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Guidelines to determine a 'full-time college student' in Massachusetts?

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MachVII

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Massachusetts

As the title says, what is the requirement for full-time student in MA? My son is 22 and is currently on year 4 of a 2 year degree, taking one class this semester and only two classes the semester before. He is also working 25-30 hours/week. Do I file a complaint for modification and ask to emancipate him and terminate the order? Will the court subpoena his transcript or do I have to file the papers?

Thanks in advance!
 


justalayman

Senior Member
full time by whose standards? The school has an easily obtained level of credit hours required to be taken for them to consider one a full time as opposed to a part time student. I suspect a court would accept that determination.

One or two classes is definitely not a full time student under any determination I have ever heard.
 

MachVII

Junior Member
OK, how do I prove this if neither my son or his mother will give me the information? She has opened a complaint for modification, do I bring up his college standing when I answer or will I have to file my own complaint?
 

Ohiogal

Queen Bee
OK, how do I prove this if neither my son or his mother will give me the information? She has opened a complaint for modification, do I bring up his college standing when I answer or will I have to file my own complaint?
Why haven't you filed for a modification so that your deadbeat son can get off his butt and support himself?
 

MachVII

Junior Member
Why haven't you filed for a modification so that your deadbeat son can get off his butt and support himself?
Headed to the court house today, just wanted to make sure of my facts that's all….. your response doesn't answer my question….
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
If you are looking for an across-the-board definition of "full time student" that applies across the board to all colleges and universities in MA, there isn't one. Each school can determine for themselves what constitutes full time.

I cannot imagine any school which considers taking one class per term to be full time. I can come up with circumstances where taking two classes might be. But only the school where your son is enrolled can tell you what is considered full time for them.

P.S. I work for a major university in Massachusetts.
 

Ohiogal

Queen Bee
If you are looking for an across-the-board definition of "full time student" that applies across the board to all colleges and universities in MA, there isn't one. Each school can determine for themselves what constitutes full time.

I cannot imagine any school which considers taking one class per term to be full time. I can come up with circumstances where taking two classes might be. But only the school where your son is enrolled can tell you what is considered full time for them.

P.S. I work for a major university in Massachusetts.
Brown Mackie and other full profit schools allow one course per month or so to be full time. However that is not a semester. And a 2 year degree would not take four years there.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
Since they don't have a semester or a term set up, it would follow that they'd have a different definition than a school that did. I was speaking specifically of schools that have traditional terms or semesters.
 
As of his 23rd birthday, he will be considered emancipated anyways regardless of college status and you can file to have CS terminated.
 

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