the community! I see you're getting some great advice here already. As someone who works in student financial aid, I'd also suggest checking if your previous school offers any kind of "fresh start" or amnesty program - some schools will temporarily waive past balances to help students re-enroll, especially if you've been out for several years. It's worth calling their student accounts office to ask. Also, when you do check studentaid.gov, pay attention to your remaining eligibility percentages for Pell grants and loan limits - you'll want to know how much aid you have left to work with. The fact that you're in a better place mentally and financially now is huge, and it sounds like you're approaching this methodically which is exactly the right way to do it!

UPDATE: My niece tried several of your suggestions and FINALLY got through the loop! What worked was a combination of: using Microsoft Edge, filling ALL fields with exact dollar amounts (no cents or commas), and doing it at 1am when traffic was low. She's submitted her FAFSA and got confirmation! Now we're working with her school's financial aid office about extending that emergency loan deadline. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help - this community is amazing!

So relieved to see this success story! As someone new to navigating FAFSA issues, this thread has been incredibly educational. The combination of technical workarounds (specific browsers, timing, exact formatting) plus the institutional support options (financial aid office extensions, bursar hardship policies) really shows how complex these problems can be. It's reassuring to know there are so many different approaches when the system fails students. Bookmarking this thread for future reference - hoping it helps other families facing similar nightmares with the FAFSA system!