oh I forgot to mention! for some of the bigger scholarships theres multiple rounds, so the deadlines might seem far away but theyre actually for the FINAL round. like the coca-cola scholarship has regional deadlines way before the main one everyone knows about. double check everything!!

Welcome to the scholarship journey! As someone who just went through this process with my oldest, I wanted to add a few more tips. First, don't overlook your state's specific scholarship programs - many states have really generous merit-based aid that people forget about. Also, since your daughter is in TRIO/Upward Bound, check if your state has any first-generation college student scholarships - those can be substantial and less competitive than national ones. And here's something I wish I'd known earlier: some employers offer scholarships not just to their employees' kids, but also to kids of their vendors or customers. So think broadly about any organizations you're connected to through work, church, community groups, etc. The smaller, local scholarships often have way fewer applicants than the big national ones, so your daughter's odds are actually better! Good luck - you're asking all the right questions!

Based on your follow-up comments, I think you have more options than you initially realized. With a 3.7 GPA and 27 ACT, your daughter has a good chance at merit scholarships at Western State. Their automatic merit scholarships typically range from $4,000-$8,000 per year for those stats. Regarding your medical expenses: ABSOLUTELY mention those in a special circumstances appeal. Medical expenses over 11% of your income can significantly adjust your SAI calculation. Make sure to document everything thoroughly. At minimum, your daughter should qualify for: - $5,500 in federal loans her first year - Likely around $5,000-$7,000 in merit scholarships - Potentially work-study or campus employment ($3,000-$4,000/year) That could bring the actual out-of-pocket cost down to around $8,000-$10,000 per year, which is much more manageable than the full $24,000.

I'm in a very similar situation as a newcomer to all this! My son is a junior and I'm already starting to panic about college costs. Reading through all these responses gives me so much hope - I had no idea about federal loans not requiring parent credit scores or that merit aid could bring costs down so significantly. @Mateo Rodriguez - your daughter's stats sound great for merit scholarships! I've been lurking in college financial aid groups and keep seeing that combination of filling out FAFSA + applying for merit aid + documenting special circumstances can really open doors. The medical expense documentation sounds like it could make a real difference in your case. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is incredibly informative for those of us just starting this journey!

Follow-up on your question about financial separation: Sharing child expenses doesn't automatically disqualify the separation status, especially for mutual children. What matters more is whether they're maintaining truly separate financial lives (separate banking, separate housing costs, etc.). Document everything carefully: - Separate lease agreements or mortgage documents - Utility bills showing separate addresses - Bank statements showing separate finances - Any informal separation agreement they might have The verification risk is higher when claiming separation without legal documentation, but proper documentation can make the process smoother. Each school's financial aid office has some discretion in these situations.

Just wanted to add from my experience - I went through something similar two years ago. The key thing that helped me was getting a letter from each parent stating their intent for the separation to be permanent, along with documentation of separate households. My financial aid office accepted this even without legal separation papers. The process took about 6 weeks longer than normal, but it worked out. Don't get discouraged if you hit verification - just be prepared with all your documentation upfront. Also, consider reaching out to multiple schools if you're applying to several, as different aid offices can have slightly different interpretations of these situations.

One important thing to add based on the comments so far: make sure you submit a formal Special Circumstances Appeal rather than just declining the work-study. Financial aid packages are not typically readjusted automatically when you decline a component, but a formal appeal process triggers a review of the entire package. You'll want to specifically reference Section 479A of the Higher Education Act which grants financial aid administrators authority to make adjustments based on special circumstances including disability accommodations.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation with my son who has autism and severe social anxiety. What worked for us was requesting a meeting with both financial aid AND disability services at the same time - don't handle these separately. We brought his neuropsychological evaluation and a letter from his therapist explaining why traditional work-study would be detrimental to his mental health. The key was framing it as a reasonable accommodation request rather than just declining aid. They ended up finding him a position in the library's back office doing inventory scanning - completely solo work with minimal human interaction. He actually loves it now because it's structured and predictable. Also, document everything in writing. Email follow-ups after every phone call or meeting. Some schools drag their feet on these requests, but having a paper trail helps push things along.

Thank you all SO much for the advice! I feel much less panicked now. I'm going to: 1. Use that Claimyr service to verify my SAI calculation is correct 2. Check out the Net Price Calculators for my top schools 3. Start applying for scholarships specifically for non-traditional students 4. Prepare for potential verification by organizing all my documents 5. Set realistic expectations about costs and loans It's still overwhelming, but at least I have a plan now! Will update once I make some progress. Really appreciate all your help!

You're doing great by having a plan! Just wanted to add one more tip - when you do get your aid packages, don't just look at the bottom line. Break down each offer to see: - How much is grants/scholarships (free money you don't repay) - How much is work-study (money you earn working on campus) - How much is subsidized vs unsubsidized loans - What the interest rates are on any loans Some schools make their packages look better by including Parent PLUS loans or private loans that have much higher interest rates. As a single parent with your income level, you'll want to stick to federal direct loans if possible - they have better repayment options and protections. Also, once you start school, look into becoming a tutor or TA if possible. Many schools pay well for these positions and the flexible schedule works great for parents!