FAFSA assumes parents will contribute to college - what if they refuse?

Unfortunately, this problem still exists with FAFSA. The system assumes an Expected Family Contribution based on the SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation, even when parents explicitly refuse to help. Your options are limited, but there are some potential paths: 1. Speak with your financial aid office about a "dependency override" - these are rare but possible in cases of documented parental refusal 2. Look into CSS Profile schools (mostly private) as some have more flexibility than federal aid 3. Consider community college for 2 years to reduce costs 4. Document everything if your parents refuse to even provide their information for the FAFSA The system hasn't fundamentally changed, but some schools have more institutional aid for cases like yours.

Im in the EXACT same boat rn!!! Parents make good money but told me college is MY problem not theirs. They signed the FAFSA forms but thats IT. No $$ help at all. My SAI came back at $18,340 which is INSANE bc I literally have no way to pay that!!! The whole system is bs

I work in a college financial aid office, and this is honestly one of the most common and heartbreaking situations we see. The federal methodology assumes a parental contribution that often doesn't materialize. One important thing to know: the 2024-2025 FAFSA implemented some changes, but this fundamental issue wasn't fixed. The new SAI calculation still factors in parental income for dependent students. What CAN help: 1. Some colleges have special institutional funds specifically for students in your situation 2. Private scholarships that don't consider FAFSA data 3. Work-study opportunities 4. Some schools will offer additional unsubsidized loans if you can document that parents refuse to help Come speak to your financial aid office in person. We often have solutions that aren't advertised publicly.

MY PARENTS DID THE SAME THING!!! Told me they wouldn't pay a DIME for college despite making over $120k combined. Then had the NERVE to claim me as a dependent for tax benefits while I worked 2 jobs to pay tuition. The system is COMPLETELY BROKEN and hasn't changed in decades. Want to know what made the difference? I finally got through to someone at the Federal Student Aid office who actually understood my situation and explained some workarounds. Took me 8 tries and hours on hold before I found someone helpful though.

u know what's the worst part?? parents who won't help with college but still wanna claim u as a dependent for tax purposes!! like my parents literally told me "tough luck, figure it out yourself" but then got mad when I suggested they shouldn't claim me if they don't support me financially!! the hypocrisy is INSANE

I've been dealing with this issue for decades as a financial aid counselor. Here's what students need to understand about the current FAFSA system: 1. The federal methodology is based on the premise that parents have the PRIMARY responsibility to pay for college, with students and financial aid as secondary sources 2. The new FAFSA for 2024-2025 actually made the parent contribution MORE important by removing the student income protection allowance 3. Dependency overrides are extremely limited by federal regulation - parental refusal to pay is explicitly NOT considered valid grounds 4. Some options that can help: - Submit a special circumstances form to your school explaining the situation - Look into CSS Profile schools that consider additional circumstances - Consider state schools with lower costs - Document everything if parents refuse to even provide information I wish I had better news, but the system still disadvantages students with unwilling but financially capable parents.

Look into independent scholarships!!! That's what I did when my parents wouldn't help. Applied to literally 50+ scholarships my senior year and got enough to cover about 40% of my costs. Check with local businesses, community organizations, and use scholarship search engines. It takes time but it's free money that FAFSA can't take away based on your parents' income.

One important clarification: while the system hasn't fundamentally changed regarding dependency status, there ARE some improvements in the most recent FAFSA: 1. The Student Aid Index (SAI) now replaces the old Expected Family Contribution (EFC) 2. More students will qualify for maximum Pell Grants based on family size and federal poverty guidelines 3. Families with multiple students in college simultaneously get more aid under the new formula None of these directly solve your specific situation with unwilling parents, but they may help increase your overall aid eligibility if you fall into certain income categories. I'd recommend completing the 2025-2026 FAFSA regardless, as some aid is determined by filing, not just income.

One other approach I've seen work: some colleges will do a "professional judgment" review if you can document that your parents refuse to pay. This won't change your dependency status, but some financial aid officers have discretion to adjust your aid package. Bring documentation of your situation - emails or texts where parents state they won't contribute, proof you're paying your own expenses, etc. While this won't work everywhere, some schools (especially private ones) have institutional funds they can use in special cases. And remember, the FAFSA is required for ALL federal aid, including unsubsidized loans, which don't depend on financial need. Even with a high SAI, you can still get these loans to help cover costs.

This hits so close to home - I'm currently going through this exact situation as a junior in college. My parents make around $85k combined but told me from the start that college was "my investment, my responsibility." Meanwhile, my SAI is over $15k which might as well be a million dollars since I have zero parental support. What's been helping me survive: I found a work-study job that pays better than minimum wage, applied for every small scholarship I could find (even $250 ones add up!), and honestly had to take out way more loans than I wanted. I also moved off-campus with roommates to cut housing costs significantly. The most frustrating part is watching classmates whose parents DO help complain about their "high" SAI when they're still getting family financial support. The system really does penalize students for having parents who won't follow through on what the government assumes they'll contribute. Hang in there - it's an uphill battle but you're definitely not alone in this struggle.

As someone who went through this exact situation 5 years ago, I feel your pain completely. My parents made decent money but flat-out refused to help with college costs, yet I was still considered dependent until I turned 24. It's absolutely maddening. Here's what actually helped me get through it: I ended up taking a gap year to work full-time and save money, then started at a community college while working part-time. After two years, I transferred to a state school and lived in the cheapest possible housing. I also became really aggressive about applying for small, local scholarships that most people overlook - the $500-1000 ones from local businesses, churches, and community groups add up faster than you'd think. The other thing that made a difference was building a relationship with my financial aid counselor. I brought documentation showing I was financially independent (bank statements, lease agreements, proof I paid my own bills) and while it didn't change my dependency status, they were able to find some additional institutional aid that wasn't widely advertised. It's infuriating that this is still such a common problem with no real federal solution, but there are ways to make it work. You've got this - just know it's going to take more creativity and hustle than it should.

I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare right now! My parents make around $90k but have made it crystal clear that they won't contribute anything to my education. They literally said "we paid for our own college, you can pay for yours" but then still claimed me as a dependent for their tax benefits. My SAI came back at nearly $12,000 which is absolutely impossible for me to cover. What's even more frustrating is that I've been working since I was 16, have my own bank account, pay my own car insurance and phone bill, but somehow I'm still considered financially dependent on people who refuse to help me. The whole system feels designed to trap students like us in massive debt. I've started looking into every possible workaround - community college for the first two years, living at home to save on housing costs (even though it's awkward with parents who won't help financially), and applying for every small scholarship I can find. It's exhausting having to fight so hard for something that should be more straightforward. Has anyone had any luck with the professional judgment appeals that people keep mentioning? I'm wondering if it's worth the time and effort or if they're really as rare as everyone says.

This thread is so validating to read - I thought I was the only one stuck in this impossible situation! My parents make about $75k combined and straight up told me "college is a luxury, not a necessity" when I asked for help. Yet my SAI is still over $8,000 which feels like monopoly money since I have exactly zero family financial support. What's really grinding my gears is that I've been essentially financially independent since I turned 18 - I pay my own rent, groceries, car payment, insurance, everything - but the government still considers me dependent on parents who actively refuse to help. Meanwhile my friend whose parents pay for everything gets more aid than me because they're better at "managing" their reported income. I've been working 25+ hours a week while taking a full course load and it's honestly burning me out. The fact that this system has been broken for literally decades with no real solution is infuriating. We shouldn't have to jump through impossible hoops or take on crushing debt because the federal government made faulty assumptions about family dynamics. Going to try the professional judgment route based on what people are saying here, but honestly the whole thing just feels like fighting an uphill battle against a system that wasn't designed for students like us.

This entire thread is so eye-opening and honestly depressing at the same time. I'm a high school senior right now and my parents have been very clear that they expect me to "figure out" college financing on my own, despite making around $95k combined. Reading all of these experiences has me seriously questioning whether I should even bother applying to 4-year schools or just start at community college. What really gets me is how the system basically punishes students for having parents who are financially capable but unwilling to help. Like, why should the government assume parents will contribute when there's no legal obligation for them to do so? It seems like such a fundamental flaw in the whole system. I'm definitely going to save this thread and use all the advice about local scholarships, work-study, and professional judgment appeals. It's scary knowing I'm about to enter this broken system, but at least now I know I'm not alone and there are some potential workarounds to explore. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this is the kind of real-world advice you never get from school counselors.

This is such an important discussion and I'm honestly shocked that this fundamental flaw in the FAFSA system still hasn't been addressed after all these years. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear this affects way more students than most people realize. I wanted to add one more strategy that helped me when I was in this exact situation a few years ago: look into your state's financial aid programs. Some states have grant programs that use different criteria than federal aid, and a few have specific provisions for students who can demonstrate they're not receiving parental support. It's not available everywhere, but it's worth researching what your state offers beyond just federal aid. Also, if you're considering taking time off to work and save money, look into AmeriCorps programs. They provide a modest living stipend plus an education award (currently $6,895 for a full year of service) that can be used for college expenses. It's not a perfect solution, but it's one way to earn money specifically for education while doing meaningful work. The whole system really does need reform - no 18+ year old should be trapped in debt because the government assumes family support that doesn't exist. Until that changes, we have to get creative with the options available to us.

Reading through all these experiences makes me both relieved I'm not alone and incredibly frustrated that this broken system continues to exist. I'm currently a sophomore dealing with this exact situation - parents make decent money but refuse to contribute anything, leaving me with an impossibly high SAI and mountains of debt. What really bothers me is how the system creates this catch-22: you're legally an adult at 18 and can vote, serve in the military, sign contracts, etc., but somehow you're still considered financially dependent on people who have zero legal obligation to support your education. It's like the government created a policy based on an idealized version of family relationships that doesn't match reality for thousands of students. I've tried most of the strategies mentioned here - work-study, local scholarships, living as cheaply as possible - and while they help, it's still an exhausting grind. The professional judgment appeals are hit or miss depending on your school, but definitely worth trying if you have documentation. Has anyone had success contacting their representatives about this issue? I'm wondering if there's a way to push for actual policy reform rather than just finding workarounds for a fundamentally flawed system.

This resonates so deeply with me as someone who went through the exact same situation about 5 years ago. My parents made around $80k but told me point blank that they weren't paying for college because "it builds character to struggle for what you want." Meanwhile, I'm sitting there with an EFC (now SAI) that assumed they'd contribute nearly $15k per year. What ended up working for me was a combination of strategies that took way more effort than it should have: I did my first year at community college while working full-time nights at a warehouse, then transferred to an in-state public university. I also got really aggressive about scholarship applications - not just the big ones everyone applies for, but tiny local ones from rotary clubs, local businesses, even my grocery store had a $500 scholarship. Those small amounts really add up. The thing that made the biggest difference though was building relationships with financial aid staff. I showed up in person multiple times with documentation proving I was financially independent (bank statements, lease agreements, proof I paid all my own bills) and while they couldn't change my dependency status, they found institutional aid I didn't even know existed. It's absolutely infuriating that this system still exists unchanged after decades, but don't give up. There ARE ways to make it work, even if they require way more creativity and hustle than should be necessary.

I'm facing this exact same frustrating situation right now as a college freshman! My parents make about $70k combined but made it very clear that college expenses are "my responsibility" while they still claim me as a dependent for tax benefits. My SAI came back at around $9,500 which feels completely impossible when you have zero actual family support. What's been helping me so far: I got a work-study position that pays $12/hour (better than most campus jobs), applied to literally every small local scholarship I could find through my high school counselor and city websites, and I'm living in the cheapest dorm option available. I also submitted a professional judgment appeal with documentation showing I pay my own expenses - it didn't change my dependency status but they did offer me an additional $1,800 in institutional aid. The most maddening part is watching friends complain about their aid packages while their parents are actively helping them with expenses. It really highlights how broken this system is for students like us who are truly financially independent but trapped by arbitrary government assumptions about family support. Keep pushing forward - it's an exhausting battle but reading everyone's experiences here shows we're definitely not alone in fighting this flawed system!

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening and honestly heartbreaking to read. I'm a junior in high school and my parents have already made it clear that I'll be "figuring out" college on my own despite their combined income of around $85k. Reading all these experiences has me both terrified and grateful to know what I'm walking into. What strikes me most is how this seems to be such a widespread issue affecting thousands of students, yet there's been virtually no meaningful reform to address it. The fact that 18-year-olds can legally do almost everything else but are still considered financially dependent on unwilling parents is absolutely mind-boggling. I'm definitely taking notes on all the strategies mentioned here - community college for the first two years, aggressive local scholarship hunting, work-study opportunities, and building relationships with financial aid offices. It's frustrating that we have to become experts in navigating a broken system just to get an education, but I really appreciate everyone sharing their real-world experiences and solutions. Has anyone found success in organizing with other affected students to push for policy changes? It seems like with so many of us dealing with this same issue, there should be enough voices to demand reform from our representatives.

I'm a current financial aid officer and seeing this thread really breaks my heart because I deal with students in your exact situation every single day. The system IS fundamentally broken - you're absolutely right about that. Here's some insider perspective that might help: when you come to our office for a professional judgment review, bring EVERYTHING. Bank statements showing you pay your own bills, text messages/emails from parents refusing to help, proof of employment, lease agreements if you live independently. The more documentation you have, the better your case. Also, many students don't realize that even if we can't change your dependency status, we often have emergency funds, institutional grants, or work-study positions with higher pay rates that we can offer. Don't just ask about federal aid - ask specifically what institutional resources might be available for students with non-contributing parents. One more tip: if your school participates in CSS Profile, fill it out even if it seems pointless. Some private schools have endowment funds specifically designated for students in situations like yours, and CSS Profile schools often have more flexibility than federal aid allows. The advocacy idea mentioned above is brilliant - student voices sharing these real experiences could definitely push for the policy changes this system desperately needs.