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If you are not living with your parents then you apply as a independent student....simple. Then you get the full loan and grant and an extra one for being an independent student.

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Do they do that in English?  Because I've lived this entire year in a different country from my parents.  I pay my own bills, have my own job, and support myself.  Until I'm 24, I cannot be considered legally independent, and all my financial aid forms consider my parents income.

In my case, my parents don't make that much, so I did get a great deal of financing, I also am fortunate enough to have my dad paying for my college.  But unless I'm in the army, married, or over 24 (there are a few other things that you could do), I am still legally dependent on my parents, and they will continue to request their tax information.

I think it sucks... but I suppose it's based on the fact that if the parents have a lot of money, then the childrent will be paid for.  Of course, not always the case, and sometimes, if you present an extreme circumstance, they may take it into consideration.

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if you present an extreme circumstance, they may take it into consideration.

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In this country, I highly doubt that.

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If you still care, don't ever let me know...

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Quote: from Just Waiting Here at 8:26 pm on July 16, 2008

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if you present an extreme circumstance, they may take it into consideration.

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In this country, I highly doubt that.

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But you can get something for being independent...?  That's better than nothing, right?  I even tried to say I was instate because I lived here for one year, but since I'm not living with my parents, it doesn't count until two years.  I've been living with my sister (10 years older than me, who's lived here for ten years), and they say just because my parents aren't here, I have to pay an extra 20000 more than all the instate students.  Doesn't matter if you're with aunt, uncle, grandparents, siblings... she told me it only mattered with my parents -__-;.  And this isn't even for financial aid, it's regarding how much tuition I'm expected to pay :(.

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Oh, yeah, offering the stuff we have is beneficial, I was half-heartedly poking fun at the fact that we don't have individual circumstances any more, just large bunches of people treated as identical units. =P

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Yeah... but when you think about it, what else is there to do?  I mean, everyone is different, and if they gave leniency, then those that DO have the money with parents support will lie about it anyway.  It sucks, but in a sense, it makes the most sense to generalize... :(

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I know it makes some sense logically but by the same rules I'd say such things have many shortcomings. Emotionally I can never agree with grouping people, either.

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Yeah, I completely agree.  The reason I'm still not instate is because they think I'll move after four years of being here, or that I'm not planning on staying.  I can't tell them, "I promise not to leave right after" (I honestly don't know yet, but the point is, I'm not planning on leaving at this point).  But regardless, they just have to follow the set standard.  I have to pay over 10 000 more per semester because of this.  Until finally next year, I'll qualify for not having to pay that fee...  Sucks, but that's life I suppose :(.  It would be idealistic to think that bigger companies and large governments really thought about people as individuals... but sadly, it's too big of a society to do that.